The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging pet owners to check their pet food for potentially contaminated products that could make them or their furry friends sick after two brands tested positive for bacteria.

The FDA said six products made by Darwin's Natural Pet Products have tested positive for salmonella, and one of those six also tested positive for listeria monocytogenes (L. mono).

The affected products include Darwin's Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken recipes for cats and dogs. The products are sold in frozen, 2-pound packages. Consumers should check for the lot numbers: 10832, 10856, 10890, 10828, 10844 and 10887.

The products are generally sold online through a subscription service, the FDA said.

Officials said the food should not be fed to pets or donated but should be thrown away in a secure container so that other animals, including wildlife, can't access it.

The FDA recommends pet owners clean and disinfect all pet supplies and surfaces that have come into contact with the food or that have come into contact with the animal after it ate the food.

Arrow Reliance, which makes the affected pet foods, has been asked by the FDA to recall the products. However, the company has not done so and could continue to distribute them.

In a response posted on the company website, Darwin's Natural Selections said that "salmonella and listeria are not typically harmful to pets. Nonetheless, these product lots were flagged under the FDA’s zero-tolerance policy, which is largely designed for human safety and for food that humans will consume, not pets."

The company also said the FDA has received no consumer complaints regarding the affected products.

"Darwin’s is confident our meals are safe," the company said in the news release. "We use only high-quality ingredients, sourcing all of our proteins from facilities that meet or exceed USDA standards. In addition to a rigid vendor approval program, all of our products are treated in advance of production with an antimicrobial solution to reduce pathogens. Our rigorous sourcing and manufacturing protocols help ensure the safety of our products while maintaining the good bacteria that are crucial to our pets’ gut health and immune systems."

The FDA said salmonella and L. mono bacteria can affect both humans and animals.

The FDA warned about other products, two samples of Answers Pet Food products made by Lystn LLC that tested positive for Salmonella and a third product hat tested positive for listeria monocytogenes and a fourth that tested positive for both. The FDA said it tested unopened retail samples after receiving three consumer complaints of illness after their dogs ate the food.

The products are:

- Sold frozen in 4-pound cartons and consist of Answers Pet Food Raw Beef Detailed Formula for Dogs

- Answers Pet Food Raw Beef Straight Formula for Dogs

- Answers Pet Food Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs

Information to identify the batches of product can be found in the “Product Information” section of the advisory here.

The products are sold online and in retail locations nationwide and should not be fed to pets, the FDA said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people infected with salmonella can develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. In pets, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite and decreased activity level.

Pet owners should throw away the food in secure containers and not donate the food.

Symptoms of L. mono infection can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, fever and muscle aches in humans. In pets, it could cause severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, pregnancy loss, depression, shock or death.

People with symptoms of infection should consult their health care providers. Pet owners should consult a veterinarian if their pet has symptoms.

_______

©2024 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.