Contaminated Pet Food Sickening Humans

You may have heard about a recall for pet food contaminated with salmonella. At first, it was dogs and cats getting sick, but now it seems that the salmonella poisoning has spread to humans, too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking all pet owners to check their pantry shelves for Diamond Pet Foods.

The affected food was manufactured in South Carolina and is advertised on the company's website as "holistic" and "all-natural". Back in April the company pulled just three brands of its various dog and cat foods, but the recall has now expanded to nine brands. The CDC has received 14 reports of humans that were sickened after contact with their dog or cat that had consumed Diamond Pet Foods. The 14 reports occurred in 9 states including Alabama, Connecticut, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The CDC is tracking the human cases of salmonella poisoning and believes that the people affected either touched the dog food and then their own food, had contact with bowls or utensils used to serve the pet food, or a dog licking their faces. The best way to avoid the spread of salmonella is to wash your hands with hot, soapy water after touching pet food or treats, after handling pets (or their feces), and before preparing and eating your meals. A complete list of Diamond Pet Foods affected by the recall is available online.