Dog Food Sold Nationwide Recalled Over Elevated Vitamin D Levels

A company is recalling several dog food products because they may have "elevated levels" of vitamin D. Those who may have bought an affected product are being advised to stop feeding it to their pets.

Fromm Family Foods discovered the problem after its own analysis, the recall notice posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted. The recall affects the Four-Star Shredded Beef in Gravy Entree food for dogs, the Four-Star Shredded Chicken in Gravy Entree food for dogs, Four-Star Shredded Pork in Gravy Entree food for dogs, and the Four-Star Shredded Turkey in Gravy Entree food for dogs.

"We have identified and isolated the error, and in addition to our existing safety process, we have put corrective actions into place to prevent this from happening again," the company said.

Vitamin D is good for dogs and, in fact, is considered an "essential" nutrient to help with the balance and retention of phosphorus and calcium. However, ingesting dog food with elevated levels of it may lead to the development of vitamin D toxicity. If consumed at very high levels, like if a dog accidentally gets into vitamin D supplements or consumes chemicals meant to kill rodents, dogs may even experience "serious health issues" such as renal dysfunction.

"Depending on the concentration of the vitamin D in the food, diet-related toxicity tends to develop more gradually over time," the FDA said. "Cases of vitamin D rodenticide or supplement poisoning are rapid onset – showing signs of illness in a matter of hours or days."

As of the recall notice, there have not been reports of injuries or illnesses from consumers, the company noted, but it has opted to remove the affected lots from distribution.

Some of the signs that a dog has excess vitamin D include having loss of appetite, drooling excessively, drinking and urinating more, losing weight and vomiting.

"Potential adverse reactions could occur in all size dogs," the company said, recommending those whose dogs may have consumed an affected product and are exhibiting the symptoms to contact their veterinarian.

The recall affects 5,500 cases of the aforementioned Fromm Family Foods dog foods, which were distributed to "neighborhood pet stores" nationwide. They came in 12-ounce cans and had the "best by" date of 08/2024. The specific product names and UPC numbers, as well as photos of the affected products' packaging, are available on the FDA website.

"There are no other Fromm products affected by this recall," the company said, urging those who may have purchased the affected products to stop feeding them to their dogs and instead to return them to the retailer.

Those with questions about the recall may contact the company at 1-800-325-6331.