# Pulled right from the headlines - How Pet Food May Be Making Your Child Sick



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

this article wasn't published by any extreme groups nor was it published by dog food manufacturers.

what really bothers me is this. how are our children EVER going to build immunities if they are not allowed to go near germs?

so now we can't feed raw nor can we let our dogs eat in the kitchen, nor can our children touch anything....

what happened to eating their pound of dirt? we're going to end up with a generation of bubble kids...if this keeps up.

Dry Pet Food Linked to Salmonella in Children - ABC News

Don't Let Salmonella Danger in Pet Food Interfere With Enjoying Your Pet


Many of us consider our pet cats and dogs so much a part of the family that we share everything from couch space to kitchen space. It seems we may also share bacteria. 

A new study published Monday in Pediatrics suggests that many young children of pet owners may get salmonella poisoning just by handling many dry cat and dog foods.

A new study published Monday in Pediatrics suggests that some young children of pet owners may get salmonella poisoning just by touching surfaces that come into contact with dry cat and dog food. 

Researchers analyzed a national database of foodborne illness cases from 2006 to 2008 and found that some salmonella outbreaks in some children originated from pets fed dry foods in the kitchen. 

"It looks as though the children were around the food bowl, handled it, played with it, maybe played with the water in the water bowl and it was that kind of association that led to the transmission of salmonella," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University. "It would appear that the little children didn't eat the pet food, but I would question what parent would admit to that in a questionnaire." 


"For years you've been hearing about the risk of raw diets, but now we know there's the same risk in processed foods as well," said Dr. Marty Becker, veterinarian at the North Idaho Animal Hospital. 


From the Factory to the Food Bowl
Salmonella contamination usually begins in the factory where pet food is made. According to ABC News senior health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser, after the dog or cat food is processed, it is sent to a special room where the food pellets are coated with flavoring to make them taste good. 

"Because this room is moist, it's a perfect environment for salmonella to grow," said Besser. "And that salmonella can live on those food pellets for months. 

How Dry Pet Food Poses Salmonella Danger to Young Kids
Dr. Tony Johnson, clinical assistant professor at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, said the overuse of antibiotics on both human and pet foods has given rise to stronger cases of bacteria like salmonella that are more difficult to destroy. 

"There's a host of bacteria that are laughing at our efforts to eradicate them," said Johnson. "There needs to be awareness with people on when antibiotics should be used and when they shouldn't." 


Johnson said salmonella can already be found in many dogs intestines. So watching a dog's reaction to the food is not a good indication on whether or not the food is contaminated. 

"We do see some dogs where they do get sick from it, but there is some where it's just part of their normal make up," said Johnson. "If the pets aren't showing critical signs, then you can't even use how your pet is feeling with how to react." 


Keeping Fido's Food Out of the Kitchen
Many experts said proper handling and storage of pet foods may prevent illnesses in some children. In fact, it may be as simple as keeping the pet food out of the kitchen, said Johnson. 

"Certainly keeping pet food out of human food preparation areas will help," said Johnson. 

But it may not be just the food's proximity to humans. According to Schaffner, young children should also stay away from the food bowl. 

"The important thing is to try to keep very young children, those toddlers and those crawling around on the floor, away from the pet's food bowl," said Schaffner. 

Schaffner also advised continually washing hands, washing the pet's food bowl, and washing out the water bowl after contact with any type of pet food to prevent illness. 

"This is another little thing where we have to remember good hygiene is important," said Schaffner.

Johnson said he doesn't "think that there's a grave danger" for children if they are taught the proper way to handle their pet's food.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Pet Food
Posted on: Monday, 9 August 2010, 08:34 CDT 

Pet food could be making young kids sick, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report investigating a salmonella outbreak that started in 2006.

The study, which was the subject of both a report in Monday's edition of the journal Pediatrics and an article by AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, looked at a two-year outbreak that left 79 people in 21 states sick between 2006 and 2008.

