Have you heard about the FDA’s New Dog Food Recalls?
The FDA recently issued a recall for some of the dog foods out there, but not everyone knows what to do with this information.
Of course, most of us would rush to check to see if what we feed our pups is included on the list, but are these recalls this damaging for our pets? The reasons may surprise you, as not only is their health at risk but you may also be impacted too!
As pet parents, we all want them to be healthy, safe, and healthy, and through the basics that are included in these things, there are the basics such as food.
We all try to give them the best that our budget can buy, but it seems like there are some popular dog food brands out there that are going to do more harm than good when we draw the line.
The reason given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this latest recall includes traces of harmful bacteria in the components of these batches of pet food.
While dog foods were the main ones impacted, there have also been some cat food formulas named, and you should be careful!
To see what are the harmful bacteria, which are the dog food brands everyone needs to check, and what can such a recall that we do not listen to do to our pups, keep on reading!
Has your pet ever gotten sick from an FDA-recalled food? What happened? Share your story in the comments down below!
Which are the recalled brands?
The most important piece of information to retain is the name of the brands that are being recalled. They are two very well-known brands of dog food (and cat food in one case), and they may end up being in your fridge right now!
They are Darwin’s Natural Pet Products and Answers Pet Food.
It is good to keep in mind that the FDA announced that the only pet foods that have been are of the raw food variety! So if you are worried about any sort of kibble being recalled, you can rest assured that it is only the raw food.
Why were these brands recalled?
While it may not be common knowledge, all types of food, be they for human or animal consumption, end up being tested by the FDA so that they know if anything can end up causing panic or illness amongst the masses.
From the two brands we have mentioned previously, the rest have found that several batches of their raw foods are contaminated with listeria and salmonella.
These two types of bacteria are dangerous as they can not only cause illnesses in the pets that eat the contaminated food, but any contact with the contaminated food can end up spreading it to the owners or other people in the home as well.
Since the recall was made, the FDA asked all owners who have been giving their pets Darwin’s Natural Pet Products’s raw dog food to stop it since there have been salmonella traces in six samples of their food and one sample has listeria.
It is estimated that only about 3% of the people who used Darwin’s Natural Pet Products are going to be affected by the recall.
In the case of Answers Pet Food, they have made their own dog food recall after there have been some traces of the same bacteria found in their own products as well.
This is a voluntary recall made to preemptively address any possible contaminations and avoid the possibility of any pets or owners falling sick.
Thankfully, the FDA also announced that no illnesses have been associated with the contaminated batches in both pets and humans.
Keep on reading to discover the exact batches of raw food that have traces of listeria and salmonella.
Here are the recalled batches and how you can check
If you do not feed your pets a raw diet, then you may not have heard about these brands before. However, checking the batches and lot numbers is something that you should know both how to do and where to find the food you’re purchasing.
Darwin’s Natural Pet Products are generally bought online, and they are the main pet food that has been recalled by the FDA. Here are the dog food names, lot codes, and dates to check if you are using this brand.
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs
- Lot: 10828 MFG. Dated: Jul 24, 2024;
- Lot: 10844 MFG. Dated: Jul 30, 2024;
- Lot: 10887 MFG. Dated: Aug 12, 2024.
Know that there are also some cat foods that have been contaminated with the bacteria, and you should also check these food formulations from Darwin’s Natural Pet Products cat foods:
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats
- Lot: 10832 MFG. Dated: Jul 25, 2024;
- Lot: 10856 MFG. Dated: Aug. 4, 2024;
- Lot: 10890 MFG. Dated: Aug 13, 2024.
In the case of Answers Pet Food, which you can also get in certain retail stores, they have recalled the following products:
- Answers Straight Chicken for dogs, lot BUBD Jan. 2, 2026, & Mar. 11, 2026;
- Answers Straight beef for dogs, lot BUBD Jan. 31, 2026;
- Answers Detailed beef for dogs, lot BUBD May 6, 2026.
If you or someone you know has been using these pet formulas for their pup or cat, make sure you let them know about the recalls. Keep on reading to discover why recalled food is such a danger to pets and owners alike!
If you’re going to read about the benefits of feeding your pup a raw diet, we recommend this book!
What can happen to your dog due to these unsafe foods?
The FDA notes that listeria has a slight chance of creating severe illness in dogs, but it can give them gastrointestinal symptoms, albeit mild, along with the likes of vomiting and diarrhea.
The more severe cases that have been recorded include fevers, breathing problems, muscle pains, and even death. Despite this, the cases of listeria causing these symptoms and reactions are rare.
Know that even if your dog does not exhibit any symptoms and has eaten infected food, it can still spread the bacteria throughout the household to other pets and people. The most at-risk are young children, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone who has a compromised immune system.
In humans infected with listeria, the symptoms include the likes of confusion, fever, muscle aches, convulsions, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
When it comes to salmonella, the chances of your dog or cat becoming ill are much higher, especially if they are young or have a weak immune system. Likewise, the chances of your pet contracting salmonella are heightened if they eat unprocessed meat or are on a raw diet that is not carefully handled.
Salmonella symptoms to keep an eye out for in pets include:
- fever;
- decreased appetite;
- lethargy;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea (with traces of blood too);
- dehydration;
- abdominal pain;
- eventual death if not treated.
Much like with listeria, even if the pet does not have any of the named symptoms, it can still carry the bacteria and pass it on to other pets and humans.
In humans, salmonella has symptoms similar to those mentioned for listeria earlier, with extreme cases also including the development of endocarditis, arterial infections, and other severe conditions.
How can I dispose of these foods properly?
If you check and you have any of these recalled food products, the FDA recommends that you throw them away immediately.
The best way to do this in a secure and safe way so as to not accidentally infect your pets, or family members is to throw it away in a bag. Do not touch the food directly.
In the eventuality that you have touched the food or it has come into contact with any surfaces, make sure that you wash your hands or the surfaces thoroughly and that you disinfect after it.
This includes any surfaces, toys, countertops, and bowls.
If your pet gets sick or you notice any symptoms, call your vet and take them over for a visit. Your vet should be in the know about these products, and they should be the ones that contact the FDA about the illness.
You can find the full FDA announcement here if you want to read it for yourself!
There are a lot of things that you need to be careful about when you are taking care of a pet, and what they eat is one of the most important ones! If you want to make sure you are not accidentally poisoning your pup, check out the most poisonous foods to dogs here!
