Pet food recall increased after more than 70 dogs died

Pet owners and vets are warned about the recall of Sportmix pet food products, now linked to the deaths of more than 70 dogs and the illnesses of 80 more.

Midwestern Pet Food is expanding its recall of dog and cat food sold online by retailers nationwide as the US Food and Drug Administration investigates life-threatening levels of aflatoxins.

Midwestern, based in Evansville, Indiana, is expanding an earlier recall to include all pet foods made at the company’s Oklahoma plant that contain corn and have an expiration date on or before July 9, 2022.

The recalled products include “05” in the date / lot code, which identifies them as having been manufactured at the Oklahoma plant. More than 1000 lot codes are affected.

The company in December recalled only certain lots of its Sportmix produced after the death of at least 28 canines and the diseases of eight others. The Missouri Department of Agriculture tested several product samples and found high levels of aflatoxins, which are toxins produced by mold that can cause death and disease in pets, according to the FDA.

The toxins may be present even if there is no visible mold, the agency warned.

Animals with aflatoxin poisoning may show symptoms such as laziness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tinge of the eyes or gums due to liver damage) and diarrhea. Pets can also suffer from liver damage without showing any symptoms.

“The FDA is issuing this advisory to educate the public of the potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins in Midwestern pet food products that may still be on store shelves, online or in the homes of pet owners,” said the agency in an alert published on Monday.

“We are continuing a thorough review of our facilities and practices in full cooperation with the FDA,” the nearly 100-year-old company said in a statement Tuesday. “Until recently, in our long history, we have never had a product recall.”

Customers with questions can reach a call center staffed with licensed veterinarians at (800) 474-4163, ext. 455, or send an email to [email protected], Midwestern said.