FDA cautions pet owners against dog food brand after sample shows salmonella and listeria

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning pet owners about a brand of dog food after a sample tested positive for salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.

The impacted product, Performance Dog frozen raw pet food, is sold in 2 pound pouches, the FDA said.

Two samples of different finished products tested positive for salmonella or L. mono during an inspection of Bravo Packing, Inc., the manufacturer of Performance Dog raw pet food, according to the FDA. One of the products sampled had not yet been distributed.

The product that entered the marketplace is Performance Dog raw pet food with the lot code 072219. However, the FDA cautioned about all Performance Dog frozen raw pet food produced on or after July 22, 2019 because the products do not have lot codes printed on retail packaging.

Salmonella bacteria responsible for salmonella is seen under optical microscopy X 1000. (Photo credit: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Anyone with Performance Dog product that was purchased after July 22, 2019 was advised to throw it away. Consumers should also clean refrigerators and freezers where the product was stored, as well as clean and disinfect bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces and any other areas that the food or pet may have had contact with, the FDA said.

The FDA said Performance Dog raw pet food represents “a serious threat to human and animal health.”

“Because these products are sold and stored frozen, FDA is concerned that people may still have them in their possession,” the agency said.

Salmonella and L. mono can cause illness and death in both humans and animals.

Pets do not always display symptoms when infected with Salmonella, but signs can include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and decreased activity level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. L. mono infections are uncommon in pets, but they are possible.

As with Salmonella, infected pets can shed L. mono in their feces and saliva without showing signs of being sick — further contaminating the household, the FDA said.

Pet owners should consult a veterinarian if their pet has symptoms of either infection.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.