"Almost half of the victims were children aged 2 and younger," and their illnesses have been traced back to dry pet foods, Tanner said. Those pet products "are an under-recognized source of salmonella infections in humans," according to CDC researcher Casey Barton Behravesh.

"While young children were most often affected, there's no evidence that they got sick by eating pet food," Behravesh told Tanner. "They probably became infected by touching affected animals or dirty pet food dishes, and then putting their hands in their mouths."

The AP report notes that a minimum of six pet food recalls have been issued due to suspected salmonella contamination. The bacteria had been discovered in dry dog and cat foods produced at the Everson, Pennsylvania-based Mars Petcare plant. The plant in question was closed in 2008 after the source of the contamination could not be identified.

"There were no reports of sick animals but investigators found salmonella bacteria in stool samples from pets without symptoms who ate tainted food," Tanner wrote, adding that no known cases have been traced back to wet pet food and no additional pet food related salmonella cases have been identified in the past two years.

According to the CDC website, "Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness."

Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Pet Food - Health News - redOrbit

so now, without the study being tainted by raw groups or pet food companies.....we can add the CDC....

i'd like to know what the delta society has to say about this one. if this isn't egg on their faces, i don't know what is.


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## merlin371 (Jul 26, 2010)

magicre said:


> According to the CDC website, "Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, *and most persons recover without treatment*. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness."


Hmm this explains a few particular nights i had


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

You know, I raised two kids, babysat three more, and had a ton of other kids over at my house.....the whole time while 4 dogs and three cats lived here. We had dog food bowls out, water bowls out, cat food bowls out, the kids were licked, kissed, crawled on, snuggled with, knocked over, and played with constantly. I'm sure the kids probably ate a few pieces of dog food when I wasn't looking, along with some sand, leaves, and dirt. And I never had a kid get salmonella, rabies, distemper, parvo, spotted fever, typhoid, or any other bizarre disease. We had chicken pox and I"m pretty sure that didn't come from the animals. 

I'm getting real tired of people over reacting to every little thing and jumpingt to conclusions. Maybe the kids who got salmonella in the study got it from the cheeseburger they had for dinner . Or maybe they were playing outside and shoved their hands in the dirt. Or they had their hands all over the nasty little handles on the shopping carts at Target. It might be a total coincidence that the dogs food had traces of salmonella. 

People are going to glance at this story in the news and just see that your dog's food is going make your kids sick, and they won't remember or read anything else. Next thing you know it will become an internet fact and 'everyone will know that kids get sick from touching dog food' so you always have to feed dogs in another room and wash your kids hands with antibiotic soap every time they go near the dog. (sorry...must have woke up cranky today!)


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

chowder said:


> You know, I raised two kids, babysat three more, and had a ton of other kids over at my house.....the whole time while 4 dogs and three cats lived here. We had dog food bowls out, water bowls out, cat food bowls out, the kids were licked, kissed, crawled on, snuggled with, knocked over, and played with constantly. I'm sure the kids probably ate a few pieces of dog food when I wasn't looking, along with some sand, leaves, and dirt. And I never had a kid get salmonella, rabies, distemper, parvo, spotted fever, typhoid, or any other bizarre disease. We had chicken pox and I"m pretty sure that didn't come from the animals.
> 
> I'm getting real tired of people over reacting to every little thing and jumpingt to conclusions. Maybe the kids who got salmonella in the study got it from the cheeseburger they had for dinner . Or maybe they were playing outside and shoved their hands in the dirt. Or they had their hands all over the nasty little handles on the shopping carts at Target. It might be a total coincidence that the dogs food had traces of salmonella.
> 
> People are going to glance at this story in the news and just see that your dog's food is going make your kids sick, and they won't remember or read anything else. Next thing you know it will become an internet fact and 'everyone will know that kids get sick from touching dog food' so you always have to feed dogs in another room and wash your kids hands with antibiotic soap every time they go near the dog. (sorry...must have woke up cranky today!)


you and me both....

welcome to the world of raw feeders....the horrific spreaders of disease to their homes, their children, the world...

i feel sorry for the dogs.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Did you read the other headline earlier? Cat feces linked to schizophrenia?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> Did you read the other headline earlier? Cat feces linked to schizophrenia?


yeah, i've read most of them now..been up since 4 a.m....hubby had to go to spokane for two weeks....

in thinking about it...people have become so afraid of bacteria....that dogs and cats are going to end up at the pound or re homed because of the sensationalistic fears...

as if salmonella or campylobacteria are anything new....give me a break...

the cat feces one has floated around psychiatric circles for a long time...that's nothing new.


