At least 28 dogs have died and another eight have become ill after eating dog food containing high levels of a toxin, aflatoxin, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
The FDA is investigating these reports and is warning pet owners and veterinarians that certain Sportmix pet foods ‘may contain potentially deadly levels of aflatoxin’.
Aflatoxin is produced by the form Aspergillus flavus, says the FDA. This form can grow on maize and other grains used in pet food. At high levels, it can be deadly to pets.
Midwest Pet Food Inc., which manufactures the Sportmix brand pet food, announced a recall of nine lots of the pet food on Wednesday. A list of recalled products can be found on the FDA’s website.
The FDA and the Missouri Department of Agriculture are working with the manufacturer to determine if additional products contain high levels of aflatoxin.
“Although this pet food recall is still unfolding, we share the facts we have had so far because the levels of aflatoxin found in recalled pet food are potentially deadly,” said Dr. Amber McCoig, Deputy Director of the FDA’s Center for the Division of Veterinary Science. of compliance, said in a statement.
People should stop feeding their food to their pets and contact their veterinarians.
Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning in pets can include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (a sign of liver damage) and / or diarrhea, the FDA says. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet has symptoms.
Pets are particularly susceptible to aflatoxin poisoning because they usually eat the same food every day, the FDA says. If the food contains aflatoxin, the toxin can accumulate in their bodies over time.
However, pet owners are not thought to handle the pet food.
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