Bravo Packing Dog Food Recall 2021 List Expanded Over Salmonella, Listeria Risks

A New Jersey-based company has expanded its earlier recall to include more dog food products. Both pets and humans may be at risk because of the potential contamination.

Early in March, Bravo Packing issued a voluntary recall of two of its pet food products after samples tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria. At the time, the recall affected its "Performance Dog" and "Ground Beef" frozen raw pet food in 2-pound and 5-pound plastic sleeves.

This week, the company announced that it is expanding its recall to include "all pet food and bones in all package sizes." The company provided the full list of affected products at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. It now includes tripe patties and 14 varieties of smoked bones.

Bravo Packing expanded the recall because of the risk of cross-contamination, the company said, noting that a possible Salmonella or Listeria contamination poses risks for both pets and humans.

Salmonella And Listeria Risk

So far, there have been no reports of illnesses related to the recall, but pets that display symptoms after eating a recalled product should be taken to the veterinarian.

In Salmonella's case, bacterial infection can cause symptoms such as vomiting, bloody diarrhea, fever, nausea and fever in people. Pets may experience similar symptoms, including lethargy.

On the other hand, the FDA said Listeria might cause short-term symptoms such as stiffness, severe headache, and abdominal pain in people considered healthy. It can, however, prove fatal in at-risk people, which includes the young and the elderly. In pregnant women, a Listeria monocytogenes infection may even cause stillbirths and miscarriages.

In pet dogs and cats, Listeria may cause symptoms including breathing problems, muscle pain and fever.

Protect Your Household From Listeria, Salmonella

People may get infected with Salmonella or Listeria if they got in contact with a contaminated item such as dog food and do not wash their hands. What's more, it's possible for a pet to be infected but not present symptoms.

This means that the pathogen can still spread in the household even if the pet is not visibly sick.

The best way to prevent Salmonella from spreading from animals to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, is to always wash the hands thoroughly with soap and water after getting in contact with them. The FDA also recommends making sure to prevent cross-contamination when preparing pets' food to prevent Listeria.

This means washing the hands properly after touching your pets, their food or treats, or the areas where they roam. Surfaces that the animals may have come in contact with should also be disinfected with soap or disinfectant. Moreover, food bowls should be cleaned right after the pets are done eating.

By following simple steps in preventing cross-contamination, people can protect themselves and their pets from Salmonella and Listeria.