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Dog Treats Recalled Due to Salmonella Concerns

-October 21, 2008

The Hartz Mountain Corporation, a New Jersey-based retailer of pet products, voluntarily recalled a single lot of its "Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips" due to the possibility that some of the bags may have been contaminated by salmonella.

These rawhide chips, which are marketed as dog treats, are sold nationwide in both small and nationally-recognized pet supply stores. The specific lot that has been recalled is:

• Lot code: JC23282
• UPC: 3270096463

This recalled lot contains 4,850 individual bags of rawhide chips, each of which come in 2 lb. bags.

The presence of salmonella in this lot was revealed by an independent lab's test on a rawhide chip sample from this batch. While Hartz did test this batch for salmonella (as it does with every batch of these treats), its results came up negative for this toxic bacteria.

Currently, Hartz is investigating the cause of possible salmonella contamination, as well as the reasons for discrepancies between their and the other lab's tests.

What is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a toxic bacterium that can cause severe intestinal infections in both humans and animals. Some of the most common methods of transmission for salmonella include:

• coming into contact with infected people, animals and/or feces
• drinking contaminated water
• eating contaminated or improperly cooked food
• touching reptiles (Up to 90 percent of all reptiles carry salmonella)

While there are over 2,300 different strains of salmonella, over half of all salmonella infections in humans are caused by Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis.

Effects of Salmonella Poisoning on Pets
If Hartz' rawhide chips are, indeed, contaminated with salmonella, then dogs who eat these treats – as well as other house pets who come into contact with them – will experience a salmonella infection.

It's important to note that not all pets infected with salmonella will express symptoms, as some can latently carry and spread this bacterium without being noticeably affected by it.

However, pets who do express symptoms will typically experience any combination of:

• diarrhea
• fatigue
• fever
• vomiting

If your pet starts showing some of the above symptoms, or if you suspect your pet has been exposed to salmonella, seek a veterinarian's care immediately. Helping your pet get over his salmonella infection is not only essential for his or her health but also for your own, as salmonella can easily spread from pets to humans.

(Source: FDA)

Have you or your pet been harmed by a product contaminated with salmonella? If so, contact us today to talk to an experienced professional who will provide you with the legal support you need to pursue your legal claim.

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