Pig Ear Dog Treats Blamed For NY Salmonella Outbreak

NEW YORK – Dog treats made from pigs ears have been linked to 15 cases of drug-resistant Salmonella in New York, health chiefs said.

Across the nation, 127 people have been contaminated as of July 31, with 26 needing to be hospitalized. Only Iowa has had more cases than New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Several producers of dog treats have already issued recalls, though the illness hasn't been traced to a single source. Anybody with pig ear treats is being told by the CDC to throw them out and retailers have been asked to stop selling them.

Along with the 127 people, dogs can also be sickened by the food, the CDC said. Patients have become contaminated through handling the treats or by caring for ill pets.

The CDC issued the following advice to dog owners:

• Do not feed any pig ear treats to your dog. Throw them away in a secure container so that your pets and other animals can’t eat them.
• Wash containers, shelves, and areas that held any pig ear dog treats with hot, soapy water. Be sure to wash your hands after handling any of these items.
• Even if some of the pig ears were fed to your dog and no one got sick, do not continue to feed them to your dog.

Symptoms of Salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that occur 12 to 72 hours after being exposed to the bacteria.