Online pet food subscription site Viva Raw has issued a nationwide recall of several products due to potential bacterial contamination.
The Hillsboro, North Carolina-based company is recalling five products made from the same lot that were contaminated with Listeria, which the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement could pose “a potential health risk to humans 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. All of the products were produced in lot 21244.
The recalled products were distributed to customers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the announcement. Viva Raw is an online service that delivers fresh dog and cat food to customers through a subscription plan, according to the company’s website.
This stock image shows a scoop of dry cat food after online company Viva Raw announced a recall of five of its products sold nationwide due to possible Listeria contamination. This stock image shows a scoop of dry cat food after online company Viva Raw announced a recall of five of its products sold nationwide due to possible Listeria contamination. Nikolaeva Elena/Getty Images
The presence of Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed after the FDA conducted testing of samples from Viva Turkey for Dogs. Samples from lot 21244 tested positive for the bacteria. The company said all products from that lot were “scheduled for destruction,” but some products were “mistakenly shipped from the warehouse” to customers.
“Viva Raw will notify all customers who received shipments of turkey or Beef & Turkey for Puppies products between May 16 and June 28, 2024,” the release states. “To date, there have been no reported illnesses associated with this lot.”
The recalled product is shipped in frozen, 1-pound chunks in clear packaging that does not include a best-by date.
Listeria can cause “serious, sometimes fatal infections” in pets that eat contaminated food, according to the FDA statement. Humans can also become infected with Listeria by handling contaminated food or coming into contact with pets that have eaten the recalled foods. People are at higher risk of getting sick if they “do not wash their hands thoroughly after handling food or coming into contact with pets, or do not thoroughly clean contaminated surfaces,” the briefing said.
Symptoms of Listeria infection include nausea, vomiting, pain, fever, and diarrhea. Pregnant women are also susceptible to infection, and the bacteria can cause miscarriage. The FDA says young people, older people, and people with weakened immune systems are also at higher risk.
Listeria infection rarely makes pets ill. Animals may exhibit symptoms ranging from mild to severe diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, irritability, muscle and respiratory problems, miscarriage, depression, shock, and in extreme cases, death.
“Pets exposed to contaminated food can become infected even if they do not show symptoms. Infected pets can act as carriers and transmit L. monocytogenes through their feces and saliva to the home environment and to people and other pets in the household, even if they do not show symptoms,” the statement said. “If your pet has eaten any of the recalled products and is experiencing symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection, please contact your veterinarian.”
Customers who purchased the recalled products are encouraged to contact Viva Raw at info@vivarawpets.com to receive a refund, then discard the product, keeping it away from children, pets and wildlife.
“FDA recommends not touching contaminated foods with bare hands,” the statement reads. “Wear gloves or use paper towels, place contaminated foods in a sealed plastic bag, and discard in the trash. Disinfect any surfaces that may have come into contact with the contaminated product. Do not sell or donate the recalled products.”
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