Freshpet dog food sold at Walmart, Target recalled for potential salmonella

Freshpet has issued a recall for dog food sold at Walmart, Target and other retailers across 12 states and Puerto Rico due to potential contamination with salmonella.

The recall applies to 4.5-pound bags of Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe that have a sell-by date of Oct. 29, 2022, and a UPC code of 627975011673 at the bottom and back of the bag, according to a news release by the Food and Drug Administration.

The products may have been sold at Walmart stores in Alabama and Georgia, as well as at Target and other retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Puerto Rico, according to the FDA release.

Anyone who purchased the affected product is urged to dispose of it immediately, and anyone with questions or reports of adverse reactions can call Freshpet at 1-800-285-0563. The company said it has not received any reports of illness or adverse reactions from the recalled product, which it said was supposed to be destroyed but was inadvertently shipped to retailers earlier this month.

Salmonella contamination in dog food can affect humans, as well as the dogs eating it, according to the FDA. Humans who don't thoroughly wash their hands after handling the contaminated products or surfaces exposed to the products can end up with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever, according to the FDA.

Dogs that get infected by salmonella can have lethargy, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting, while some dogs may only have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain, per the FDA.

Dogs can also be carriers and infect other animals or humans. Any pet owner whose dog has consumed the product affected by the recall or exhibited the above symptoms should contact a veterinarian.