Midwestern Pet Food Recall Alert

On January 11, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods chose to expand the voluntary pet food recall that began on December 30, 2020. Specific lots of Sportmix pet food contain potentially lethal levels of aflatoxins. The FDA is aware of at least 70 dogs that lost their lives to the illness caused by the food and at least 80 others that have become ill after consuming it.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus that can grow on various pet food ingredients.

Which Sportmix Products Are Under Recall?

The foods included in this Sportmix recall are Sportmix Energy Plus, Sportmix Premium High Energy, and Sportmix Original Cat. There are multiple lots and product weights included.

A comprehensive list of the newly recalled product lots is as follows:

What Food Was Initially Recalled?

Midwestern Pet Foods began the initial recall on December 30, 2020. Look for the date/lot code on your food and note if it has an expiration date on or before “07/09/22” and “05” in the date/lot code, which identifies products made in the Oklahoma plant. Lot code information is located on the back of the bag. The code will appear in a three-line code, with the top line in the format: “EXP 03/03/22/05/L#/B###/HH:MM”.

The following types of food were a part of the initial recall with the above information located on the packaging:

Why Was The Food Recalled?

Midwestern Pet Foods recalled the numerous lots of food due to exceedingly high levels of aflatoxins that have since led to numerous deaths and illnesses in pets. The Missouri Department of Agriculture had this finding after samples were tested.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus that can grow on various pet food ingredients.

Where Was The Affected Food Sold?

The affected products were sent to distributors for independent pet stores throughout all U.S. states.

What Do I Do With The Remaining Food? Should I Be Worried About Myself or My Pet?

If your pet has been eating the recalled Midwestern Pet Food products, discontinue use immediately. Due to potential adverse reactions in dogs of any size, immediately stop feeding the recalled food to your dog.

Aflatoxin poisoning can cause liver damage that goes undetected due to lack of symptoms. Contact your veterinarian if you have been feeding your dog any of the listed products to ensure they are aware of the situation. Then return the food to the original purchase location for a full refund. Proceed with sanitizing any food scoops, bowls, feeding toys, or storage containers that may have contained the food at one time.

What Do I Need To Know About Aflatoxin Poisoning?

Aflatoxin poisoning in dogs may come with various symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, and yellowish tint to their eyes, gums, or skin due to liver damage. Since liver damage does not always come with any symptoms, it can occasionally result in death if left untreated. That is why it is necessary to report any changes to your veterinarian.

There has been no evidence that humans who come in contact with pet food containing aflatoxins are at risk of aflatoxin poisoning. However, you should always wash your hands after handling edible pet products such as food and treats to be safe.

How To Get In Touch With Midwestern Pet Foods

If consumers wish to contact the Consumer Affairs department with any questions or concerns, call them at 1-800-474-4163, ext 455 from 8 AM to 5 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday. Or reach them by email at [email protected]

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your local area. You may also go to the FDA’s “Report a Pet Food Complaint” page.

For a list of dog food recall alerts, click here.