Proctor and Gamble has announced a recall of two lots of Iams’ Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal, a prescription dry cat food. The lot numbers are 01384174B4 and 01384174B2. Anyone that has this food should stop using it immediately. Since these are prescription diets that should only be available through a veterinarian, affected customers should presumably contact their veterinarian for information about a replacement or refund. If a cat that has eaten this food develops diarrhea, Salmonella should be considered as a possible cause and a stool sample should be tested.

As with most of these recalls, no illnesses have been reported, although lack of reported cases doesn’t necessarily mean lack of cases. While Salmonella contamination of dry pet food diets is quite uncommon, it can happen.  It’s a good reason for people to make sure they wash their hands after having contact with any pet food or the pet’s food bowl, and to make sure that pet food is kept separate from food meant for human consumption.