0
0
Public Health Officials and the CDC have issued new warnings about pig ear treats for dogs as 127 people in 33 states have now reported illness that seem to be related to the product. This salmonella outbreak was first confirmed on July 3, as 45 people in 13 states reported getting sick, but by the July 13th, the number of people affected had jumped to 93.
The CDC reports that 127 cases have been confirmed as of today (July 31) and a third of those people have been admitted to a hospital. As of now, no deaths have been confirmed from this outbreak, but young children (five years and younger) are being affected.
How Salmonella affects humans:
There is really no way to know that your food is contaminated with the Salmonella bacteria because food contaminated with it does not look, smell or taste spoiled. Salmonella can be spread to other people. Infants, young children and seniors are more at risk for salmonella because their immune systems are weaker, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include: diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after being contaminated. Diarrhea can be very severe and require hospitalization. Healthy adults that contract the Salmonella bacteria are usually sick for four to seven days.
If you have bought, touched or fed your pet pig ears and you have symptoms of Salmonella, you need to seek medical attention. Your doctor needs to know if you have been exposed to, or have been contaminated with Salmonella. Tests need to be run to determine if you have the Salmonella bacteria because Salmonella symptoms can mimic other diseases and it sometimes is misdiagnosed.
If you do have a weak immune system and think you may have contracted the bacteria, it is vital that you talk to your doctor. This bacteria can be life-threatening under the right circumstances.
Can this make my dog sick? Yes, absolutely!! The Centers for Disease Control is asking people not to buy or feed their pets any pig ear treats at this time because of the contamination issue. The contamination is not limited to a single brand and testing has shown that the contamination is showing up in many different pig ear treats from various suppliers.
“Multiple products have tested positive for numerous types of Salmonella resulting in two company recalls to date,” said Dr. Steven M. Solomon, D.V.M., M.P.H., director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.
“Given this and the links to human illness, we believe the most effective way to protect public health at this time is to warn consumers to avoid purchasing or feeding their pets all pig ear treats and for retailers not to sell these products. We also continue to advise those who may have come into contact with potentially contaminated products to practice safe hygiene, including thoroughly washing hands and disinfecting any surfaces that have touched pig ear pet treats. The FDA will provide additional updates as our investigation further progresses.”
So far the two companies to recall pig ear pet treats are:
- Pet Supplies Plus (on July 3) notified the public about a recall of all bulk pig ear products supplied to all its retail locations by several different vendors, including Lennox Intl Inc.
- Lennox (on July 26) notified the public about a recall. On July 30, the firm expanded that recall and issued an additional public notification. The FDA and CDC have identified 43 human illnesses in this Salmonella outbreak linked to Lennox product that was first isolated in November 2018.
Federal and state officials are currently investigating and running tests on sick dogs to see if they have been infected with the Salmonella bacteria. Laboratory results are still pending.
According to the CDD and FDA, some dogs with Salmonella infections may not look sick. If a dog has a Salmonella bacteria, he/she will probably have diarrhea that may be bloody. Infected animals may act more tired than usual and may vomit or have a fever.
“If your dog or cat has these signs of illness, or you are concerned that your pet may have Salmonella infection, please contact your pet’s veterinarian,” the CDC’s update urges.
The FDA is asking consumers who believe their pets have illnesses related to the pig ear treats to report the illnesses to the agency. To report illnesses and file other complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal click here.
Health Tips from the CDC:
- Do not feed or buy pig ears at this time.
- Throw away any pig ears you currently have.
- Wash your hand thoroughly with soap and water after handling the pig ear treats.
- Sanitize any dog food or treat containers that may have held the treats, including counter tops and food bowls.
- Wash hands after being in a pet store.
- Store dog food and treats away from where human food is stored or prepared.
- Keep dog food and treats out of reach of young children.
- Don’t use your dog’s food bowl to scoop food. Use a clean scoop or cup.
- Don’t let your dog lick your mouth or face after he/she eats.
- Don’t let your dog lick any open wounds or areas with broken skin.
- Don’t allow children younger than 5 to touch dog food or treats because they are more likely to put their hands in their mouth.
An FDA spokesperson told Food Safety News that this Salmonella outbreak is especially difficult because pet food stores and other retailers buy the pig ear treats in bulk. Everyone needs to be aware, but older adults, children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of contracting the bacteria.
** Just a personal note- I don’t think pugs should eat pig ear treats in the first place. There is a good chance they could choke on them.
Until next time,
Hugs and Pug Kisses,
Candy
