Freshpet Inc. is recalling of a single lot of Freshpet “selec Small Dog Bite Size Beef & Egg Recipe Dog Food” because of potential contamination with Salmonella, which can be harmful to pets and their owners.

“Our Freshpet Team had designated this single lot for destruction, but it was inadvertently shipped to retailers in limited geographic markets between June 7 and June 10, 2021,” according to the company’s recall notice.

“The limited number of impacted products may have been sold at: Publix in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia, and at limited Target locations in Arizona and Southern California. Most of the product was intercepted at retailer distribution warehouses and not delivered to retail stores. If pet parents have products matching the following description in their possession, they should stop feeding it to their dogs and dispose of it immediately.”

The recalled 1-pound bags have the UPC number 627975012939 and the lot number 1421FBP0101. They all have a sell-by date of Oct. 30, 2021.

“ Please call us if you have any of the recalled product, Freshpet Select Small Dog Bite Size Beef & Egg Recipe Dog Food (1 LB bags), with Sell by Date 10/30/2021, for a refund or for your convenience you may use the following link to request a refund:  http://freshpet.co/ssdb21. Sell by Date, along with UPC code and lot code, can be found on the bottom and back of each bag,” according to the recall.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Dogs with Salmonellainfections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some dogs will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy dogs can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your dog has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Freshpet has received no reports of illness, injury, or adverse reaction to date, and has issued this recall because of our deep commitment to the safety of our pet parents and their dogs.

Pet parents who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should call 1.866.789.3737, Mon. through Fri., 9 am–9 pm (EDT) and Sat. through Sun. 9 am–1 pm (EDT) or visit www.freshpet.com.

This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

about Salmonella infections in humans

Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has handled any of the recalled pet food and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.