The dog treat company Barkworthies is recalling select lots of Chicken Vittles dog chews because they may be contaminated with salmonella.
Salmonella can be a health hazard if consumed by animals and is also a danger to humans who handle contaminated products, Barworthies said in a statement.
"The recall was initiated after routine testing by the Colorado Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Salmonella in a single lot of the product. This batch tested negative by a third party independent laboratory prior to release for distribution to consumers. No additional products are affected by this recall. The company has received no reports of illness in either people or animals associated with these products to date," the company stated.
Healthy individuals who have had contact with the potentially contaminated products should monitor themselves for symptoms such as "nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever." Contraction of this bacteria can also cause health effects such as "arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms" if left untreated.
Pets that have ingested the product should be monitored for signs such as "diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting," but some pets will only exhibit a decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Since even asymptomatic pets that have had contact with salmonella can carry the contaminant and infect others, those who believe their pet has been infected should contact their veterinarian immediately.
The recalled product was distributed nationally starting May 6.
"The recalled product should not be sold or fed to pets. For a full refund, pet owners should return all unused product to their place of purchase along with a completed Product Recall Claim Form available on the Barkworthies website," the company stated.
The refund form is available HERE.
