FDA issues preliminary findings on prevalence of Salmonella in pets.

• Sporadic Salmonella contamination of pet foods has long been a source of concern to pet owners, as it has the potential to affect both human and animal health.
• FDA has released preliminary findings from a Salmonella study, indicating that fewer than 100 pets (dogs and cats) out of nearly 3,000 tested positive for the bacterium.  Nearly half of the dogs who tested positive for Salmonella showed no symptoms of infection, and positive test results correlated with consumption of raw pet food.  FDA has indicated its plan to sample raw pet food products as part of its routine research and surveillance activities in 2015.
• Overall, FDA’s findings represent positive news for pet owners.  Although Salmonella contamination remains of general concern, FDA’s data indicate relatively low prevalence of infection and also suggest concrete steps that can be taken to safeguard human and animal health against the existing risk.