Why is Purina being recalled

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Summary

Company Announcement Date:

March 10, 2023

FDA Publish Date:

March 10, 2023

Product Type:

Animal & Veterinary

Reason for Announcement:

Recall Reason Description

Potential Elevated Ingredient Level

Company Name:

Nestle Purina PetCare Company

Brand Name:

Product Description:

Product Description

Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescription dry dog food

Company Announcement

Nestl Purina PetCare Company is expanding its voluntary recall of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescription dry dog food due to a supplier error resulting in potentially elevated levels of vitamin D in two additional product lots, which precede the production dates of the previously recalled lots. The original announcement was made on February 8, 2023. No other Purina pet care products are affected.

The expansion comes following an investigation prompted by Purina that uncovered new information about a production error from a U.S. supplier that was made only to this specific formula and resulted in potentially elevated levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs; however, ingestion of elevated levels can lead to health issues depending on the level of vitamin D and the length of exposure. Vitamin D toxicity may include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, and excessive drooling to renal (kidney) dysfunction.

A list of the additional impacted product is below. Bags of PPVD EL with the UPC Code and Production Code below should be immediately discarded.

Product	UPC Code	Production Code(*First 8 characters equal to)
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL)8 lb and 20 lb bags	38100 19190 8 lb38100 19192 20 lb	2213 1082 (NEW)2214 1082 (NEW)

The affected dry dog food was distributed throughout the United States by prescription only through veterinary clinics, Purina Vet Direct, Purina for Professionals, and other select retailers with the ability to validate a prescription.

Pet owners who purchased bags of the product listed above are asked to immediately stop feeding and throw it away in a container where no other animals, including wildlife, can get to it. If signs such as weight loss, excessive drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite or increased thirst or urination have occurred in their dog while eating this diet, pet owners should contact their veterinarian.

Veterinary and other retail partners should remove and destroy the affected product from their inventory.

Please contact our team directly Monday - Saturday, 8am - 5pm CST at 1-800-345-5678 or via email at https://www.purina.com/contact-us for questions or assistance in getting a refund.

Original Recall

Company Contact Information

Consumers:: 1-800-345-5678

Content current as of:
03/10/2023

What We Know About Social Media Reports that Purina Dog Food Caused Pets' Deaths

Since December 2023, online posts (archived) have claimed that dozens of dogs became sick after consuming Purina dog foods, with at least 10 (archived post) dying as a result. Iterations of the claim appear to have originated in the Facebook group Saving Pets One Pet @ a Time (archived).

Below is a sample of some of the comments seen in the group as of Jan. 30, 2024. Snopes removed the names and photos of the original posters:

(Snopes compilation)

One website claimed that "in at least one instance, Purina has offered to cover the pet owners veterinary bills." Snopes is awaiting clarification from Purina as to whether the claim was true.

In response to our general inquiry, Purina spokesperson Lorie Westhoff told Snopes that, as of this publication, Purina does not have any current or pending recalls.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees pet food regulation, recalls may be conducted "on a firm's own initiative, by FDA request, or by FDA order under statutory authority.

When Snopes searched the FDA database (archived) for Purinarecalls, three turned up two from 2023 and one from 2022, which we have listed below:

March 10, 2023: Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescription dry dog food for potential elevated ingredient level.
Feb. 8, 2023: Veterinary Diets EL Elemental dry dog food for potentially elevated Vitamin D. [Note: This was a voluntary recall following two complaints of dog illness, according to Purina.]
Dec. 2, 2022: Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat (PPVD EN Low Fat) prescription wet dog food for mislabeling.

Purina confirmed that those recalls were completed and terminated by the FDA.

Westhoff referred Snopes to a Purina news release (archived) that addressed concerns related to the safety of Purina dog food, which was last updated on Jan. 15, 2024. In it, the company said it was investigating the claims made online despite believing that they weren't credible:

In light of this rumor, our Quality Assurance team has reviewed all incoming consumer contacts, manufacturing, and quality assurance data (this includes ingredient testing, analytical data throughout the production process, and quality assurance post-production testing) for the past year.
Additionally, our Office of Consumer Affairs, which takes calls and messages from pet parents and works closely with our quality assurance experts, veterinarians, nutritionists, a veterinary toxicologist and many others, to investigate product complaints, has reviewed its data from the past year. Thorough investigations by both teams have found no data or trend that would indicate a product issue that has not been previously addressed.

Just to reiterate, the group behind the rumor has not provided any evidence or facts to support this narrative. It currently is based on anecdotal stories from pet owners, Westhoff said. Nearly all calls we have received about this have been from scared pet owners who read about this false rumor online and are trying to understand if there is a problem with our food, which there is not. These rumors cause unnecessary stress and create a sense of understandable panic that they may be doing something wrong.

