Hill’s Expands Recall of Select Canned Dog Food

Listen to this article

Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced an additional expansion to its voluntary recall of select canned dog food for elevated vitamin D. Here is what Tom Olson, media contact for the company, confirmed to Pet Age on May 22:

A single can date/lot code within an already recalled case of dog food was inadvertently omitted from our recall list. This relates to the same vitamin premix that led to the Jan. 31 voluntary recall.

The cans were in cases marked with the previously recalled lot code. The vast majority of the product was distributed in October and November 2018 and unlikely to still be commercially available. The Hill’s Consumer Affairs and Veterinary Consultation Services have also not received any calls reporting ill pets for this SKU date code/lot code.

This single date code below is associated with an already recalled SKU (click on image to enlarge):

The following updated recall announcement was posted on Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s site on March 20.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced it is expanding its recall of select canned dog food products due to elevated levels of vitamin D. This recall expansion was caused by the same vitamin premix received from a U.S. supplier that was the source of the January 31, 2019, recall and is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

While vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, ingestion of elevated levels can lead to potential health issues depending on the level of vitamin D and the length of exposure, and dogs may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. When consumed at very high levels, vitamin D can in rare cases lead to potentially life threatening health issues in dogs, including renal dysfunction. Pet parents with dogs who have consumed any of the products listed and are exhibiting any of these signs should contact their veterinarian.  In most cases, complete recovery is expected after discontinuation of feeding.

In the United States, the affected canned dog foods were distributed through retail pet stores and veterinary clinics nationwide. No dry foods, cat foods, or treats are affected. 

Pet parents in the U.S. who purchased the product with the specific lot/date codes listed should discontinue feeding and dispose of those products immediately or return unopened product to your retailer for a refund. For more information, please contact Hill’s via our website or at 1-800-445-5777.

Impacted products outside of the United States will be subject to separate notices on the country-specific website. If you are outside of the United States, please check your own country’s Hill’s website for more information.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition learned of the potential for elevated vitamin D levels in some of our canned dog foods after receiving a complaint in the United States about a dog exhibiting signs of elevated vitamin D levels. Our investigation confirmed elevated levels of vitamin D due to a supplier error.

Following that recall, we conducted a detailed review of all canned dog foods potentially impacted by the vitamin premix with elevated levels of vitamin D. This review included: analyzing consumer complaints; reviewing veterinarian medical consultations; auditing our supplier; and reviewing our own manufacturing and quality procedures. We then did additional product testing to ensure we had taken all appropriate action. Our review determined that there were additional products affected by that vitamin premix, and it is for that reason that we are expanding the recall. Hill’s has received a limited number of complaints of pet illness related to some of these products.

As a company, and as pet parents ourselves, we deeply regret the concern that this recall and subsequent expansion have caused pet parents and any possible effect the recalled foods may have had on pets. We are committed to doing more to uphold the standards of pet care that pet parents and veterinarians expect of us to earn back their trust.

For further information, please contact Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. at 1-800-445-5777 every day during the hours of 7am-7pm (CST) or at [email protected].

Additional details about the recalled products can be found in the updated announcement on Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s site.