Popular pet food company Blue Ridge Beef has voluntarily recalled 9,600 pounds of dog food due to salmonella concerns.
The North Carolina-based company warned Monday about their two-pound bags of frozen Puppy Mix being sold in seven states.
The affected states are Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
According to the FDA’s recall notice, contaminated products were sold between August 6 and 23.
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 ill after eating Puppy Mix.
The distraught owner reported the illnesses to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The FDA told Blue Ridge Beef that its Puppy Mix tested positive for salmonella on Nov. 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 people are also at risk of salmonella poisoning if they don’t wash their hands thoroughly after feeding their pet.
Dogs infected with salmonella may experience sluggishness, diarrhea, bloody stools, fever and vomiting.
Pets may also lose their appetite and develop stomach pain.
The recall states: ‘Infected but otherwise healthy pets may be carriers and infect other animals or people. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.”
People who have come into contact with salmonella may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, cramps and fever.
In more severe cases, people can develop infections in their blood vessels, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract infections.
People who purchased the Puppy Mix are urged to return the product or dispose of it “in a manner that children, pets and wildlife do not have access to,” the recall statement reads.
Pet owners should also disinfect all bowls and 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 Gravel, Kitten Mix and Puppy Mix.
These products – sold in the same states as the current recall – tested positive for listeria and salmonella.
Blue Ridge Beef warned that people are also at risk of salmonella poisoning if they don’t wash their hands thoroughly after feeding their pet
The raw pet food company has voluntarily recalled 9,600 pounds of salmonella-contaminated dog food
Listeria is a bacterial infection often associated with dairy products and processed meats. It can be fatal for pregnant women, newborns and the elderly.
According to the FDA, the bacteria can also cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections” in pets that consume contaminated products.
Monday’s recall comes nearly five years since the FDA issued Blue Ridge Beef a warning letter after finding the company was out of compliance.
The letter said the company did not properly inspect the meat used in raw pet food.
The FDA wrote: “Your company uses tissues from animals that died by means other than slaughter in the production of pet food without first determining whether the animals suffered from any form of disease. [or] harm, injury and/or the animals may have been administered medications prior to collection from the supplier and subsequent use in production, making animal tissues unsuitable for production and processing in your pet food.”