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## merlin371 (Jul 26, 2010)

magicre said:


> yeah, i've read most of them now..been up since 4 a.m....hubby had to go to spokane for two weeks....
> 
> in thinking about it...people have become so afraid of bacteria....that dogs and cats are going to end up at the pound or re homed because of the sensationalistic fears...
> 
> ...


I was in a computer forum last year I think it was at this stage, some guy said that he was cooking a pork steak and touched the meat raw without wearing any gloves and washed his hands after but went so freaked out over catching some bacteria that he went on for a week about it, he went to see doctors he kept on checking himself for symptoms of anything, I mean come on touching a piece or raw meat is really not gonna do anything at all, especially if you wash your hands straight after, and articles like this sure dont help either.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

merlin371 said:


> I was in a computer forum last year I think it was at this stage, some guy said that he was cooking a pork steak and touched the meat raw without wearing any gloves and washed his hands after but went so freaked out over catching some bacteria that he went on for a week about it, he went to see doctors he kept on checking himself for symptoms of anything, I mean come on touching a piece or raw meat is really not gonna do anything at all, especially if you wash your hands straight after, and articles like this sure dont help either.


How the heck does he stuff a turkey? Or make meatloaf? 

I'm convinced that 75% of the population is clinically insane now and the internet is bringing them all out! Gotta find my cave real soon and go hide out with my dogs (and husband).


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I don't understand this mentality, but an article like this would make my sister (who already does not bring her kids to ME when I babysit...I have to go to her, because MY carpet has "dog germs" and will make her kids oh so sick) freak out. I have family members like this. "I sanitize their hands every time we go to the store, I make their friends do it when they come over, why are my kids always sick?!" They don't get it. 

I admittedly don't even wash my hands as much as society thinks I "should" and I don't really care if my dogs lick my hands. I share a spoon with Annie all the time. Big deal. It's never made me sick!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Ever wonder why so many kids have severe allergies now compared to the past? Their immune systems are "bored" so it's attacking normal everyday things. I was not held back as a kid. I was pretty much exposed to most gross, dirty and bacteria laden things but hardly ever got sick. And I'm not allergic to anything.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i think we have oversanitised our environments...i think that febreze, as an example, is responsible for increased asthma in children and Lord knows what else...

i think we've become a nation of germaphobes.....

i believe that doctors prescribed antibiotics for viral infections, and thereby helped create the super bacterias we have now...but their prescriptions were definitely helped by patients who wanted their doctors to 'do something'.

i have people who refuse to come to my house because my dogs are fed raw....

they don't eat on the couch. they have their own special towel....

but now that i've read these articles....i guess i was endangering folks when i fed kibble, too...

hell, i'm endangering my husband because i feed him meat....it does start out raw....

it doesn't turn into beef stew by waving a magic wand over it.

we better wake up soon...with this germ thing....or the only life form that will be left are the cockroaches.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

chowder said:


> How the heck does he stuff a turkey? Or make meatloaf?
> 
> I'm convinced that 75% of the population is clinically insane now and the internet is bringing them all out! Gotta find my cave real soon and go hide out with my dogs (and husband).


i think the likelihood of this guy stuffing a turkey is nil. LOL

agreed on the clinically insanity of this population....


