# Salmonella poisoning & handling raw food



## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

After spending the last 8 days in the hospital for severe Salmonella poisoning, it came from one of two things. It was either the one time I did decide to eat healthy and order a grilled chicken salad from the high end market or how I handled my feeding S&C. I thought I had been extremely careful but not careful enough with the dog food. The hospital seems to think it's the raw diet I was feeding my fluff and more likely than the one time I ordered a salad out.
So for all of you feeding raw....plz be xtra careful with washing, hands, counters and yes our fluffs face...something I admit wld skimp on being in a rush because Salmonella poisoning is no fun !


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Oh Joanne, I'm sorry you were so sick. It must have been really bad since you were hospitalized. I hope you're fully recovered now.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Oh my! Thanks for sharing! I'm so sorry you got sick! I've been considering adding S & C to my fluffs diet but now think not!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> Oh my! Thanks for sharing! I'm so sorry you got sick! I've been considering adding S & C to my fluffs diet but now think not!


Sherry...I love Stella & Chewys for Lacie and wld never change that. I probably didn't wash down my counter good enough,something very stupid. I do know my daughter fed her the few days before and she said she never wiped down anything. I wld try S&C...just be careful.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> Oh Joanne, I'm sorry you were so sick. It must have been really bad since you were hospitalized. I hope you're fully recovered now.


Kathy..still very weak. Potassium levels very low and blood pressure still high...I have to go in every other day to monitor, if P don't go up, I have to go back in on iv.


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## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

maddysmom said:


> After spending the last 8 days in the hospital for severe Salmonella poisoning, it came from one of two things. It was either the one time I did decide to eat healthy and order a grilled chicken salad from the high end market or how I handled my feeding S&C. I thought I had been extremely careful but not careful enough with the dog food. The hospital seems to think it's the raw diet I was feeding my fluff and more likely than the one time I ordered a salad out.
> So for all of you feeding raw....plz be xtra careful with washing, hands, counters and yes our fluffs face...something I admit wld skimp on being in a rush because Salmonella poisoning is no fun !


Jo- So sorry you were so sick! 

Stella and Chewy checks each batch of food and they would have had to have a recall on it especially if it tested positive-- Don't forget they are one of the few that do the Hydrostatic High Pressure (HHP) which is technology that “puts the squeeze” on food pathogens without cooking out vital nutrients or changing the natural taste. Bacteria cannot survive at pressures five times those found at the deepest sea level. HHP is the only scientifically recognized pasteurization process that does not use heat or irradiation to accomplish this so that is why I feel so safe with Stella and Chewy!!

Glad you are feeling better :aktion033::aktion033::aktion033:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Chardy said:


> Jo- So sorry you were so sick!
> 
> Stella and Chewy checks each batch of food and they would have had to have a recall on it especially if it tested positive-- Don't forget they are one of the few that do the Hydrostatic High Pressure (HHP) which is technology that “puts the squeeze” on food pathogens without cooking out vital nutrients or changing the natural taste. Bacteria cannot survive at pressures five times those found at the deepest sea level. HHP is the only scientifically recognized pasteurization process that does not use heat or irradiation to accomplish this so that is why I feel so safe with Stella and Chewy!!
> 
> Glad you are feeling better :aktion033::aktion033::aktion033:


And that doesn't change once it's hydrated....I don't think so and either does the hospital. 
I find it hard to believe that the ONE time I ate a chicken salad, I would get it.
Besides...I'm just letting people be more aware of how important it is to wash after handling raw since that's what we think is the cause.


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## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

maddysmom said:


> And that doesn't change once it's hydrated....I don't think so and either does the hospital.
> I find it hard to believe that the ONE time I ate a chicken salad, I would get it.
> Besides...I'm just letting people be more aware of how important it is to wash after handling raw since that's what we think is the cause.


It is very important to wash your hands!! Even if you touch kibble!!! 

And I'm sorry to inform you that after you add water does not change it-- Love you the most ... of all.. forever and ever and ever :wub::wub::wub:


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## maltese manica (Nov 6, 2012)

Joanne I am sorry that you were in the hospital! Hope things are getting back to normal! How is Lacie and Mr. Piggy???


