Oma's Pride has recalled a frozen raw dog food item after U.S. Food and Drug Administration testing found salmonella in the product and at least three illnesses were tied to it. The recall covers Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe, a 6-pound lot marked BB012729.
The timing matters because the affected food was not limited to one shelf in one place. It was delivered frozen to stores, wholesalers and online buyers, and distribution of the lot reached Kentucky, Arizona, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, along with frozen direct-to-consumer orders.
The company said it is still trying to identify how the contamination started. That leaves the recall with a clear endpoint for consumers — stop using the food, dispose of it safely and clean any bowls or surfaces it may have touched — but no final answer yet on how the bacteria got into the lot in the first place.
Salmonella can move beyond the bowl. The FDA says people can be exposed by handling contaminated pet food or touching surfaces it contacted if they do not wash their hands well afterward, and pets may show lethargy, vomiting, fever, diarrhea that may be bloody, decreased appetite and abdominal pain. Some animals can look healthy and still carry the bacteria, which is why the recall reaches anyone who bought the lot, not just households that saw symptoms.
Consumers who have the recalled product were told to stop using it right away and dispose of it safely. Anyone seeking a refund can contact Oma's Pride at 1-800-678-OMAS on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET or email [email protected]. People who develop symptoms after handling the food should contact a healthcare provider, and pets showing symptoms should see a veterinarian as soon as possible.
The question left open is not whether the product is contaminated; FDA testing already answered that. It is whether the ongoing review can trace the source before more of the same kind of food reaches homes through the channels that already carried this lot.
