Dozens of pet owners contract Salmonella from pig ear dog treats – with 45 cases in 13 states, CDC reveals
- Of the 45 people sickened, 12 of them were hospitalized
- It’s not clear whether they ate the treats or were infected by contact
- Iowa was the hardest-hit, with 12 cases, followed by Michigan with seven, and New York with six
Forty-five pet owners in 13 states have caught Salmonella from pig ear dog treats.
It’s unclear whether the nearly four dozen people ate the chewy snacks, or were simply infected by touching them then touching their mouths.
There was no mention of dogs getting sick in the alert on Wednesday afternoon.
In any case, 12 of them were hospitalized, prompting a multi-state investigation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work out how the product became contaminated.
For now, health officials are urging pet owners to wash their hands thoroughly after touching their pets’ food, and not to use their pet’s feeding bowl for their own food.
All of the 45 people with Salmonella reported contact with pig ear dog treats
Dogs love pig ears.
They are chewy, dense, but not tough, making it a popular treat for both small dogs, big, old dogs, and even teething puppies.
They’re, in fact, so popular among the growing number of dog owners in the US that fancy recipes for preservative-free smoked pig ears for your pup are popping up online.
But it seems the current outbreak is tied to shop-bought pig ears, though officials have not yet identified a common supplier.
Iowa was the hardest-hit, with 12 cases, followed by Michigan with seven, and New York with six.
The rest had between one and three cases: California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin.
Those affected developed vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
The CDC warns those whose symptoms linger longer than a week, or that see blood in their stool, should seek medical attention.
Iowa was the hardest-hit, with 12 cases, followed by Michigan with seven, and New York with six. The rest had between one and three cases: California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin