Pet Food Recall Grows: Babies Sickened By Salmonella In Tainted Food, Officials Say

(NEXSTAR) – Health officials announced Thursday that several people, mostly babies, have become ill after coming into contact with dog food that is the subject of a growing recall because of possible salmonella contamination.

On the same day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Texas-based Mid America Pet Food’s voluntary recall now includes six types of cat food and over 25 dry dog food products.

To date, there have been at least seven documented illnesses and one hospitalization related to the dog food in seven states: California, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Minnesota. Because many salmonella cases go unreported, the actual number of cases could be higher, the CDC said.

IRS announces 2024 income tax brackets – see where you land

“People in this outbreak became sick because they touched recalled dog food, touched things like dog bowls that contained the dog food, or touched the feces or saliva of dogs given the dog food,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Report statement published online. “Most of those sickened in this outbreak are young children.”

According to the CDC, six of the seven cases involved children under one year old, with exposure to dogs reported in five cases. In three cases, Mid America Victor pet food was confirmed to have been fed to pets.

Additionally, the strain of salmonella that sickened all seven people was the same as that found in a sample of Victor brand dog food analyzed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The CDC recommends that people regularly clean their pets’ bowls and placemats, as well as their own hands, before and after handling pet food or treats, and make sure children also wash their hands properly.

Products that are recalled

The FDA press release states that bags of Victor Super Premium Dog Foods, Wayne Feeds Dog Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food and some Member’s Mark varieties with a sell-by date before 10/31/24 may have been found to be contaminated with salmonella at the company’s Mount Pleasant facility were contaminated.

Below you will find images of the products affected by the recall:

The latest recall expands on FDA announcements from Sept. 3 and Oct. 30 informing pet owners that the Texas manufacturer was recalling potentially harmful products. The full list of products affected by the recall can be found here.

If you have purchased one of these food bags, the FDA recommends that you throw it away immediately after placing it in a secure container that other animals, including wildlife, cannot access.

You should clean and disinfect all pet supplies in the home, including storage containers, bowls, utensils, food preparation surfaces, pet litter, litter boxes, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have come into contact with. The FDA advises, adding that you should clean up feces in places where other people or animals might be exposed.

According to the CDC, salmonella can cause serious illness and even death, especially in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Pets may not show symptoms of salmonella infection, but they may experience vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, loss of appetite, and decreased activity.