Salmonella Scare Drives Pet Food Recall

March 30, 2021 — A number of brands of dog and cat food are being recalled by Midwestern Pet Foods due to possible salmonella contamination that poses a risk to both pets who eat the products and people who handle them, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

The recall is for certain lots of the following brands: CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Venture, Unrefined, Sportmix Wholesomes, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportstrail, Sportmix and Meridian, the agency said.

A full list of the recalled brands can be found here.

Healthy people infected with salmonella can experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, salmonella can trigger more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms, the FDA said in a news release.

Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. 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. No human or pet illnesses have been reported to date, the FDA said.

Lot code information may be found on the back of the bags with the following format:

“EXP AUG/02/22/M1/L#

The products were distributed to retail stores across the United States and to online retailers.

For more information, consumers can call the company at 1-800-474-4163, ext. 455.