Dog and cat food recall prompts nationwide alert for pet owners

A nationwide recall has been issued by online pet food subscription site Viva Raw for several of its products due to a risk of bacterial contamination.

The Hillsborough, North Carolina, company is recalling five products manufactured under the same lot that was exposed to Listeria monocytogeneswhich, according to a statement published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may pose a “potential health risk to people and pets.”

The recalled products include Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies. The products were all manufactured under Lot 21244.

According to the statement, the recalled products were distributed to customers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Viva Raw is an online service that ships fresh dog and cat food to customers on a scheduled subscription plan, the company’s website reads.

The presence of listeria was identified after the FDA conducted sample testing of Viva Turkey for Dogs. Samples from lot 21244 tested positive for the bacteria. The company said all products produced from the same lot were “scheduled for destruction,” but that some items were “inadvertently released from the warehouse” to customers.

“Viva Raw is notifying all customers who received any Turkey or Beef & Turkey for Puppies product between May 16 and June 28, 2024,” the statement read. “No illnesses related to this lot have been reported to date.”

The recalled products are shipped as one-pound frozen bricks in clear packaging. There is no expiration date listed on the packaging.

The FDA briefing said listeria can cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections” in pets that eat the contaminated products. Humans can also be exposed to listeria by handling the contaminated products or coming into contact with pets that have consumed recalled items. There is a higher risk of illness in humans if people do not “thoroughly wash their hands after handling food or coming into contact with their pets, or do not thoroughly clean contaminated surfaces,” the briefing said.

Symptoms of a listeria infection in humans can include nausea, vomiting, aches, fever and diarrhea. Pregnant women are also more susceptible to infection, and the bacteria can cause miscarriage. Younger people, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are also at higher risk of infection, according to the FDA statement.

Pet illness from listeria infection is rare. Animals may experience symptoms of mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervousness, muscle and respiratory problems, miscarriage, depression, shock, and in extreme cases, death.

“Pets exposed to contaminated food can become infected without showing symptoms. Infected pets, even if they do not show symptoms, can act as carriers and transfer L. monocytogenes through their feces and saliva into the home environment and to people and other pets in the household,” the statement said. “If your pet has eaten the recalled product(s) and is showing symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection, contact your veterinarian.”

Any customer who has purchased recalled products is encouraged to contact Viva Raw at info@vivarawpets.com for a refund. Customers are then advised to destroy the products to ensure that children, pets and wildlife do not have access to the food.

“The FDA recommends that humans do not touch the contaminated food product with bare hands,” the statement said. “While wearing gloves or paper towels, place the contaminated food in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in the trash. Areas that may have come into contact with the contaminated product should be sanitized. Do not sell or donate the recalled product.”