Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD on December 10, 2009 From the WebMD Archives
Dec. 10, 2009 — A California pet food maker has issued a nationwide recallof all varieties of its popular “pig ears” and “cow hooves” dog treats becausethe products may be contaminated with salmonella, a bacterium thatcan cause serious illness in animals and people.
Pet Carousel Inc. of Sanger, Calif., announced the recall following twostatements from the FDA in November warning that certain dog snacks made by thecompany might be contaminated with salmonella.
Pet Carousel says the FDA found positive results for salmonella in tests ofpig ears and beef hoof products.
The pig ear products, distributed nationwide, were packaged under the brandnames Doggie Delight, Pork Tasteez, and Pet Carousel. The beef hooves werepackaged under the names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and PetCarousel.
The company warns that people can contract salmonella poisoning by handlingdry pet food and pet treats, “especially if [people] have not thoroughly washedtheir hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed tothose products.”
It says healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms suchas nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, and sometimes moreserious problems, including arterial infections.
They report that pets with salmonella may become lethargic and have diarrheaor bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, decreased appetite, and abdominalpain.
The company says healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals orhumans and warns people whose pets have consumed any of the affected productsto contact their veterinarians if their animals have become sick.
The FDA said Nov. 10 that it had warned dog owners that pig ears and cowhooves made by company, “both plain and stuffed,” might be contaminated withsalmonella.
The warning was issued after routine FDA testing in a sample of themanufacturer’s pig ear dog treats, which triggered an inspection of thecompany’s plant.
The FDA says the affected treats were sold nationally through retail storesand over the Internet. The agency also says the retail chains PetSmart, PetFood Express, and Petco had posted formal notices on their web pages andoffered refunds or exchanges for any of the affected foods.
“Salmonella can cause gastroenteritis in dogs, including symptoms such asnausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,” the FDA says in its warning. “Some dogs willshed salmonella in their stools without ever showing any symptoms of illness.If any stool clings to an infected dog’s coat near the anus (not unusual withlong-haired breeds), the salmonella can be spread to other parts of the coat bylicking, and then transferred to anyone who pets, or is licked by, thedog.”
The FDA’s warning on Nov. 10 followed an alert issued Nov. 5.
Pet Carousel says it issued a news release “out of an abundance of cautionand concern for public safety.”
The FDA says it detected salmonella in Pet Carousel products in September,prompting an inspection of the company’s facilities, during which salmonellawas found in beef hooves, pig ears, and in the manufacturing environment.
The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names DoggieDelight, Pork Tasteez, and Pet Carousel, item number:
- 18100-P Bulk
- 18016-P 10-pk red mesh bag
- 18120-P 20-pk red mesh bag.
The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves,Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel, item number:
- 1506-K 5 lb. bulk
- 1507-K 10 lb. bulk
- 1520-K 20 lb. bulk
- 12125-T 10-pk vinyl bag
- 12110-T 10-pk, vinyl bag
- 12111-T 10-pk, vinyl bag
- 12122-T 10 lb., bulk
- 1503-K 3-pk, vinyl bag
- 1510-K 10-pk ,vinyl bag
- 1405-S 5 lb., bulk
- 1408-S 10-pk, vinyl bag
- 1410-S 10 lb., bulk
- 1420-S 20 lb., bulk
- 90058-H Cheese/& Bacon Stuffed Hoof, bulk
- 90056-H Peanut Butter Stuffed Hoof, bulk
- 17005-R Rope toy with Hooves
