As the US salmonellosis outbreak linked to contaminated pig ear treats continues, the FDA and CDC are now taking the additional step of advising people to avoid all pig ear treats and for retailers to stop selling them. As the investigation continues, links to treats imported from Argentina and Brazil have been made, but the full scope of the problem is still unclear.

Related to this, Lennox Itnl has recalled Natural Link Pig Ears because of contamination concerns, and the pet store chain Pet Supplies Plus has recalled bulk pig ear treats because of the potential for contamination. Bulk bins are a particular problem because they get topped up regularly, lots of hands go in them and cross-contamination can occur easily.

I haven’t seen any reports or recalls from other countries but it’s likely that similar issues exist given the international market for pig ear treats. So, it’s prudent for people outside the US to take a similar approach (and it’s why we recommend caution with any raw animal based pet treats at all times).