Talking About Raw Food, Salmonella and Food Safety with Dr. Katy Patterson
Healthy Dogs | February 19, 2018
If you’ve ever read one of Mud Bay’s solution sheets, you’re already familiar with the work of our in-house veterinarian, Dr. Katy Patterson. Dr. Katy, as she’s called by most Muddies, helps determine which foods, toys, supplements and other products Mud Bay carries. She also answers all our tough animal nutrition questions and is part of the team who built our new feeding calculator. Like some veterinarians, she recommends raw food to certain pet owners and feeds raw food at home.
We sat down to talk to Dr. Katy about a recent FDA report about salmonella in raw food and found out the food safety tips she recommends for all pet owners.
KP: The Minnesota Department of Health found a link between a strain of salmonella found in a raw petfood, and two children in Minnesota becoming ill with salmonella. One child needed to be hospitalized. Because the strains were the same, the FDA believes that the salmonella found in the raw pet food in their house was the cause of these children becoming ill.
We don’t know why this happened. There are many ways we could hypothesize that a salmonella infection could have occurred. For example: Were the children allowed to feed the pets, and they didn’t wash their hands after handling the food? Did each pet have a separate food bowl? Were those bowls washed after every meal? Were all the utensils used washed after every meal?
Also, the food was from a mail-order company. No one knows if the food thawed in transit, which could allow the bacteria to flourish.
There are a lot of safe handling guidelines for raw meat, in general, whether it’s raw pet food or people food. We don’t know about the food safety procedures followed at that home, so we don’t know if the right food handling steps could have prevented anyone from getting sick.
KP: Many of our raw food manufacturers test for salmonella, E. coli, listeria and other bacteria. They might test for bacteria before the raw ingredients come into their facility, once the ingredients arrive or after processing.
The test-and-hold procedure is a method some food partners use to test the food after processing. Each batch of food they produce is held at their facility until the test results show that the food doesn’t contain any unhealthy bacteria. Once the food manufacturer gets those negative test results, the food can be shipped to stores.
Some of our food partners use what are called kill steps. These processes ensure any bacteria in the food is killed before shipping it to stores. There are several methods that can be used.
One of the most common methods used by Mud Bay’s food partners is high-pressure pasteurization (HPP). It’s a process where the raw food is put in a cannister, and a machine pressurizes the food inside. The pressure is so strong, it fractures the cell walls of any single-cell bacteria. The bacteria then die, but the pressure doesn’t have the same effect on the enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are in that food. While the food is processed, it’s not a type of invasive processing that affects the nutritional value.
Another common kill step is to use a biologic solution that kills the pathogenic bacteria. The food manufacturers apply these solutions to the surface of raw foods, and it only targets the harmful bacteria. It doesn’t alter the nutritional value at all.
A lot of our raw food partners combine several methods to kill any possible bacteria. Some manufacturers may use several kill steps at different parts of the process to reduce the risk of any type of contamination.
KP: Basically, what people need to do is treat raw pet food like raw meat they cook at home. You want to thaw it out in the refrigerator. Keep it frozen as long as possible, and only thaw it a few hours before feeding your dog or cat. Wash your hands and utensils with warm, soapy water after handling raw food. And if the food has been at room temperature for longer than 30 to 60 minutes, you need to throw it away.
Also, if your household includes young children, the elderly or any person who has a compromised immune system, raw food may not be the best choice for your life. If your pet has a compromised immune system, you might not want to feed raw food.
However, if you’re very diligent about handling raw food to reduce the risk of any contamination, we think the risk to most people is very small. That means you must wash every surface with warm, soapy water any time it meets raw food. But this risk is no greater than the risk of having any type of raw meat inside of your house for your own consumption.
It’s important to remember that we do recommend washing your hands and utensils after handling any type of dog or cat food. Salmonella has been found in kibble, so this isn’t just a risk for people feeding raw food. Whether you feed kibble, canned or raw food, you should practice good food safety procedures.
Dr. Katy Patterson is Mud Bay’s in-house veterinarian. She works at our home office in Olympia, Washington, where she always makes time to answer Muddy and customer questions. When she’s not at work, she’s with her family, the menagerie of animals at her farm or eventing with her horse, PK.
⚽🌍 This week, Sean from Mud Bay Belltown is heading to the Belltown Dog Park to ask dog owners and Mud Bay customers in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood for their World Pup Cup Predictions! 🥅
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Today’s World Pup Cup prediction comes from Dorthey and her two pups, Boba and Lychee, for the match between Belgium and Egypt.
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#mudbay #pupperdictions #worldcup #soccer #worldcup
Mud Bay Delivery offers free same-day delivery 🚚 when you order before 2 pm. From food and supplements to toys, treats, and even frozen items, we’ll bring it all right to your door. It’s available seven days a week, with free delivery on orders over $30.
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Shop anytime at MudBay.com and let Mud Bay Delivery bring your pet’s go-to items straight to you. Click the link in our bio to place your order today.
#mudbay #healthypets #mudbaydelivery #pnw #pets
When the bone broth becomes the treat.
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Turn Open Farm Homestead Turkey Bone Broth into easy, homemade frozen treats with the Messy Mutts Silicone Treat Mold this summer. Made from flexible BPA- and PVC-free, food-grade silicone, the molds feature convenient fill lines for portioning and a notched center that makes it easy to break larger treats into smaller pieces.
