Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
The deaths of 28 dogs prompted Midwestern Pet Foods to issue a voluntary recall of certain Sportmix brand pet foods.
On December 30, 2020, Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. recalled certain lots of Sportmix dog food and cat food after reports of dog deaths and illness sparked the Missouri Department of Agriculture to test pet food samples, finding very high levels of aflatoxin that can cause illness and death in pets.
Aflatoxin is a toxin produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food. The toxin can be present in pet food even if there is no visible mold.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory to notify the public about the potentially fatal aflatoxin levels and warned that the recalled pet foods may still be on store shelves, available online, or be in pet owner’s homes. The agency is aware of at least 28 deaths and 8 illnesses in dogs that ate the recalled product and is conducting follow-up activities at the manufacturing facility.
Pet owners should not feed the recalled products to pets or any other animals. Destroy the products in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access them. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and storage containers.
Pet owners whose pets have been eating the recalled products should contact their veterinarian immediately, especially if the pets show sign of illness. Signs of aflatoxin poisoning including sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes, gums, or skin due to liver damage), and/or diarrhea. Some pets suffer liver damage without showing any symptoms. Provide a full diet history to your veterinarian. It may be helpful to take a picture of the pet food label, including the lot number.
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. For an explanation of the information and level of detail that would be helpful to include in a complaint to the FDA, please see How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.
Lot code information may be found on the back of bag and will appear in a three-line code, with the top line in format “EXP 03/03/22/05/L#/B###/HH:MM” as follows:.
The list of recalled Sportmix dog food and cat food products announced by Midwestern Pet Food, Inc. on December 30, 2020 is:
Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
- Exp 03/02/22/05/L2
- Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
- Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50 lb. bag
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44 lb. bag
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
- Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
Retailers and distributors should immediately pull recalled lots from their inventory and shelves. Do not sell or donate the recalled products. Retailers are encouraged to contact consumers who have purchased the recalled products, if you have the means to do so (frequent buyer cards, etc.).
Contact Midwestern Pet Foods Consumer Affairs at 800-474-4163, ext. 455 from 7AM to 4PM Central Time, Monday through Friday, or by email at info@midwesternpetfoods.com for additional information.
