Viva pet food recalled after testing finds Listeria contamination

Viva Raw LLC of Hillsborough, NC is recalling dog and cat foods, including certain Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey, and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies because a lot, which includes these five products are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is a potential health risk to people and pets.

The issue was discovered during a facility inspection conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). The FDA tested samples of Viva Turkey for Dogs and found samples from Lot 21244 were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. All products produced in Lot 21244 were slated for destruction. However, the company has since learned some of the product from this lot was inadvertently released from the warehouse.

The products were distributed directly to consumers in all fifty states and the District of Columbia.

A list of the recalled products can be viewed below.

About Listeria infections

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in pets eating contaminated products. People can become exposed to this pathogen through multiple routes such as handling the contaminated products, contact with pets that have eaten contaminated products and/or contact with surfaces that have touched contaminated food, such as bowls, utensils or countertops. Risk of human illness from Listeria monocytogenes contaminated pet food increases if people do not thoroughly wash their hands after handling the food or having contact with their pet, or by not thoroughly cleaning contaminated surfaces.

Listeria monocytogenes illnesses in pets are rare, and infected pets may display symptoms such as mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervous, muscular and respiratory signs, miscarriage, depression, shock and death. Pets exposed to contaminated food can be infected without showing symptoms. Infected pets, even if they do not show symptoms, can act as carriers and transfer Listeria monocytogenes through their feces and saliva into the home environment and to people and other pets in the household. If your pet has eaten the recalled product(s) and has symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection, please contact your veterinarian.

Recalled products:

• Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground – Lot# 21244
• Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked –  Lot# 21244
• Viva Turkey for Cats –  Lot# 21244
• Viva Pure Turkey –  Lot# 21244
• Viva Beef &Turkey for Puppies –  Lot# 21244

The product is distributed as frozen 1 lb bricks in clear vacuum packaging. There are no expiration dates for these products. Product images can be viewed here.

As of the posting of this recall, no illnesses related to this lot have been reported.

If you find that you have products from the affected lot, contact Viva Raw at info@vivarawpets.com for a refund on any remaining product—you should then destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access. Do not feed the recalled product to pets or any other animals.

FDA recommends humans do not touch the contaminated food product with bare hands. While wearing gloves or using paper towels, place the contaminated food in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in the garbage. Areas that may have come in contact with the contaminated product should be sanitized. Do not sell or donate the recalled products.

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