Pet owners claim recalled Hill’s wet dog food killed pets

Numerous pet owners have told media outlets and stated on social media that their dogs’ deaths were connected to recalled Hill’s Pet Nutrition canned dog food.

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(Andrea Gantz)
(Andrea Gantz)

Numerous pet owners have told media outlets and stated on social media that their dogs’ deaths were connected to recalled Hill’s Pet Nutrition canned dog food. In January, Hill’s Pet Nutrition voluntarily recalled 25 varieties of canned dog food products due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Dogs ingesting elevated levels of vitamin D may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling and weight loss. Vitamin D, when consumed at very high levels can lead to serious health issues in dogs including renal dysfunction.

Pet owners allege dog’s deaths correlated to recalled dog food

In late October 2018, veterinarians suggested Hill’s Pet Nutrition wet dog food for a 4-year-old dog suffering from gastroenteritis, reported the Washington Post. The dog began vomiting bile, drooling incessantly and suffered diarrhea within a few days of the diet switch. On Nov. 9, the dog died of heart failure. The dog’s owner stated that the many of the dog’s symptoms were consistent with vitamin D overdose. She now seeks compensation from Hill’s for her veterinary bills.

Several other dog owners shared similar stories with the Washington Post.

Also in November, a 13-year-old Bichon mix, Precious, switched to a diet of Hill’s Science Diet dry food along with the now-recalled wet dog foods, reported Fox News. Within three weeks, the dog’s owner Kimberly Mull, of Los Angeles, California, USA, noted a change in the dog’s behavior. One week before the recall, Precious died of kidney failure.

On Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s Facebook page, Mull stated, “Your food killed my dog.”

Another dog owner tweeted that her dog, Olaf, had died after eating a mixture of Hill’s hard and soft foods, reported KHOU.

“You stole my best friend from me,” wrote Olaf’s owner on Twitter.

Hill’s has identified and isolated the error and Hill’s has required its supplier to implement additional quality testing prior to their release of ingredients, according to an FDA press release. Hill’s is adding its own further testing of incoming ingredients. 

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