Natura Pet Products Expands Recall of Dry Food and Treats

Natura Pet Products is expanding its recall of products potentially tainted with the salmonella bacteria.

The company, which produces such brands as Innova and EVO, first announced a voluntary recall of only certain product lines in mid-March.

But, now, "out of an abundance of caution, we are extending our recall to include all Natura dry dog, cat and ferret food and treats that have expiration dates on or before March 24, 2014," reads an open letter to customers posted on the company's website.

"Your pet's health and safety are our #1 priority. We are taking all actions necessary to ensure that our products meet both your expectations and ours. Our Fremont (Neb.) plant has been focused on quality enhancements and is now shipping new product to stores that will be on shelves soon," the letter continued. "We are sorry for the disruption, but we simply want to ensure that every product meets our highest quality standards."

A product infected with salmonella can affect the animals who have it and potentially humans who have handled the contaminated food, particularly if they haven't thoroughly washed their hands or any other surface exposed to the product.

Pets with salmonella infections may become lethargic and suffer diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some affect pets may have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

Healthy people infected with salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Salmonella rarely results in more serious ailments that include arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.

Consumers exhibiting these any of these symptoms are advised by health industry experts to seek medical attention.

The brands of dry food included in the recall now are Innova, EVO, California Natural, HealthWise and Karma.

The "treats" covered in the recall are:

Innova Cat Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Turkey & Chicken Formula Cat Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Herring & Salmon Formula Cat Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Weight Management Cat Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Herring Formula Dog Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Red Meat Formula Dog Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Turkey & Chicken Formula Dog Treats

EVO Wild Cravings Weight Management Dog Treats

Mother Nature biscuits are not affected, nor are any other Natura canned products, biscuits or bars, the company said.

Natura directs anyone seeking additional information to contact the company through the website, https://www.naturapet.com/about/contact-us, or by calling (800) 224-6123.