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Well I'm glad to say that my two kids go out daily for their dose of dirt! They run around bare foot in the back yard just like I used to when I was a kid. My kids help feed the dogs and they help me cook, which does involve raw meat!  LOL! They get dirty, and I mean dirty. Aren't kids supposed to get dirty and have fun?? :biggrin:


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> I don't understand this mentality, but an article like this would make my sister (who already does not bring her kids to ME when I babysit...I have to go to her, because MY carpet has "dog germs" and will make her kids oh so sick) freak out. I have family members like this. "I sanitize their hands every time we go to the store, I make their friends do it when they come over, why are my kids always sick?!" They don't get it.
> 
> I admittedly don't even wash my hands as much as society thinks I "should" and I don't really care if my dogs lick my hands. I share a spoon with Annie all the time. Big deal. It's never made me sick!


Ditto ditto ditto.

Though, unfortunatley, I do have a pretty bad immune system lol. Allergic to every tree & grass, animals, mold, dust, latex....everything. But I just blame that on the fact that my mom bottle fed me lol.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

meggels said:


> Ditto ditto ditto.
> 
> Though, unfortunatley, I do have a pretty bad immune system lol. Allergic to every tree & grass, animals, mold, dust, latex....everything. But I just blame that on the fact that my mom bottle fed me lol.


i do now. and i still manage to get through life without febreze. LOL

just how long CAN we blame mom for not breast feeding?


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

i lay on the floor with shane all rthe time...and i kiss him on the lips a lot too....sometimes when i kiss him he kisses me and his tongue goes in....but ive never been sick

i realize this post sounds sick but im j/s.


also ive mentioned before ive tried his dog food before to see how it was


i never wash my hands while touching my dog before eating...hell ill let him lick crumbs off my hands while im eating a sandwhich...hes my family

btw ididnt read the article


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

magicre said:


> i do now. and i still manage to get through life without febreze. LOL
> 
> just how long CAN we blame mom for not breast feeding?


I blame all my allergies and asthma on growing up around constant smokers. My mom let me play in the dirt all I wanted and used to kick us outside to play all summer. But we were trapped all winter long in houses, stores, airplanes, restaurants, etc. just filled with second hand smoke. At least that's one thing kids now aren't exposed to as much.....especially since they have no natural immunities! Guess we trade off one childhood damaging thing for another.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

meggels said:


> Ditto ditto ditto.
> 
> Though, unfortunatley, I do have a pretty bad immune system


I don't battle allergies, other than cats, but not severe enough to keep me from having one. haha
My immune system was AWFUL for about two years after I had a huuuuuge internal MRSA outbreak that was so bad, I was sent home from the "sterile" hospital to spend my last weeks at home... once I got home, in my bed, with my things, that included Champ, I survived when I wasn't supposed to. It took two years for my immune system to recover from the outbreak, and insanely extensive antibiotic treatments and transfusion. 

I HATE the "sanitize everything, might as well take antibiotics because they can't 'hurt' me" mentality. It's crap like that that creates these deadly resistant strains of every little bacteria. Staph turns into MRSA. Flu turns into swine flu. what's next? 

AND.. my mom breast fed me! Must be why pre-MRSA, I had a pretty fantastic immune system... that, and the consumption of tons of dirt and bugs as a kid. haha.


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## merlin371 (Jul 26, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> I HATE the "sanitize everything, might as well take antibiotics because they can't 'hurt' me" mentality. It's crap like that that creates these deadly resistant strains of every little bacteria.


Aye I've been raised with the idea that eating stuff that fell off the floor was disgusting but good for your immune system, my aunt she's a nurse when i was a kid and i dropped a sweet or something my dad would be like "dont eat that" and she would always say "no it's good for him", I never take antibiotics, if i have a fever i let my system battle it out, same goes for headaches, especially cause i dont agree with painkillers, they only take the pain away not the condition, it's the problem now tho, everyone wants everything done instantly when something goes wrong, why cant people be like "I got a flu, I get a week off work and let my body deal with it" no they just rather pump themselves with medicine and continue overworking their bodies lowering the strength of their immune system even more, it's a viscous circle really.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I agree with all you guys. And, I will not buy or have any anti-bacteria soaps in my house, much to my mother-in-laws horror. When she is here I have to remember to wash my hands and get the cat off the counter or she won't eat. 
But, who is the one who's sick all the time? It's certainly not me, my other half, my dog or my cat.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

something that really bothers me...across the forums, there was a hue and cry about delta society no longer accepting raw dogs into their program because of the salmonella risk..

i wonder what rationalisation they'll come up with now that kibble is under fire.


