Discover 7 Pet Food Safety Tips for Overall Health
Did you know that as a pet owner, the mishandling of your pooches or feline’s food can result in hazardous health problems for your pet, as well for you? Yes, that is correct! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advise pet owners “Consumers can take steps to help prevent food borne illness, including Salmonella-related illness, when handling pet foods and treats.” The following are seven guidelines to ensure the safety of you and your pet.
- Don’t buy cans or containers that are damaged or dented.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm soap water before you handle your pet’s food each time.
- Clean your pet’s food bowl after each meal, and always wash the water bowl no less than once every other day.
- Wet food must be refrigerated, and if they can’t be they are to be tossed into the trash.
- Dry food should be kept at room temperature and should never be kept in storage that exceeds 80 degrees.
- Place soiled food in a sealed bag or container and trash it.
- Always keep your pets away from food storage areas and trash containers.
With the recent pet food recalls due to contamination, including salmonella, it is imperative that these suggestive tips be implemented. Often times, these recalls are from a facility which affects it’s workers, who are then hospitalized for their symptoms.
According to The Animal Health Literacy Campaign it is important to keep pet bowls cleaned because “Animals have bacterial microbes in their mouths and these microbes can be transferred to the dishes pets eat and drink from. Food left in the dishes can provide the microbes with a good environment for multiplying (moisture, oxygen and nutrients) and can produce illness in people who touch the dish, or the pet that eats or drinks from the bowl or dish.”
Have any further tips to suggest in keeping your pet’s food and bowl safe? We’d love for you to share them with us!
Source: http://www.huliq.com/10061/7-pet-food-safety-tips-maintain-good-health