The Natura Pet Products Company has issued a pet food recall for all dry food and cat treats with an expiration date prior to March 24, 2014. The company is not taking any chances after learning their food may have been contaminated with salmonella.

Although there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to salmonella, Natura Pet Products has issued a pet food recall. Salmonella is a danger to pets as well as pet parents that handle the contaminated pet food.

The Associated Press reports, "Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans."

Human beings with salmonella may suffer from similar symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever and diarrhea.

Natura Pet Products is urging pet parents to call their veterinarian if their pet has eaten the recalled pet food and is experiencing any of those symptoms.

The pet food recall pertains only to dry food and cat treats. Wet and canned foods as well as biscuits are not part of the salmonella scare.

Yahoo news says the presence of salmonella was confirmed by Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

For more information on the pet food recall by Natura Pet Products visit the company's website, www.naturapet.com.

A statement on the Natura Pet Products website says, "Because we use only the highest quality pet food ingredients in our dog and cat foods, we apply the highest quality manufacturing guidelines to our production process. There are no shortcuts here. We follow the strictest of pet food manufacturing guidelines to ensure we deliver a product that sets the benchmark in the industry. That's what your pet deserves."