Dog Food Recalled Over High Vitamin D Levels

WASHINGTONBlue Buffalo Company Ltd., based in Wilton, Conn., is recalling Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry dog foods sold under the BLUE" brand because they may contain excess levels of vitamin D that can affect the health of some dogs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Oct. 8. The dry dog foods were distributed nationwide through pet specialty stores.

Dogs reacting to the higher levels of vitamin D may show signs of lethargy or exhibit unusually frequent water consumption and urination. To date there have been 36 cases nationwide of dogs reported with symptoms consistent with elevated vitamin D in their systems while feeding on these specific productions of the products. In all cases the symptoms subsided once the food was discontinued; no apparent long-term health consequences have been noticed.

According to the company, a sequencing error occurred at the supplier of the dry ingredients for the products. Immediately prior to producing the ingredients for the dog food production runs, the supplier had run a product for another customer that contained a more potent form of vitamin D used in chicken feeds, which carried over into the manufacturing runs of the BLUE products.

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