Dog Food DANGEROUS to TOUCH
Salmonella-contaminated dry dog food a danger to dogs and people
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that some dry food kibble may be to blame for an outbreak of salmonella in people.
Dry dog food coupled with cross-contamination has been held responsible for a salmonella outbreak in 21 states between 2006 – 2008. Almost half of those afflicted by the salmonella outbreak were young children under the age of two years.
People who contract Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. If you or a family member have any of these symptoms, see your doctor without delay.
Dogs that develop Salmonella infections may become lethargic and experience diarrhea or even bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Your dog may experience a decreased appetite, fever and stomach pain.
It is possible for your dog to become a carrier, contaminating people and other dogs and pets and not show any outward signs of salmonella.
If your dog is exposed to any commercial dog food or dog treat that has been recalled due to Salmonella contamination, see your veterinarian without delay as a precaution without delay.
Since Salmonella can be transmitted from dog food to people, your children can become infected even if they never place a single piece kibble of dog food in their mouth.
The American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA, in its brilliance, offers the following advice to prevent Salmonella contamination.
- Wash your hands after handling dog food and pet treats.
- Don’t permit immune-compromised people to handle pet food or treats.
- Keep dog food and treats in an area away from your food.
- Don’t prepare your dogs meals food in the same locale as you prepare family meals
- Keep dogs off countertops where food for human consumption is prepared
- Feed your dog far away from the area where you prepare your own meals
So what does this really say?…
That commercial dog food may be so awful, unregulated and dangerous that we should expect it to be dangerous to our health and those of our children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
So AWFUL, that the mere EXPOSURE or touching of this toxic garbage may result in salmonella contamination and disease.
To prevent this contamination one should engage in extra sanitary precautions to avoid contamination. Forget forcing the dog food companies to clean up their act. Instead, let’s live in fear of contamination, feed our dogs in areas separated from our families and scrub up after even touching a treat !
The AVMA, to be fair is not the culprit and cause of Salmonella contamination in dog and pet food.
But they should be stronger advocates for quality control and regulation in an industry that has wrought havoc and death for decades by manufacturing and selling garbage as “food”, deceiving the public, and contributing to the onset of disease and shorter life spans for man’s best friend.