FDA Alert: Multiple Harmful Bacteria Found in Raaw Energy Dog Food
Eight lots of Raaw Energy dog food have tested positive for dangerous bacterial contamination. Here's what veterinary professionals and pet owners need to know.
The Situation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing a serious warning about Raaw Energy dog food after testing revealed the presence of multiple pathogenic bacteria in eight unopened product samples. This testing was initiated following a consumer complaint to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture about a dog illness.
What Was Found:
The contaminated samples tested positive for one or more of the following harmful bacteria:
Listeria monocytogenes
Salmonella
Campylobacter jejuni
E. coli O157 (potentially the highly dangerous O157:H7 strain)
Important: Despite FDA recommendations, the company has not yet initiated an adequate recall of the affected products.
Product Details
Raaw Energy dog food is sold frozen and ordered online for in-person pickup. The food comes in clear plastic tubes (2-pound or 5-pound) sealed with metal clips on each end, packaged in brown cardboard boxes containing 10 tubes each.
Affected Products—Check Your Inventory
Look for these date codes on white stickers found on both the individual tubes and cardboard boxes:
BEEF:
11/27/24 (2 lb)
12/03/24 (5 lb)
12/16/24 (2 lb)
CHICKEN:
11/27/24 (5 lb)
12/09/24 (5 lb)
12/16/24 (2 lb)
TURKEY:
12/03/24 (5 lb)
12/16/24 (2 lb)
Immediate Action Steps for Pet Owners
If clients have purchased any of these products, provide them with the following guidance:
1. Stop Feeding Immediately Do not feed any product matching the affected date codes to pets.
2. Proper Disposal Dispose of the product in a secure container that prevents access by pets, children, or wildlife. Do not donate contaminated food to shelters or rescue organizations.
3. Comprehensive Cleaning Protocol Thoroughly clean and disinfect all items and surfaces that may have contacted the food or the pet:
Food and water bowls
Storage containers and utensils
Food preparation surfaces
Pet bedding and toys
Floors and common areas
Refrigerator and freezer
Litter boxes
4. Waste Management Promptly remove and properly dispose of all pet feces, particularly in areas accessible to people or other animals.
5. Hand Hygiene Wash hands thoroughly after handling the product, cleaning contaminated items, or touching pets.
Why This Matters: The Public Health Perspective
These bacterial contaminants pose significant risks to both animal and human health. Understanding the dual nature of this threat is essential for protecting both your patients and their families.
A Critical Point About Transmission:
Pets do not need to show clinical signs to shed these bacteria and contaminate their environment. Infected animals can transmit pathogens through feces and saliva, creating ongoing exposure risks for household members—particularly those who are immunocompromised, very young, elderly, or pregnant.
Also important: Neither freezing nor refrigeration eliminates these bacteria.
Clinical Presentations to Monitor
Listeria monocytogenes
In Pets: Clinical signs can range from mild to severe and may include diarrhea, anorexia, fever, neurological symptoms, muscular and respiratory signs, pregnancy loss, depression, shock, and in severe cases, death.
In People: Symptoms vary depending on the affected body system and may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever, and muscle aches. Pregnant women may experience only mild flu-like symptoms but face serious risks including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in the newborn.
Salmonella
In Pets: Watch for vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite, and decreased activity levels. Some infected pets remain asymptomatic.
In People: Common symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. While most people recover without treatment, severe cases may require hospitalization. The infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and other body sites if left untreated.
E. coli O157
In Pets: Dogs and cats typically develop milder symptoms than humans, including watery or bloody diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and vomiting. Immunocompromised animals may experience more severe illness. While rarely fatal, deaths have been reported in infected dogs.
In People: Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), fever, nausea, and vomiting, typically appearing 1-9 days after exposure. The most serious concern is progression to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure that can be fatal.
High-risk groups for HUS: Children under 5, older adults, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.
Emergency warning signs of HUS:
Fever and abdominal pain
Pale skin
Fatigue and irritability
Unexplained bruising or bleeding from nose and mouth
Decreased urination
These symptoms require immediate emergency medical attention.
Campylobacter jejuni
In Pets: Clinical signs include diarrhea (watery, mucoid, or bloody), vomiting, tenesmus, lethargy, and fever. Young and immunocompromised animals are more susceptible to severe symptoms, while healthy adult animals may be asymptomatic carriers. Most infections resolve without treatment, though severe cases may require veterinary intervention.
In People: Symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea (often bloody). While most people recover within 2-5 days, complications can include irritable bowel syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome (temporary paralysis), arthritis, urinary tract infections, and meningitis. Some infections can be fatal.
Communication with Clients
This situation presents an opportunity to educate pet owners about raw food safety and zoonotic disease risks. Consider discussing:
The importance of proper food handling and storage
Recognition of clinical signs in both pets and family members
Enhanced hygiene practices when feeding raw diets
Vulnerability of certain household members to foodborne illness
Reporting Procedures
For Suspected Pet Illness:
Provide immediate veterinary care
Report to the FDA through the Safety Reporting Portal at fda.gov
Document the case thoroughly, including product information and clinical progression
For Human Illness: Advise clients showing symptoms to seek medical attention immediately and inform their healthcare provider about potential exposure through contaminated pet food.
The Veterinary Professional's Role
As trusted advisors, veterinarians play a crucial role in:
Alerting clients who may have purchased these products
Recognizing potential clinical presentations in exposed pets
Educating pet owners about proper food handling and zoonotic disease prevention
Reporting suspected cases to appropriate authorities
This multi-pathogen contamination event underscores the importance of food safety vigilance and the interconnected nature of human and animal health.