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm so sorry that you've been sick, and I hope you!re feeling better soon. Thanks for passing on the info.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Oh no! So sorry that you got so sick!


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

I hope you feel better very soon!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I am so sorry to hear you got sick. Like Carol, the Stella and Chewy's would be least suspect on my list. I think it's far more likely it came from the salad. Raw chicken is nutorious for having salmonella and it's all always risky getting your food out some place, if they start with raw chicken it is always a risk.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

shellbeme said:


> I am so sorry to hear you got sick. Like Carol, the Stella and Chewy's would be least suspect on my list. I think it's far more likely it came from the salad. Raw chicken is nutorious for having salmonella and it's all always risky getting your food out some place, if they start with raw chicken it is always a risk.


The Chicken I ate was not raw by any means and I do know that the market this place buys their chicken from is of the very highest grade, also no one else that was with me got sick and we all had the same grilled chicken.
Yes..it could have been how the chicken was handled on my one dinner but more likely how I handled feeding raw food….all the more reason to be more careful!


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

I told you to quit kissing turtles! :HistericalSmiley:

Seriously though, I am sorry you've been so sick! To have been hospitalized and for eight days at that, you must've been really really sick!! I'm glad you're doing better now though. Other than the food you ate or fed the babies, there are other ways you could've contacted it. Someone who prepared your food could've recently had it and been a carrier and didn't wash their hands well enough before touching yours. Or it could've come from other food, besides the chicken.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Leila'sMommy said:


> I told you to quit kissing turtles! :HistericalSmiley:
> 
> Seriously though, I am sorry you've been so sick! To have been hospitalized and for eight days at that, you must've been really really sick!! I'm glad you're doing better now though. Other than the food you ate or fed the babies, there are other ways you could've contacted it. Someone who prepared your food could've recently had it and been a carrier and didn't wash their hands well enough before touching yours. Or it could've come from other food, besides the chicken.


Eeeww...I hate turtles. Yes, 8 days because I waited too long to get to ER...by the time I got there I had severe dehydration, Potassium at 2, heart rate sporadic, blood pressure sky high and colitis to boot.
Hospital asked of raw food source that I fed dog, not chicken I ate...not sure if they can tell from my salmonella test where or what it was....I wld love to know myself since I am being neurotic how I feed Lacie now.


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## chichi (Apr 12, 2007)

Sorry you got so sick, Jo that is no fun. I also use S&C I will have to be more careful how I handle it.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh Joanne, I am glad your ok. I had Salmonella poisoning years ago, we were traveling in our RV, we had gone to a little restaurant in Casper Wyoming with a few other couples, two of us got so ill, it was from egss:w00t: I am fearful to eat them now, I honestly thought I was going to die, sooooo sick
Thanks for the heads up so many don't realize how careful they need to be when handling raw foods


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Oh you poor thing! I can't even begin to imagine how sick you were. I pray your potassium level goes back up to where it needs to be so you don't have to be hospitalized again.

Did you check the lot # on the bag of S&C's and then check the batch test on their site? You really should call them about it. I truly think that no matter how safe of a system you have, cross contamination can still happen. Maybe the batch tested fine but someone working on the line didn't wash their hands and touched the product as it was being bagged or something? But then again, it could have been that you touched a contaminated door knob or handrail, etc... then ate something that is a finger food type of snack. My sister is a germaphoebe and washes her hands incessently. I make fun of her all the time. But dang...I probably should wash my hands more frequently working with money at the store. Especially since I tend to snack my way through lunch with finger food type things.:brownbag:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Oh you poor thing! I can't even begin to imagine how sick you were. I pray your potassium level goes back up to where it needs to be so you don't have to be hospitalized again.
> 
> Did you check the lot # on the bag of S&C's and then check the batch test on their site? You really should call them about it. I truly think that no matter how safe of a system you have, cross contamination can still happen. Maybe the batch tested fine but someone working on the line didn't wash their hands and touched the product as it was being bagged or something? But then again, it could have been that you touched a contaminated door knob or handrail, etc... then ate something that is a finger food type of snack. My sister is a germaphoebe and washes her hands incessently. I make fun of her all the time. But dang...I probably should wash my hands more frequently working with money at the store. Especially since I tend to snack my way through lunch with finger food type things.:brownbag:


I called today. They do test for Salmonella at the plant, however, she did say that cross contamination DOES happen when not handled properly and to be xtra careful about cleaning up, and not leaving the food out more than 2 hours once hydrated....lesson learned and your dear sister is on to something, I'm washing until I bleed before I get this sick again


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Oh Joanne, I am just seeing this now. How awful! What a long time to be in the hospital. How are you feeling? I hope you are much, much better.

