Popular pet food company Blue Ridge Beef has voluntarily recalled 9,600 pounds of dog food over salmonella concerns.
The North Carolina-based business issued the warning about their two-pound bags of frozen Puppy Mix sold in seven states on Monday.
The affected states are Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Contaminated products were sold between August 6 and August 23, according to the FDA‘s recall announcement.
They are labeled with lot numbers 08/06/N25 or 08/16/N25 and have clear plastic packaging.
The salmonella contamination was discovered when a Virginia dog owner’s litter of puppies became sick after eating the Puppy Mix.
The distraught owner reported the illnesses to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The FDA told Blue Ridge Beef that the Puppy Mix tested positive for salmonella on November 27, according to the company’s statement.
Blue Ridge Beef recalled their frozen Puppy Mix because it tested positive for salmonella
Blue Ridge Beef warned that humans are also at risk of salmonella poisoning if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after feeding their pet.
Dogs infected with salmonella may experience sluggishness, diarrhea, bloody stool, fever and vomiting.
Pets may also lose their appetite and have stomach pain.
The recall states: ‘Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.’
Humans who have come in contact with salmonella can experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, cramping and fever.
In more serious cases, people may develop infections in their arteries, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle aches, eye irritation and urinary tract infections.
People who bought the Puppy Mix are being urged to return the product or dispose of it ‘in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access,’ the recall statement reads.
Pet owners should also sanitize any bowls or utensils used to serve the recalled food.
Blue Ridge produces ‘100 percent pure raw pet food,’ according to its website.
Blue Ridge Beef issued a recall last year for the company’s two-pound bags of Kitten Grind, Kitten Mix and Puppy Mix.
These products – sold across the same states as the current recall – tested positive for listeria and salmonella.
Blue Ridge Beef warned that humans are also at risk of salmonella poisoning if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after feeding their pet
The raw pet food company voluntarily recalled 9,600 pounds of salmonella-ridden dog food
Listeria is a bacterial infection often associated with dairy products and deli meats. It can be deadly to pregnant women, newborns and the elderly.
The bacteria can also cause ‘serious and sometimes fatal infections’ in pets that consume contaminated products, according to the FDA.
Monday’s recall comes nearly five years since the FDA slapped Blue Ridge Beef with a warning letter after finding the company was not up to code.
The letter stated the company was not properly inspecting the meat used in its raw pet food.
The FDA wrote: ‘Your firm utilizes tissues from animals that have died otherwise than by slaughter in the manufacturing of pet food without first determining whether the animals suffered any type of illness [or] injury, injury, and/or whether any medications may have been administered to the animals prior to your pick up from the supplier and subsequent use in manufacturing, such that tissues from the animals would be unsuitable for manufacturing and processing into your pet food.’
