Primal Pet Foods sells a variety of raw dog food formulas, including frozen, freeze-dried, and food toppers. They always test products for bacteria before sending them to stores, but one lot of dog food tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes after going through safety tests at the facility.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the presence of Listeria during routine sampling, despite it testing negative earlier. So, Primal Pet Foods voluntarily pulled that lot from stores as a precaution.
Which Products Are Recalled?
The company recalled a single lot of their Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula. The bags are six pounds, have a lot number of #W10068709, and have a best by date of 05/22/23. No other products or lot codes are affected.
The lot contained 66 cases, which had 396 units. In April 2022, they were sent to stores in Maryland, Georgia, Texas, and British Columbia. So far, no customers reported any illnesses.
Primal Pet Foods has only been recalled a few times before this, including a recall in 2017 where the contents of the food weren’t ground up enough.
What is Listeria?
Luckily, Listeria monocytogenes rarely cause severe reactions in dogs. Dogs usually experience mild symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Even if they don’t show symptoms, they can still carry the bacteria and pass it on to humans. Dogs who have consumed a recalled product are urged to visit the vet.
Human symptoms include fever, headache, sore muscles, nausea, abdominal pain, stiff neck, diarrhea, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Young children, pregnant women, and elderly people are the most at risk.
People can get Listeria by touching the contaminated product or surfaces that have been exposed to it. Interacting with a dog carrying the bacteria also poses a risk. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, you may want to visit a healthcare provider just to be safe.
What Should You Do with the Affected Products?
Any pet parents that have the recalled food should stop feeding it to their dog and dispose of it. Wipe down any surfaces that the food touched and thoroughly wash your hands after. Those cleaning tips are always a good idea when handling raw pet food.
You may be able to contact the place of purchase for a full refund. If you have any questions about the recall, you can contact Primal Pet Foods at (800) 742-1312. They operate Monday through Friday from 6 am to 4 pm PST. You can also submit an online request.
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