Our Fact Finder Team is looking into a pet food recall announced last week, and what one local vet is saying about that.
OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Iams and Eukanuba have voluntarily recalled four of its dry dog foods.
The move was prompted by fear that the food could be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacterium that affects both humans and animals.
No illnesses have been reported thus far.
Between 2006 and 2008, an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning sickened 79 people around the country...and that was traced to contaminated dry pet food produced at an unspecified Pennsylvania manufacturing plant.
Dr. Lori Hickie is an Ottumwa DVM. She discussed the safest way in which to keep your pet healthy.
"Basically we recommend feeding high quality dog foods, but obviously with the recent recall, we know that high quality dog foods can be affected. And so as a pet owner, you have to keep yourself informed, checking with the FDA website," Dr. Hickie said.
She discussed sanitation precautions that animal owners can take, even when feeding their pet.
"Keeping informed is a big deal so that you know if the food that you're feeding has been affected. You also want to make sure that you're using good sanitation when you are taking care of your pet...washing your hands after feeding them, washing your hands after picking up after them in the yard...that is very important," Dr. Hickie said.
On ABC's "Good Morning America," Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser shared the following tips: "Keep pet food in a secure container." And "instead of reaching into the pet food bag with your hand or the food bowl, use a scoop that you use only for that purpose.
"It's going to affect all dogs if they get it...if they are older. It may be older dogs or dogs that don't have a good immune system...they may be more susceptible just because their immune system isn't strong enough to fight that," Dr. Hickie added.
For a list of the recalled pet food items, just visit the website for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).