6 Tips to Prevent Salmonella Poisoning.

• Posted on 20 June 2012
• By Dr. Jill Tack
• Posted in Salmonella from feeding raw pet food
• 0

With all the news about the Diamond Pet Food recall, many new customers have come into The Pet Beastro and asked if feeding raw is safe. It is very safe. But as with any raw meat there are some great guidlines to follow to prevent this bacteria from spreading to humans.

With all the news about the Diamond Pet Food recall, many new customers have come into The Pet Beastro and asked if feeding raw is safe. It is very safe. But as with any raw meat there are some great guidlines to follow to prevent this bacteria from spreading to humans.

Salmonella is transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans by the fecal oral route. The bacteria can be shed in the stool of pets for four to six weeks after infection. Infected pets may not have any obvious symptoms of illness. Because of that, it can be difficult to tell if your pet has Salmonella.

Here are six tips to prevent getting Salmonella from your pet:

1. 1. Clean up after your pet. If you have a dog, use a plastic bag to pick up the stool, and clean up the stool while on walks or from the yard and dispose of the stool in a tightly sealed plastic bag. For cats, scoop the litter box daily and dispose of the stool in a tightly sealed plastic bag. After contact with an animal's fecal matter, wash your hands with soap and running water. (Abide by the "Happy Birthday Rule"!)
   2. Wash your hands after feeding your pet (treats, too).
   3. Wash your pet's bowls or foraging toys after each feeding. Regular washing of water bowls is good, too.
   4. If you transfer your pet's kibble to a storage container, do not mix batches of food. Be sure to wash the container, rinsing and drying thoroughly before adding a new bag of food to it. Save the packaging (it has the valuable UPC and 'best by' information on it)!

1. Wipe down the area where your pet eats their food, and rinse well.
2. Using a mild bleach/dish washing detergent solution is a good idea, ensuring that you rinse thoroughly.

Just like you would take care after touching raw meat when cooking for the humans in your family, the same care should be taken when feeding raw to your animals. Happy Feeding!