Contaminated Pet Food? Recalled Pet Treats?

In our recent Newsletter, “How Safe is Your Dog’s Food,” we discussed the daunting statistics of the many brands of dog food that were contaminated just this last summer with Salmonella. These brands included Diamond brand, Solid Gold, Canidae, Taste of the Wild, and Kirkland (Costco brand). In July 2012 forty-nine people had been sick from the pet food and ten hospitalized. Like humans, dogs and cats can show the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea or not show any symptoms and become carriers.

These pet food manufacturer’s recalls and food borne pathogens are on the rise. In our newsletter we discussed five ways to reduce the risk for food poisoning and contamination, but I also wanted to touch on yet another risk reduction. 

Researching your pet’s food and finding a reliable pet food company that makes their own food in their own facilities here in the United States is the sixth risk reduction. For Example, Hills Pet Nutrition, also known as Science Diet, puts pride into their quality control. They have never had a manufacturer’s recall from a pet getting sick. Some time ago they had some voluntary recalls on cat food not because a pet got sick, but due to something they found in their quality control.

They spend 15 million dollars annually on quality control. Their diets are manufactured in their own facilities in the United States. The few raw ingredients that they have to outsource to other countries are tested prior to preparing them here in their own facilities. Science diet might be slightly more expensive but in my book well worth it when thinking about the alternative.