Diamond Further Expands Dog Food Recall

Diamond Pet Foods expanded its recall of pet food produced at its Gaston, S.C., manufacturing facility to include six additional brands and resumed production at the facility.

EDITORS’ NOTE: The production code information has been changed to reflect an update from Diamond. The correct way to tell if one of the listed foods (not including Kirkland Signature food) has been recalled is if it has a production code with the number “2” or “3” in the 9th digit and an “X” in the 10th or 11th digit and “Best-Before” dates of Dec. 9, 2012, through Apr. 7, 2013.

Diamond recalled three brands of dry dog food: Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice Formula for Adult Dogs, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula and Diamond Puppy Formula. The company ceased production at the Gaston facility in April after samples from each of the brands tested positive for a rare strain of salmonella, S. Infantis.

Public health officials linked the strain to an outbreak of human salmonella infections, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched an investigation to determine if other brands of food produced in Gaston may be linked to the illnesses.

As a precautionary measure, Diamond expanded the recall to include:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild

The recalled products are those that have a production code with the number “2” or “3” in the 9th digit and an “X” in the 10th or 11th digit and “Best-Before” dates of Dec. 9, 2012, through Apr. 7, 2013. The products were distributed in the following states and Canada, but may have been distributed further through other pet food channels: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The recall also includes the following Kirkland Signature products:

• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice & Vegetable Formula
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Formula
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Mature Dog Chicken, Rice & Egg Formula
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Dog Formulated with Chicken & Vegetables
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula
• Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Formula for Dogs

The recalled Kirkland products are those with production codes with a number “3” in the 10th digit and an “X” in the 11th digit and “Best-Before” dates between Dec. 9, 2012 and Jan. 31, 2013. The food was distributed in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Pets with salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain, the company said. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. Owners of pets that have consumed the product should contact a veterinarian, the company says.

Owners handling the food can also become infected, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to the affected product. Healthy people infected with salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever, the company said. Salmonella can also result in more serious ailments, such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these symptoms after having contact with the recalled product should contact a healthcare provider.

Diamond has set up a website devoted to providing information about the recalls. Diamond states on the site that production and delivery out of its Gaston plant has resumed.