Emily Sortor  |  July 17, 2019

Category: Legal News

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Sad dog with dog food bowlNews of an expanded Hill’s Pet Nutrition recall may cause dog owners to wonder what dog food is killing dogs.

What can make a dog food dangerous?

Many dog foods aim to provide the proper nutritional balance for the pets, but unfortunately, they do not always succeed. This can lead to dogs becoming sick or even dying after eating foods that do not contain nutrients in proper amounts.

Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient for dogs, but in too large quantities, it can be toxic. In some cases, pet owners report that some dog food is killing dogs or sickening them because they contain the wrong nutrients.

In other cases, pet owners worry that poison present in dog foods may pose a risk to pets. These toxic chemicals may accidentally contaminate pet food and cause injury to animals.

What dog food is killing dogs?

In January, Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced that it was recalling several kinds of Prescription Diet and Science Diet canned dog food. Allegedly, these foods contained too much vitamin D, which was causing some dogs to become sick. In severe cases, some customers said their dogs died from eating the affected food.

Unfortunately, the problem has not abated. CBS News reports that Hill’s Pet Nutrition has expanded the recall to 85 total lots of 33 different kinds of canned dog food. 

What makes Vitamin D dangerous?

Some vitamins are water soluble, meaning they are dissolved in water and ware absorbed into tissues for immediate use. Very Well Health says that if these vitamins are present in excess in the body, they are excreted in urine. This means that they need to be replenished regularly, and rarely rise to toxic levels. Water soluble vitamins include B vitamins and vitamin C. 

In contrast, some vitamins, like vitamin D, are fat soluble. This means that they are not excreted through the urine, and are absorbed by fat globules and distributed through the body in the bloodstream. Because they are stored in the liver and fatty tissues, they can accumulate to toxic levels.

Unfortunately, such was the case for some dogs who ate affected kinds of Prescription Diet and Science Diet canned dog food, according to some customers.

How do I know if my pet’s dog food is affected?

Hill’s Pet Nutrition provides a complete list of the affected canned dog foods on its website. 

The company notes that dogs who have consumed too much vitamin D may exhibit symptoms including:

  • vomiting
  • loss of appetite
  • increased thirst
  • increased urination
  • excessive drooling
  • weight loss

In severe cases, too much vitamin D can reportedly lead to renal dysfunction and death.

According to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the affected dog foods were sold through retail pet stores and veterinary clinics around the country. Reportedly, no dry foods, cat foods, or pet treats were found to have contained too much vitamin D.

Join a Free Hill’s Pet Nutrition Dog Food Recall Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased Hill’s Science Diet or Prescription Diet canned dog food, you may qualify to join this Hill’s dog food recall class action lawsuit investigation.

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20 thoughts onWhat Dog Food is Killing Dogs?

  1. Teresa wilson says:

    A lot of dog food doesn’t seem good for our dogs. All the people that commented I would ban together and find some kind of legal action and files law suit against science diet prescription dog food. Talk to each other and pull your resources together and sue them
    Teresa wilson dont let them get away with i!!!!!!

  2. Gary Prieto says:

    Many of us have lost our beloved non-human family members due to these dog food companies adding stuff that kills them. Bad dog foods are one of the things that are ignored in life and sadly, we regret not knowing about them. The fact that we loved these beings and gave them a happy life compensates for that ignorance. On October 22, 2020, my beloved Canela, faithful companion and dog daughter for 7 happy years, had to be put to rest after her and I fighting her 3 cancers through a holistic diet and conventional treatment. Unfortunately, her body was overwhelmed by the three cancers and could not be saved. Bone cancer, belly tumor and an ulcerated tumor on her vulva. I got too aggressive treating her that her bone cancer did not spread, her belly tumor stopped growing, but not her ulcerated vulva tumor. Despite her pain, she loved me and was willing to go for her last walk, her favorite activity despite facing appetite loss. What is really heartbreaking is that despite the many dog deaths, these companies are not taking action. We are better off making our own dog food at home!!!!!!

    1. Rafael Roman says:

      I feel your pain. I just lost my Princess on Oct. 8, 2021. I don’t know what happen. She was fine at 9pm. When I got home from work at 6:55am she was laying on the floor. I touched her nose and mouth area and it was so cold. I rushed her to the 24 animal hospital. We got there round 7:25am and at 7:45 she was gone. How I miss her so much. I just want to know what happened. Right now I’m just searching to see if it was something she ate. Looking for everything I know she consume before 2:00pm when we went to sleep and from 7:00pm to 10:00pm When I was at work.

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