K9 Naturals Recalls Raw Dog Food For Dangerous Pathogen: Listeria Monocytogenes

During random testing, the Colorado Department of Agriculture discovered a dangerous pathogen lurking in New Zealand’s K9 Natural raw dog food: Listeria monocytogenes.

The recall was initiated after K9 Naturals was informed by the state of a positive test result at which point the company was obliged to recall the contaminated dog food.

The recall involves four batches of K9 Natural’s frozen dog food because, according to the company, “they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.”

According to the recall notice:

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in humans and animals.

Symptoms of infection may include nausea, vomiting, aches, fever, and diarrhea, and may lead to most serious issues such as meningitis and abortion.

Healthy people and animals can be infected, and some are more susceptible, including young children, pregnant women, frail or elderly people or others with weakened immune symptoms.

Animals that become ill with Listeria monocytogenes could display symptoms similar to humans.

Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling the products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to the products.

The recalled products were imported into the USA from New Zealand in June 2017, and batch numbers are as follows:

K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast dog food in 2.2lb bags, shipped to distributors in WA, CA, TX, CO and distributed to pet specialty retail stores.

Batch number #170517 with an expiration date of 17NOV2018

K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast dog food in 11lb bags, shipped to distributors in WA, CA, TX, CO, PA and distributed to pet specialty retail stores.

Batch number #150517 with an expiration date of 15NOV2018
Batch number #160517 with an expiration date of 16NOV2018
Batch number #170517 with an expiration date of 17NOV2018

The company warns:

If you have purchased K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast displaying any of these batch numbers and best before dates, please DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG THE PRODUCT.

We ask that you return the product (even if partially consumed) as soon as possible to your nearest K9 Natural retailer for a full refund or replacement with an alternative K9 Natural product that is unaffected.

THE DANGER OF LISTERIA

I must emphasize that Listeriosis is a very serious infection can be caused by coming into contact with a contaminated food or by contact with a pet that is shedding the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

While the infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems, it is particularly important to be aware that pregnant women can pass the infection to their unborn babies and the infection can cause the miscarriages, stillbirths, premature labor, and serious illness and even death of newborns.

HOW TO CONTACT THE COMPANY

Customers with questions may contact the company via phone at 1 888 345 4680, M-F 8am-5pm PST & EST and S-S 14 &15 April 2018 8am-5pm PST & EST or email info@k9natural.com.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU A PROBLEM

If you believe your pet has become ill from consuming a pet food, please provide the FDA with valuable information by reporting it electronically through their Safety Reporting Portal or call your local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator.

If you and your veterinarian think a pet food or treat is the source of a problem – save it – because your state agricultural or veterinary diagnostic lab may want to do testing. If you need more help, find out how to report a pet food complaint to the FDA.

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