A total of 27 people have lab-confirmed salmonella illness linked to dog food and treats, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says.
The illnesses span the country, with 13 cases in Alberta, 12 in British Columbia, one in Ontario and one in the Northwest Territories, the agency said in a notice posted Monday.
Infectious disease specialists say the severity of salmonella varies from being so mild that the person never seeks medical attention to a sudden onset of headache, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Six hospitalizations are part of this outbreak, PHAC said. No deaths are reported.
Who’s ill in this outbreak
The people became sick between mid-February and mid-August 2025 and are between 0 and 87 years of age, the federal public health officials said.
“Many people who became sick reported handling dog food and treats prior to becoming ill, including kibble, and dehydrated and freeze-dried treats,” the notice said.
A single common supplier of dog food or treats has not been identified, PHAC said, adding its investigation continues and will be updated.
About 59 per cent of the cases have been women.
How can pet owners be exposed to salmonella
Dogs who don’t show signs of illness can still infect people, doctors say.
Dogs “can shed the infection in their stool and humans can contaminate their hands by petting the dog or by unintentionally touching the stool or having the dog lick their face even,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist in Toronto.
If contaminated dog food or the feces of an infected dog touches an inanimate object in the environment, and then a human touches that and then doesn’t wash their hands and touches their mouth, then that’s another way the bacteria can be transmitted, Bogoch added in an email.
That’s why health officials recommend that people always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after handling any type of dog food or treat.
People should also wash their hands after touching a dog and after handling their waste, doctors say.
People who are infected with salmonella bacteria can spread salmonella to other people several days to several weeks after they have become infected, even if they don’t have symptoms, health officials say.
Ways to reduce the risk
To reduce your risk of becoming ill from contact with a dog, their food or treats, public health officials recommend:
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Wash and sanitize any containers, utensils and surfaces that have come into contact with dog food or treats before using them again. This includes food and water bowls, countertops, microwaves and refrigerators.
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Use dedicated dishes and utensils to serve your dog and wash them separately from other dishes and utensils.
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Store all dog food and treats away from where human food is stored or prepared and away from reach of young children. Pick up food and treats containers when your pet is done with them.
Pet food precautions
PHAC said to follow the instructions on dog food and treat packages, including proper refrigeration and freezing, to prevent spoilage.
While you’re reading the dog food or treat label, check the ingredients, expiry date and if food is cooked or raw.
“Raw pet food and treats may be fresh, frozen, dehydrated or freeze-dried,” the agency said.
Where else contamination can occur
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control said it is common for dogs and cats to nuzzle and lick their owners, and many sleep in the same bed as their owners.
“Given the very close contact between pets and people, there can be many opportunities for infections to be transmitted between them. Preventing infection is especially important for certain groups, such as young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people,” BC CDC advised on its website.
Separately, last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed one house cat in Washington County, Ore., became infected with H5N1 avian influenza and died after eating raw frozen pet food.
Raw pet food can be contaminated with other bacterial pathogens, Bogoch said. Outbreaks of E.coli, including damaging strains, listeria and campylobacter have also been traced to the products, he said.
Cats and dogs aren’t the only pet culprits. Salmonella infections across Canada have been linked to snakes and their rodent feed as well as pet hedgehogs.
