Still more dog food recalled after salmonella found, the sixth such recall in 18 days

Carnivore Meat Company announced a recall of its Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Nibblets Entrée for Dogs Monday after salmonella was found in a retail batch.

This makes two salmonella dog food/dog treat recalls in two business days and six salmonella dog food/dog treat recalls in the last 18 days. As was the case with Friday’s TruPet and Northwest Naturals recalls for salmonella and listeria, respectively, Michigan’s Department of Agriculture found the contamination.

This involves 73 cases of Vital Essentials in one-pound bags from lot No. 13753. The cases were sold throughout the continental United States through independent retail stores and online via Chewy.com and Amazon.com, a similar distribution pattern as TruPet’s recalled dog treats.

The Herald asked a Carnivore spokesman by e-mail if the Green Bay, Wisconsin company made any products for TruPet or any of the other pet food products recalled recently. The reply:

“Carnivore has relationships with a number of private label customers. Per non-disclosure agreements, the services they provide to the customers is confidential.”

Consumers can return the Vital Essentials product for a full refund. Anyone with questions can call the company at 920-370-6542.

Salmonella in dog food can bring vomiting, bloody diarrhea, fever and lethargic behavior to dogs who eat the food, but can also infect people who handle the food or touch surfaces where the food has been. That happened to siblings in a house that served Raws for Paws ground turkey to its dogs before that got recalled for salmonella.

For those having trouble keeping track of recent salmonella pet food recalls, here’s a list:

▪ Raws for Paws ground turkey, Feb. 8.

▪ Smokehouse Beefy Munchies treats, Feb. 8. Smokehouse expanded its Beefy Munchies recall on Feb. 15 to include all lots, varieties and best by dates.

▪ Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural ZooLogics Duck with Vegetable Meals for Dogs and ZooLogics Chicken with Vegetable Meals for Dogs, Feb. 10. These actually prompted an FDA alert concerning Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural after four recalls for salmonella or listeria and multiple complaints over a 16-month period. “The FDA has investigated six complaints of illness and death in animals that have eaten the recalled products,” the alert stated.

▪ Redbarn, 7-inch Bully Sticks, Feb. 15.

▪ TruPet, Treat Me Crunchy Beef Delight treats, Friday.

This list doesn’t include Friday’s Northwest Naturals recall for listeria or the enormous Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Skippy, Ol’ Roy “withdrawal” of Feb. 15 because they might have pet euthanasia drug pentobarbital.

This story was originally published February 26, 2018 at 10:13 PM with the headline "Still more dog food recalled after salmonella found, the sixth such recall in 18 days."