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## Jodysmom (Jan 9, 2010)

magicre said:


> something that really bothers me...across the forums, there was a hue and cry about delta society no longer accepting raw dogs into their program because of the salmonella risk..
> 
> i wonder what rationalisation they'll come up with now that kibble is under fire.



I agree completely! I posted something similar to this in the raw feeding section.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i saw that....if this doesn't take the wind out of people's sails, i don't know what will.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

magicre said:


> what really bothers me is this. how are our children EVER going to build immunities if they are not allowed to go near germs?


I'm right there with you. I've had a touch of salmonella poisoning three times due to my own carelessness when handling the dogs' meat so far. Like, seriously. It isn't a coincidence when the same thing happens three times with the same results! Accidentally let some chicken juice splash back up into my mouth.

Anyways, know what happened? I woke up in the early morning hours with massive stomach cramps, and after, about, ten minutes or less, they went away and I went back to sleep like nothing happened. Never puked, never lasted longer than ten minutes (actually don't think any case lasted longer than five minutes), never had any problems in the bathroom. I swear, I've never been a germaphobe, rarely wash my hands unless they're really dirty, I've just gone to the bathroom, or handled meat. I am not afraid to touch nasty things.

Oh, and I don't get sick very often, I've never had more than a stomach flu int he flu department, even though my entire family has been down and out in bed and taking time off school and work because of it at the SAME time. I get over sicknesses very easily (except sore throats, because I just make it worse by hacking my lungs out).

YET, every person I've ever seen that has been a germaphobe, or really finicky about being sick, has always come down HARD with illnesses. One even got salmonella once and was out for, like, three days because of it.

ETA: I've never had a flu shot, either. XDDDD Or the H1N1 shot. Or anything else like that.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I find that people with this mindset say things like:

"I sanitize everything because I'm always sick!"

I find it ironic. Maybe they should consider that they're always sick because they sanitize everything.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

Good evening, folks, I'm here to tell you about all of our wonderful new products to help keep you safe! 

Ever need to turn on that faucet, but you don't want to touch the handle for fear of germs? Well, fear no more, with our no-touch-faucet. It's a motion sensor, so just stick your hands beneath the faucet and let the water run!

Oh, but wait, there is the issue of soap, because now you don't have to touch the faucet, you can't touch the soap dispenser either. Have no fear! We also have the no-touch-hand soap dispenser! Just place your hands in front of the sensor, and watch the soap flow!

Now that your hands are clean, however, you can't dirty them with a towel that's been used over and over again...by numerous people! Here we have our nifty paper-towel dispenser! Just grab one and pull, then throw away afterwards in our step-on pedal trash can! Just use your foot to power open the lid and toss away that wasted towel! No more worries.

Coming soon, we'll have automatic doors, so you don't have to worry about touching that dirty handle! Always remember, we are here for your safety!

*cough, cough, cough*


Walmart.com: Chicago Faucets 116 Single Hole Gooseneck Battery Operated Automatic Bathroom Faucet with Dual Beam Infrared Sensor: Home Improvement
Walmart.com: iTouchless Stainless Steel Automatic Sensor Soap Dispenser: Kitchen & Dining
(Couldn't find the paper towel dispenser, but I've seen an actual advertisement for it on television where you just put it on the rack where your towel usually goes. )
Walmart.com: Mainstays 12-Liter Oval Step Trash Can, Black: Kitchen & Dining


Cracks me up every time I see this kind of crap. Makes me mad, too. haha.


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