Dog treats recalled across seven US states over health risk
Multiple bags of dog treats have been recalled due to a potentially dangerous health risk.
Consumers Supply Distributing, LLC, based in Iowa, is recalling four-pound bags of biscuits for dogs, according to a company announcement shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Wednesday. The recall is due to the potential presence of salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause a common bacterial illness.
The recall affects four-pound bags of Country Vet Biscuits, Original Meaty Flavor, with the UPC 899623000463, lot code 40906513, and expiration date of September 6, 2026.
Four-pound bags of Heartland Harvest Dog Biscuits, with the UPC 840227340691, are also included in the recall. The product has the lot code 40906513 and expiration date of September 6, 2026.
The recalled products were sold at various retail stores in seven states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Montana, and Nebraska.
The recall was issued after a routine sampling program by the FDA “revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria,” according to the report shared by the health organization.
“The company has ceased the production and distribution of the lot number as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem,” the FDA report notes.
While there haven’t been any illnesses reported to date, consumers are urged to discard the recalled dog treats immediately or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
As noted in the FDA report, pets with salmonella infections can be “lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.” Some can have only “decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain.” Pets that have the infections but are otherwise healthy can still infect other animals or humans.
If your pet has eaten the recalled product and is showing symptoms, contact your veterinarian. Pet owners are also urged to thoroughly wash their hands after touching the pet food or any surface exposed to it in order to stop the spread of bacteria.
In people, salmonella infections can occur anywhere between 12 and 72 hours after eating food that is contaminated with the bacteria, and symptoms can “usually last four to seven days,” according to the FDA’s website.
Symptoms can range from diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Elderly people, children younger than five, and people with weakened immune systems are “more likely to have severe infections.”
Salmonella is the second leading cause of foodborne illnesses in the U.S., according to the CDC. The organization also notes that each year, there are 1.35 million illnesses, 420 deaths, and 26,500 hospitalizations due to salmonella.
Multiple types of pet foods were also recalled earlier this year due to a health risk. In October, Wisconsin-based Foodynamics voluntarily recalled specific lots of freeze-dried pet treats from brands Raw Dog Barkery, BellePepper Cats, Kanu Pets, and What’s In the Bowl, because of the potential presence of salmonella.
In addition, Raw Bistro Pet Fare, based in Minnesota, also recalled three-pound bags of the Raw Bistro Dog Fare Grass-Fed Beef Entrée and 18-pound cases of the Raw Bistro Dog Fare Grass-Fed Beef Entrée.
