U.S. Salmonella Egg Recall: How is it Affecting Your Dog’s Food?

Small Dog Training Advice:

Make sure the dog food you’re buying has NEVER been on the recall list. Some commercial dog foods, such as Merrick Pet Care Products, have been on the recall list several times this year – 2010.

Important Update:
Usually the cooking process heats the pet food enough to kill any Salmonella organisms. However, frequently these foods are coated with flavorings or other products after the cooking process and if these products are contaminated, the entire food lot may become contaminated. ~ Pet Health Care Gazette

There’s more to small dog training than sit, stay, fetch and puppy potty training.
Today’s topic is categorized under Dog Health Problems.

You’ve heard the news:

Half a billion eggs have been recalled to date.

Several dog food companies, including Merrick Pet Care, Procter & Gamble, IAMS and Eukanuba, have voluntarily implemented recalls.

Occurrences of egg-related food poisoning are up dramatically from previous years.

CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) epidemiologist Dr Christopher Braden has said this is the largest outbreak of Salmonella enteriditis since the tracking of foodborne disease officially began in 1973.

How is all of this affecting your family dog? Since the 2007 pet food contamination disaster, during which many dogs lost their lives, the homemade dog food movement has seen a marked increase in momentum. Eggs are a very popular ingredient because they’re an inexpensive protein and easy to prepare. Now many dog owners are finding themselves in a dilemma about what to feed their beloved dogs.

Some are turning to organic cage-free eggs, but are they really safer? The following video may help you decide what’s best for your dog. It’s a CNN video that has to be viewed on their site so just click on the photo below and it’ll take you directly to their page. On that same page, in left sidebar below the video, there’s also a useful interactive U.S. map on the CNN site that shows all the states where recalled eggs were distributed. Click twice on it to enlarge and as you mouse over each of the states, a short summary of the status for that state pops up.

Video courtesy of CNN: Are organic cage-free eggs safer?

As you evaluate what’s best for your dog, it’s important to note that in 2007 the FDA issued a warning to the public that not all stores were complying with the dog food recall, as reported by dogchannel.com.

Your dog is completely dependent on you for protection. Remain alert to the risks. This is not the time to let your guard down, no matter how difficult or busy things may be in other parts of your life. Know the facts and make an informed decision about how you will protect your dog or dogs during this unprecedented Salmonella enteritidis outbreak.

According to the FDA, thoroughly cooking eggs can kill the bacteria, but health officials recommend throwing away or returning the recalled eggs.

Anyone who has purchased [these recalled dog foods] should stop feeding it to their pet immediately. Although pets are fairly resistant to Salmonella-related disease, affected pets may show decreased appetite, fever, lethargy, vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. Humans should avoid contact with suspect food and follow strict hand washing procedures. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. ~American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

Sherri McGarry of the Food and Drug Administration said chicken feed is at least one source contributing to this Salmonella outbreak. DesMoinesRegister.com published Egg recall: Salmonella bacteria found in chicken feed in which they exposed an unexpected breakdown of the system that is supposed to protect us.

Salmonella was found in chicken feed and in one ingredient (bone meal) the DeCoster facility used when making it’s feed.

Chicken feed mills are regulated by the FDA via state inspectors, but the FDA has no inspection history with the DeCoster feed mill.

According to the FDA, the DeCoster feed mill was considered to be exempt from inspection based on information they received from mill officials that the feed was only being given to their own birds.

What it comes down to is that infected hens and contaminated feed have been found on three egg farms now and only two are DeCoster facilities. The feed contamination could have originated several ways and the FDA has yet to determine the exact source. However, my point is that the DeCoster feed wasn’t only found on DeCoster property.

Am I missing something?

If a hen can be infected by eating contaminated feed and contamination of an egg occurs when it forms inside an infected hen, how is it okay for DeCoster to sell his hens or eggs on such a massive commercial level if his feed mill was never inspected by the proper authorities?

Do you have something to add that others may find helpful? Have you changed what you feed your dog because of the egg recall? Does your dog get a commercial brand or homemade dog food?