4 Dog Food Brands Recalled For Possible Salmonella Contamination

Sunshine Mills is voluntarily recalling dog food products under several names because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed in multiple states online and in stores.

The problem was discovered when the company's supplier, Fleet Wholesale Supply Company, was informed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that a sample of its 5-pound Sprout Sporting Dog Food tested positive for Salmonella during routine surveillance, the recall notice at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website noted.

The recall affects products under four brand names: "Sportsman's Pride Professional Formula 30/20 Dog Food," "Sprout Sporting Dog Food," "Intimidator Chicken & Rice Formula Dog Food 30/20" and "FRM Gold Select High Performance Dog Food."

Each of these products was distributed in certain states. For instance, the affected "Sportsman's Pride Professional Formula 30/20 Dog Food" was distributed in Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina and Texas, while the affected "FRM Gold Select High Performance Dog Food" was distributed in Georgia and Florida.

Specific lot codes, "Best if used By" dates and UPC codes of the affected products are available at the FDA website and so are images of their packaging.

"There are no other Sportsman's Pride, Sprout, Intimidator, or FRM Gold Select products or other lot codes of these products affected by this recall," the recall notice said.

Retailers have already been informed of the issue. They have also been instructed to pull the affected products from their inventories. Customers who may have the affected products are being advised to stop using them and to return any remaining ones to their place of purchase.

Salmonella risk in pets and people

According to the FDA, salmonellosis is actually "uncommon" in cats and dogs. Pets who get a Salmonella infection may experience symptoms including lethargy, fever, decreased appetite and abdominal pain. They may also have diarrhea and vomiting.

But even the other pets as well as the people in the household may also be at risk for contracting Salmonella. This is because even infected pets that don't show symptoms can shed it in their stool or saliva and inadvertently spread it to the surroundings for other pets and people in the home to potentially contract.

"For example, cats can spread Salmonella through shared litter boxes or when roaming throughout the house, such as on kitchen countertops," the FDA noted. "Some ways dogs can spread the bacteria is when they give people kisses or have stool accidents inside the home."

There are some key steps to protecting one's home against Salmonella from animals, such as washing the hands after coming in contact with the animals or their habitats and things, not putting the hands in the mouth after coming in contact with pets, not kissing them and not eating or drinking around "high-risk" areas where they roam. It's also important to keep the animals' habitats clean. However, as much as possible, one should avoid doing the cleaning in the kitchen sink.