The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating seven cases of human salmonellosis linked to contact with contaminated dry dog food.
Six of the seven outbreak victims are young children (one year old or less).
One person has been hospitalized.
Victims reported initial appearance of symptoms between January 14, 2023 and August 19, 2023.
The seven victims each live in a different state: Alabama, California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
Of the five people interviewed so far, all of them report contact with a dog or having a dog in the household. Three (60%) fed their dogs Victor brand dog food, and one of them also reported feeding Hi-Pro Plus. The other two people could not recall the brand of dog food.
While conducting routine testing, the South Carolina State Department of Agriculture found Salmonella in a sample of Victor brand Hi-Pro Plus dog food with a lot code of 1000016385. The genetic profile of the strain found in the dog food matched the strain of Salmonella Kiambu recovered from the outbreak victims.
Mid America Pet Food has expanded an initial recall (issued October 30, 2023) to include all Best by dates before 10/31/24 of the following brands and varieties (see list for complete details):
- Victor Super Premium Dog Foods
- Wayne Feeds Dog Food
- Eagle Mountain Pet Food
- some Member’s Mark varieties
What consumers/pet owners need to know
If you have any of the recalled brands of food made by Mid America Pet Food (Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds, and certain Member’s Mark varieties) with a best by date before 10/31/2024, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it. Do not donate the food.
The best by date is located on the middle top of the back of the bag. If you no longer have the bag or can’t read the number, throw the food away.
Consumers who have had this product in their homes should clean and disinfect all pet supplies, including all storage containers, bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, litter boxes, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with. Clean up the pet’s feces in places where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.
How to report an illness
People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN Network) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella.
The FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.
CDC recommends that you contact a healthcare provider if you or your child have severe Salmonella symptoms. Diagnosis of Salmonella infection requires certain tests.
“A complete and compelling account of the hidden and not-so-hidden ways the food we give our beloved pets can be contaminated.” – JoNel Aleccia, Health Reporter, Food & Nutrition, The Associated Press.
“An invaluable resource for busy pet owners” – Food Safety News
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