I think with some of the freeze dried raw food, like the S&C, it is easy to forget that it really is raw meat. When we handle it every day, it doesn't seem so necessary to keep washing everything. It doesn't look like raw chicken meat, so it is easy to forget that it is raw meat. If it looked like raw chicken we would be washing like crazy. Thank you for the reminder. We so have to be careful with hand washing, cleaning prep areas, and bowls too. I wash their water bowl often too, since they all drink water after they eat.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Kathleen said:


> Oh Joanne, I am just seeing this now. How awful! What a long time to be in the hospital. How are you feeling? I hope you are much, much better.
> 
> I think with some of the freeze dried raw food, like the S&C, it is easy to forget that it really is raw meat. When we handle it every day, it doesn't seem so necessary to keep washing everything. It doesn't look like raw chicken meat, so it is easy to forget that it is raw meat. If it looked like raw chicken we would be washing like crazy. Thank you for the reminder. We so have to be careful with hand washing, cleaning prep areas, and bowls too. I wash their water bowl often too, since they all drink water after they eat.


Kathleen...you couldn't be more right! I forgot I'm dealing with raw. The lady said even surrounding areas should be clean, floor, mat. These are places I would never even think to soap down after each meal. I'm so paranoid now, I'm using latex gloves and prepping on paper towels , wash with hot water/soap and the hospital told me to get the Clorox wipes that kills salmonella and of course no slacking on Lacies face no matter how rushed I am. All good now...just makes me and anyone else who cares more aware!


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

Oh my... I'm so sorry you got so sick. Salmonella food poisoning is no fun at all. Good reminder for all about handling raw or ANY dog food. I have to think, though, that there is a higher chance of salmonella in those prepared salads based on just my personal experience treating patients with salmonella food poisoning. So glad you're finally feeling better! Rest up!


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Joanne i'm so sorry to hear that you were so sick. Hopefully your on the mend now and will continue to get better. :grouphug:


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## gopotsgo (May 21, 2009)

That sucks! Glad you are on the mend. Chow down on bananas, OJ, kale and other potassium rich foods. You should be able to keep up with what is coming out below now. I very rarely use dehydrated raw, I use frozen raw, Darwins specifically, it is made a few days before it is shipped to me on dry ice so I know it is fresh and hasn't been sitting around for months. Being frozen, very little, if any, bacterial replication. And Darwins is all organic and free range. I also rarely give the poultry and never the chicken. There is never any need to touch it, spoon directly from the container to the food bowl. I also find it hard to believe that you contracted Salmonella from the dog food. With any infection, you need a certain bacterial load to overcome your defenses. That is more likely to come from something you ate, not micro particles you got on your hands. Be highly suspicious of the greens, more so than the cooked chicken, restaurant workers sometimes forget proper technique, we see that a lot in the ED.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

So sorry you got sick! How awful!


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

I hope you haven gotten back on your feet. i bet Lacie is a great nurse


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

mdbflorida said:


> I hope you haven gotten back on your feet. i bet Lacie is a great nurse


all lacie cares about is treats and belly rubs…its all about lacie


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

hoaloha said:


> Oh my... I'm so sorry you got so sick. Salmonella food poisoning is no fun at all. Good reminder for all about handling raw or ANY dog food. I have to think, though, that there is a higher chance of salmonella in those prepared salads based on just my personal experience treating patients with salmonella food poisoning. So glad you're finally feeling better! Rest up!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Ok Marisa…now that I'm paranoid about preparing lacies food, you have me even more paranoid about eating out  what are the chances of that one time?
For now on its my peanut butter/fluff and lucky charms…eating healthy and I just don't click!


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

Sent this post to my daughter who feeds raw. We all need to be diligent about human & dog food. Regardless very unlikely the salad made you sick since others ate it & did not get sick. We all need to get the Clorox wipes. I do not have them myself.


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