Don't feed pets Performance Dog raw food, FDA warns amid salmonella, listeria fears

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials have a warning for dog owners: Don't feed Performance Dog frozen raw pet food to your four-legged friends.

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In an advisory issued last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration discouraged pet owners from using the food "after a sample tested positive for salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes."

Inspectors recently discovered the contaminated sample at Bravo Packing's manufacturing facility in New Jersey, the FDA said. Although inspectors identified the product as Performance Dog raw pet food lot 072219, officials said customers should throw away any Performance Dog products produced July 22 or later "because the products do not have lot codes printed on retail packaging," according to the advisory.

A second sample of "beef raw pet food" also tested positive for salmonella, but it was not distributed to retailers, the FDA said.

Salmonella "can cause illness and death in humans and animals, especially those who are very young, very old or have weak immune systems," according to the FDA. Infected humans typically experience diarrhea, cramps or fever; pets could develop similar symptoms, as well as vomiting and decreases in appetite and activity, officials said.

Listeriosis, another potentially fatal infection, can cause symptoms such as fever, headaches, aching muscles and convulsions in humans, the advisory said. Although L. mono infections in pets are rare, they can occur, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, decreased appetite, abortion or death, according to the FDA.

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