The PEI Department of Health and Social Services has issued a public advisory regarding the handling of pig's ears dog treats.
Several cases of Salmonella infection in humans have been diagnosed in other provinces and linked to these dog treats. Salmonella is a bacteria which causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and results in a serious illness particularly in the very young, older persons or those whose immunity is not normal.
Pig's ears dog treats are very common in PEI. They consist of an actual pig's ear treated to appeal to a dog's sense of taste and smell.
The treats linked to this illness were made in Alberta at the Farm Meats Canada Ltd plant and may be sold in PEI under the "President's Choice" or "Rollover" labels. Retailers in PEI with any of these treats in their stores were asked to remove them from their shelves yesterday.
One person in PEI who became ill from the Salmonella bacteria of concern did buy pig's ears here in the province and this case is now being further investigated. Some brands of pig's ears dog treats sold in PEI do not come from the Alberta plant.
Persons with pig's ears dog treats are asked to take the following precautions at home: (1) after handling the treats, be sure to wash the hands thoroughly with soap and warm water to make sure the bacteria does not get to the mouth while eating; (2) children, the elderly or those whose immunity is not normal should not handle the treats or put them near their mouths; (3) after handling pets that have been given the treats, everyone having contact with the dog should wash their hands.