Pet Food Recalled After Testing Positive for Listeria

The pet food delivery service Viva Raw has announced a voluntary recall of some of their dog and cat foods. One lot of pet food, which included five different products, tested positive for Listeria monocytogene. Thankfully, no pets have gotten sick, but the contamination poses a risk to any pet who ingests it. 

The contaminated batch is Lot 21244 of products Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey, and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies. The presence of Listeria was discovered during an inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA).

Listeria is a foodborne illness that can cause serious symptoms for dogs and cats. Pets with Listeria may experience “mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervous, muscular and respiratory signs, miscarriage, depression, shock and death,” explained the FDA.

Viva Raw and the FDA recommend contacting your veterinarian immediately if your pet exhibits symptoms after ingesting contaminated food. Even if a pet does not show symptoms, they can transfer Listeria to other people and pets through their feces and saliva — so all household members should be monitored if a pet is exposed. Listeria can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces, such as dog bowls.

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If you had any of the above products shipped to you between May 16 and June 28, check the product label for the lot number. If you have a product from Lot 21244, you can contact info@vivarawpets.com for a refund. The FDA recommends that  “you should then destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access” — and do not feed any of the remaining food to your pets. 

Touching Listeria-infected food with bare hands can be dangerous, so take protective measures if the container has been opened. “While wearing gloves or using paper towels, place the contaminated food in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in the garbage,” the FDA advises. 

Viva Pets has provided a FAQ for concerned pet parents. “We are dedicated to continued improvements in our food safety and quality and are committed to sharing additional updates as we move forward,” they wrote.