FDA alerts pet owners about potentially toxic levels of vitamin D in several dry pet foods

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating the presence of elevated, potentially toxic levels of vitamin D in several dry pet foods.

Fast Facts
•The FDA is alerting pet owners and veterinary professionals about recalls of several dry dog foods after receiving complaints that dogs eating the food experienced vitamin D toxicity.
•Testing found that samples of the dog food contained excessive, potentially toxic amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, but very high amounts can cause serious health problems like kidney failure or death.
•At this time, the only pet products that have been impacted are food made for dogs.
•Pet owners should discontinue feeding these recalled products.
•The FDA is asking veterinarians who suspect vitamin D toxicity in their patients to report them through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. Pet owners can also report suspect cases to the FDA.
•This is a developing situation and additional recalls may be announced.

What is the Problem?

The FDA has become aware of reports of vitamin D toxicity in dogs that ate dry dog food common contract manufacturer and marketed under several different brand names. This is a developing situation, and the FDA will update this page with additional information as it becomes available.

What are the Symptoms of Vitamin D Toxicity?

Excess vitamin D in the diet can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling and weight loss. Vitamin D at toxic levels can cause kidney failure and death. Pet owners whose dogs have been eating the recalled brands and are showing these symptoms should contact their veterinarians.

The current list of recalled dry dog food products provided to the FDA include:

•Nutrisca ◦Chicken and Chickpea Dry Dog Food
UPC 8-84244-12495-7 – 4 lb. bag
UPC 8-84244-12795-8 – 15 lb. bag
UPC 8-84244-12895-5 – 28 lb. bag
Best by date range: February 25, 2020 through September 13, 2020

•Natural Life Pet Products ◦Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food
UPC 0-12344-08175-1 – 17.5 lb. bag
Best by dates range: December 4, 2019 through August 10, 2020

•Sunshine Mills, Inc. ◦Evolve Chicken & Rice Puppy Dry Dog Food
UPC 0-73657-00862-0 – 14 lb. bag
UPC 0-73657-00863-7 – 28 lb. bag

◦Sportsman’s Pride Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food
UPC 0-70155-10566-0 – 40 lb. bag
UPC 0-70155-10564-0 – 40 lb. bag

◦Triumph Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
UPC 0-73657-00873-6 – 3.5 lb. bag
UPC 0-73657-00874-3 – 16 lb. bag
UPC 0-73657-00875-0 – 30 lb. bag

•ANF, Inc. ◦ANF Lamb and Rice Dry Dog Food
UPC 9097231622 – 3 kg bag
Best by Nov 23 2019

UPC 9097203300 – 7.5 kg bag
Best by Nov 20 2019

•Lidl (Orlando brand) ◦Orlando Grain-Free Chicken & Chickpea Superfood Recipe Dog Food
Lidl product number 215662
TI1 3 Mar 2019
TB2 21 Mar 2019
TB3 21 Mar 2019
TA2 19 Apr 2019
TB1 15 May 2019
TB2 15 May 2019

•Kroger disclaimer icon◦Abound Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food
UPC 11110-83556 – 4 lb. bag, all lots
UPC 11110-83573 – 14 lb. bag
All lot codes

UPC 11110-89076 – 24 lb. bag
All lot codes

•ELM Pet Foods, Inc. ◦ELM Chicken and Chickpea Recipe
UPC 0-70155-22507-8 – 3 lb. bag
D2 26 FEB 2019
TE1 30 APR 2019
TD1 5 SEP 2019
TD2 5 SEP 2019

UPC 0-70155-22513-9 – 28 lb. bag
TB3 6 APR 2019
TA1 2 JULY 2019
TI1 2 JULY 2019

◦ELM K9 Naturals Chicken Recipe
UPC 0-70155-22522-9 – 40 lb. bag
TB3 14 Sep 2019
TA2 22 Sep 2019
TB2 11 Oct 2019

•Ahold Delhaize ◦Nature’s Promise Chicken & Brown Rice Dog Food
UPC 068826718472 – 14 lb. bag
All lot codes

UPC 068826718471 – 28 lb. bag
All lot codes

UPC 068826718473 – 4 lb. bag
All lot codes

◦Nature’s Place Real Country Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food
UPC 72543998959 – 5 lb. bag
All lot codes

UPC 72543998960 – 15 lb. bag
All lot codes

The recalled products were sold nationwide.

What is FDA doing to address the situation?

After receiving complaints from pet owners about dogs with vitamin D toxicity, one of the firms reported to the FDA that it was recalling dry pet food due to potentially toxic levels of vitamin D. Many other brands with a common contract manufacturer have also been recalled. The FDA is working with the contract manufacturer to provide a comprehensive list of affected brands.

FDA scientists are still analyzing reports and the information currently available to determine whether the illnesses are definitively connected to diet.

FDA scientists have evaluated samples of some of these products, and State and private lab test results indicate that the food contained as much as approximately 70 times the intended amount of vitamin D. Consuming food with such high levels of vitamin D is potentially toxic to dogs and in severe cases may lead to kidney failure and/or death.

What Do Retailers Need To Do?

Don’t sell the recalled foods. Contact the manufacturer for further instructions. The FDA also encourages retailers to contact consumers who have purchased recalled products, if they have the means to do so (such as through shopper’s card records or point-of-sale signs).

What Do Pet Owners Need To Do?

If your pet is having symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, contact a veterinarian immediately. Provide a full diet history to your veterinarian. You may find it helpful to take a picture of the pet food label, including the lot number.

Don’t feed the recalled products to your pets or any other animal. Contact the company listed on the package for further instructions or throw the products away in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access them.

You can report suspected illness to the FDA electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. It’s most helpful if you can work with your veterinarian to submit your pet’s medical records as part of your report.