Pet Owners’ Illnesses Linked to Salmonella-Tainted Dog Food
May 7th, 2012 tmccoy
Pet owners beware: a very rare strain of salmonella has recently been discovered in a popular pet food brand, and has been linked to sicknesses in the owners who feed their pets a number of these products.
Diamond Pet Foods, the maker of pet foods for dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, reptiles, and even fish, are the makers of the various products which have been linked to the salmonella strain. Specifically,
have each caused outbreaks in the owners of pets who have ingested these products:
- Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice Formula
- Diamond Puppy Formula
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula
Perhaps most distressing is that the disease has passed simply through the handling of the food and not washing one’s hands properly, as well as through the stool of the animals. There have not been reports of sicknesses in the pets themselves at this time, or of individuals getting sick from eating the pet food.
According to Fox Business News, three human illnesses in Missouri, three in North Carolina, two in Pennsylvania, two in Ohio, one in Alabama, one in Connecticut, one in Michigan, one in New Jersey and one in Virginia have been linked to the outbreak. Five of the victims were hospitalized and there have been no deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating the problem further.