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Pour in the collagen-rich bone broth, freeze, and serve. Made from humanely raised turkey bones and slow-simmered with pumpkin, carrot, and turmeric, it adds flavor, hydration, and enrichment to your dog’s day.
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Minimal prep. Maximum tail wags. Shop Open Farm Homestead Turkey Bone Broth and the Messy Mutts Bake and Freeze Dog treat maker in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #openfarm #messymutts #summer #staycool
Reduce. Reuse. Go for a walk.
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The Eco Collar and Leash Collection from RC Pets is made with REPREVE® webbing, created from 100% recycled plastic bottles. 🇨🇦 Proudly made in Vancouver, Canada, these collars and leashes are designed to be durable, comfortable, and ready for everyday adventures.
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And now you can shop RC Pets Eco Collar and Leashes for your dog in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #dogwalk #dogs #rcpets #recycled
Starting today our friends at Fluff & Tuff are once again kicking off #IGiveAFluff to help put toys in the paws of shelter and rescue dogs who need them most.
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And we want you to be a part of it, and it couldn’t be easier to participate!
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Here’s how it works:
📸 Snap a photo or a video of your dog with their favorite Fluff & Tuff toy.
📱 Share it on social media using #IGiveAFluff.
🐾 Fluff & Tuff donates a toy to a shelter or rescue dog.
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Since 2015, with the support of pet parents like you and the generosity of Fluff & Tuff, over 22,000 toys have been donated to shelters and rescue dogs.
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Want to participate, but need a Fluff & Tuff toy? Maybe a soccer ⚽️ ball for your pup with a certain soccer tournament kicking off this week? We’ve got you covered!
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Stop by your local Mud Bay or visit us online. Click the link in our bio to learn more about #IGIVEAFLUFF
It’s never a bad time to chill. 🧘♀️ 🐾
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Swell`s My Chill Time Premium Dog Gelato is made with functional ingredients like chamomile and passion flower tea, which help your pup stay cool, calm, and collected when summer activities makes thier day-to-day a little more stressful. Plus, it includes blackberries, 🥥 coconut milk, ginger, beets, and 🍯 🐝 honey, which are great for digestion and antioxidant support.
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Swell Premium Dog Gelato is not only a tasty treat on a hot summer day, but it also helps keep your pup living their best life and staying CHILL. Shop My Chill Time from Swell in-store or online at Mud Bay this summer. 🌞
#mudbay #swelldoggelato #swell #dogs #chill
Adventure-ready and made for the water, the Ruffwear Float Coat helps keep your dog comfortable during every swim.
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The Float Coat offers a secure, telescoping neck closure that adjusts to fit a variety of dog sizes, while the lightweight foam panels support natural movement and buoyancy in the water, keeping them comfortable and safe.
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Plus, it offers a super handy, low-profile handle that makes it easy to lift your pup out of the water, and reflective accents that add extra visibility for long days at the lake, beach, or river.
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Bring your pup in-store or shop with us online for the Ruffwear Float coat today!
#mudbay #summer #adventures #ruffwear #doglife
🌞 🎆 🎉 Summer brings celebrations, late nights, travel and events that can leave your pets feeling uneasy.
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Mud Bay is here to help, offering products that bring calm and comfort to your cat or dog when things get noisy.
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We carry calming collars, tinctures, treats, and pheromones to help your pets handle everything summer brings—Shop Mud Bay in-store or online to find the right calmatives for your pets.
#mudbay #summer #keepcalm #healthypets #calming
Fluff & Tuff`s #IGIVEAFLUFF is Coming Soon!
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Starting June 8th, National Best Friends Day, our friends at Fluff & Tuff are once again kicking off #IGiveAFluff to help put toys in the paws of shelter and rescue dogs who need them most.
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And we want you to be a part of it, and it couldn`t be easier to participate!
Here`s how it works:
📸 Snap a photo of your dog with their favorite Fluff & Tuff toy.
📱 Share it on social media using #IGiveAFluff.
🐾 Fluff & Tuff donates a toy to a shelter or rescue dog.
🐾
Since 2015, with the support of pet parents like you and the generosity of Fluff & Tuff, over 22,000 toys have been donated to shelters and rescue dogs. Want to participate, but you need a Fluff & Tuff toy? Take a tip from Frank and stop by your local Mud Bay or visit us online. Click the link in our bio to learn more about #IGIVEAFLUFF
Canagan canned cat food is grain-free and made with your cat in mind, using high-quality protein from chicken, salmon, tuna, and more.
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It’s inspired by what cats are naturally built to eat, with a focus on animal protein and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
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It’s also an easy way to add moisture to your cat’s routine—something many cats don’t get enough of—which can help support your feline friend with kidney and urinary-tract health.
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🛍️ Shop Canagan Complete Cat Food in-store or online at Mud Bay.
Summer is coming, so be like Goose 🐕 and stay cool 😎 ❄️ on every outing with the Swamp Cooler Harness from Ruffwear.
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Whether she’s out on a trail or enjoying a long walk or run, this harness is built for warm-weather adventures, offering cooling comfort and secure control in one breathable design.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #adventures #pnw #dog #summeriscoming
Mud Bay Memorial Day Hours ⏰
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Today, Monday, May 25, all Mud Bay locations will be open from 10 am to 6 pm.
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Delivery orders placed after 2 pm on Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Store pickup and Instacart will still be available. 🐈 🐕 🚚
#mudbay #holidayhours #healthypets #mudbaydelivery #pets