According to Purina's news release, several of the peopleperpetuating the claim are believed to market or sell products that compete with Purina, and some have served as paid social media influencers to promote products and brands that are not being actively targeted by this rumor.

Snopes posted in the Facebook group to solicit comments from members willing to provide a verified, confirmed report (i.e., necropsy from a veterinarian) that linked Purina dog food directly to their dog's illness or death. As of this publication, we have not received a response.

The FDA did not respond to specific questions about whether it was investigating claims related to the supposed illnesses and deaths associated with Purina dog food. Instead, the agency wrote in an email:

The FDA takes seriously its responsibility to help ensure that pet food ingredients are safe and nutritious. While the agency cannot comment on specifics of these particular illness reports at this time, generally speaking when the FDA becomes aware of pet illnesses, we will evaluate them and determine what if any FDA action may be warranted. The agency encourages pet owners or their veterinarians to submit reports of illness or other adverse events associated with pet food directly to the FDA by following the instructions on this page: How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.

The agency also referred Snopes to an X post that it shared on Jan. 12, 2024, encouraging pet owners to report food-related medical issues to the FDA:

Snopes will continue to monitor the situation and update this article should new information arise.

A company has expanded its recall because of Salmonella and Listeria being found in its products, which could be harmful to pets and their owners.

The Blue Ridge Beef pet food company said on January 3 that it was "expanding their recall to include additional lot numbers" thus encompassing additional states that said lotsof the 2lb Kitten Grind, 2lb log of Kitten Mix and 2lb log of Puppy Mixwere distributed to.

Previously, the recalled products were listed as being in Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Virginia.

The affected products are for all lot numbers and used-by dates between N24 1114 and N24 1224. This number can be found on the silver part on the end of the tubes the products come in. All of the products cited in the recall were distributed between November 14, 2023, and December 20.

According to a statement issued on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, there is a risk for pets that ate the product to become "lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting," if they are infected.

It continues: "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."

Pet owners have also been advised to make sure they washed their hands after handling the products. Salmonella can cause people "nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever" and further ailments in more serious cases such as arterial infections.

Customers that bought the products are advised to contact Blue Ridge Beef for a free refund, where the food will be destroyed.

"Do not sell or donate the recalled products. Do not feed the recalled product to pets or any other animals," the recall advice said. " Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups, and storage containers. Always ensure you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food."

Newsweek has approached Blue Ridge Beef for comment.

The Blue Ridge Beef recall is not the same as the one made on October 27, 2023. The company's Breeders Choice 2lb distributed between August 9 and August 25 had tested positive for salmonella.

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Dog Food Recalls 2024: What Dog Food Is On Recall Right Now? [UPDATED]

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Wondering what dog food has been recalled today? This is the most up-to-date dog food recall list.

If you have a dog, you know how important it is to ensure theyre eating healthy food. Unfortunately, even the most reputable brands can sometimes have product issues. Thats why staying up-to-date on the latest recalls is always essential. We monitor the market daily and update our lists whenever a dog food brand is recalled.

Heres a look at the current dog food recalls for 2024 and past recall info going back many years. Lets dive right in!

Updated Jan 6, 2024: What Dog Dood Is On Recall Right Now?The latest dog food to be recalled is from Blue Ridge Beef. The company is expanding the recall of its 2lb Kitten Grind, 2lb Kitten Mix and 2lb of Puppy Mix products to an additional 16 states after salmonella and listeria were found in the products.Salmonella and Listeria can impact animals consuming the products, and there is a potential danger to humans when they handle contaminated pet products. This risk increases, particularly if individuals fail to wash their hands properly after coming into contact with these products or any surfaces that have been in contact with them.The products in question were sold between November 14, 2023, and December 20, 2023. They were packaged in clear plastic and available mainly in retail stores across CT, FL, IA, IL, MA, MD, MI, NC, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, and WI. If youve purchased any of the listed products within the specified dates, please stop using them immediately. Safely discard any remaining product and its packaging. For a full refund, contact Blue Ridge Beef at [emailprotected]. If you have further questions, you can reach Steven Lea at Blue Ridge Beef by calling (704) 880-4500 from Monday to Friday, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm EST.For more information on this and other recalls, please refer to the table below.

If you were affected by this recall, an excellent alternative is The Farmers Dog. They can create personalized recipes to meet your dogs nutritional needs. Our readers get 50% off their first order.

What Is Dog Food Recall?

Recalls are actions taken to remove its product (s) from the marketbecause it is dangerous when consumed due to toxic ingredients, contamination, or other safety reasons. Recalls may be conducted on the pet brands initiative, FDA request, or FDA order under statutory authority.

Dog Food Recall List

The Canine Bible has compiled a list of U.S. dog food recalls. Could your pet food be on this list? We list recalls from the newest to the oldest.