Contaminated Dog Treats

[Craftlady]

Here we go again :-(


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumers should not use certain beef dog treats distributed by Merrick Pet Care because the pet food might be contaminated with salmonella, health authorities warned on Thursday.

Merrick Beef Filet Squares for dogs were distributed nationwide through retail stores and the Internet. No illnesses linked to the products have been reported, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA warned that contaminated pet food could also infect people if they handled the dog treats and have not thoroughly cleaned their hands.

The Merrick Beef Filet Squares were packaged in a 10-ounce green, red and tan resealable plastic bag. They are labeled "best by 111911."

Last month, the FDA conducted routine testing of the treats and found evidence for salmonella. Another inspection found deficiencies in the packaging and manufacturing.

Humans infected with the salmonella can experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It could also cause more serious problems such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract problems. In pets, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fevers, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and abdominal pain.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

[MonicanHonda]

Well, all dog food actually contains salmonella... I guess this is more a warning for the humans?

[Lady's Human]

All dog food contains salmonella?



Somehow I doubt that, as dogs are just as susceptible to salmonella poisoning as humans.

Thanks for the heads up, CL.

[MonicanHonda]

Not true. Many dogs are on a raw diet and a big portion of that can be made up from chicken which of course, carries salmonella. Dogs have short digestive tracts like wolves that are very acidic and short for a reason. So the bacteria is either killed or gets moved through fast enough that it doesn't affect them. Delta eats chicken every day right now because we're transitioning to a raw diet and that's the easiest on the belly. She hasn't croaked yet. I'll look it up in the book I was reading about processed kibble for ya. And actually, almost all dogs that come down with salmonella poisoning are on kibble.

[Lady's Human]

MYTH!

And I'll leave it at that.

[MonicanHonda]

I sold the book... but here is an excerpt from this website http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359 It contains most of the same information

Bacteria. Slaughtered animals, as well as those that have died because of disease, injury, or natural causes, are sources of meat, by-products, and rendered meals. An animal that died on the farm might not reach a rendering plant until days after its death. Therefore the carcass is often contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Dangerous E. Coli bacteria are estimated to contaminate more than 50% of meat meals. While the cooking process may kill bacteria, it does not eliminate the endotoxins some bacteria produce during their growth. These toxins can survive processing, and can cause sickness and disease. Pet food manufacturers do not test their products for bacterial endotoxins. Because sick or dead animals can be processed as pet foods, the drugs that were used to treat or euthanize them may still be present in the end product. Penicillin and pentobarbital are just two examples of drugs that can pass through processing unchanged. Antibiotics used in livestock production are also thought to contribute to antibiotic resistance in humans.

Now if you're feeding a good quality dog food, this probably won't happen because they don't use diseased animals (we hope) but never the less, it's in the lower quality brands.

Basically, yes, a lot of dog foods contain salmonella but the way the dog's tract works, it digests the food and gets rid of it fast enough that they don't get symptoms. A lot of dogs can have salmonella in their feces but not carry symptoms. If your dog is immunocompromised, this can be a problem and definitely cause the bacteria to be able to take over the body and you will see symptoms.

How is that a myth? Dogs have only been on dog kibble for 60 or so years. Their GI systems have not had time to convert to eating a grainy based kibble. Are you telling me that my animal nutrition and animal classes in general are wrong that all my professors are lying to me so I will give my dog salmonella and hope it dies? >.> So are you saying dogs can't have RAW chicken bones too? I have actual proof of that every day on my floor when my dog eats. :-/ Not trying to sound mean or anything... but I don't really know how to put it in other words.

[Lady's Human]

I'm going to make one last post concerning salmonella poisoning and I'm out.

It has been discussed many, many time on this board and most of the references quoted are questionable at best.

There are many disagreements about what to feed animals, they get heated, no one convinces anyone of anything, and it's buried for a while until someone brings it up again.

IIRC, the book you quoted (the quote looks extremely familiar) has little scientific study to back it up.

The statement "all dog food contains salmonella" is myth. Pure, total and complete fabrication.

Also, the statement that canine stomach acids are more acidic than human is questionable at best, being that human gastric acid has a Ph between 1 and 2. You can't get much lower than that.