Dante Carrillo
In January 2019, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled 33 varieties of canned dog food due to toxic levels of vitamin D, which the company attributed to a supplier error. The recall affected 22 million cans of dog food and led to reports of hundreds of dogs suffering rapid health declines, kidney issues, and even death. Following the recall, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Hill's, stating that the company had failed to follow its food safety plan and consistently implement its prerequisite program, resulting in a systematic failure that led to the recall. While there is no information available on when Hill's Science Diet will restock after the recall, the company has stated that it has addressed the FDA's concerns and implemented stricter processes to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
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What You'll Learn
The recall was due to toxic levels of vitamin D
In January 2019, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled 25 products of canned dog food due to potentially toxic levels of vitamin D. The company then expanded the recall in March 2019 to include 19 additional products, bringing the total number of affected products to 85 lots and 33 varieties. The recall only applied to canned dog food products and did not affect dry food, cat food, or treats.
The recall was initiated after Hill's received a complaint from a pet owner about a dog experiencing vitamin D toxicity after consuming their canned dog food. In response, Hill's notified the FDA and began a voluntary recall of the affected products. The FDA also issued a warning to pet owners and veterinarians, advising them to discontinue feeding their pets the recalled products and to report any suspected cases of vitamin D toxicity.
Vitamin D toxicity in dogs can cause serious health issues such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, frequent urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. In severe cases, it can lead to kidney failure and even death. The symptoms of vitamin D poisoning were observed in several dogs that had consumed the affected Hill's Science Diet and Prescription Diet canned food.
Following the recall, Hill's Pet Nutrition implemented stricter processes to prevent the recurrence of toxic vitamin D levels in their products. They began testing every vitamin premix lot before delivery and ensured that no premix was accepted without a Certificate of Analysis confirming proper formulation. These measures were put in place to address the FDA's concerns and to ensure the safety of their products for pets.
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The issue was blamed on a supplier error
In January 2019, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled 33 varieties of its canned dog food products, citing toxic levels of vitamin D. The recall affected 22 million cans of dog food and was blamed on a "supplier error".
The issue of unsafe vitamin D levels was first brought to light by a pet owner who reported a case of vitamin D toxicity in their dog that had been eating Hill's canned dog food. This prompted the company to initiate a recall of more than 20 types of canned dog food. The recall was later expanded to include 19 additional products. The affected products were distributed through retail pet stores and veterinary clinics across the nation.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Hill's Pet Nutrition, stating that the company had failed to follow its own food safety plan and consistently implement its prerequisite program, resulting in a systematic failure that led to the recall. The FDA's investigation included inspections of the company's manufacturing facility in Topeka, Kansas.
In response to the recall, Hill's Pet Nutrition stated that they had addressed the FDA's concerns and implemented stricter processes to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. They also emphasized their commitment to providing safe and high-quality products for pets and their cooperation with the FDA.
The recall of Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brand lines raised concerns among pet owners, with reports indicating that hundreds of dogs suffered health issues, including kidney problems, failure, and even death after consuming the affected dog food.
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The FDA issued a warning letter to Hill's Pet Nutrition
In November 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Hill's Pet Nutrition, citing several pet food safety concerns. The FDA's investigation was prompted by a recall of Hill's dog food products, which contained toxic amounts of vitamin D. The recall began in January 2019 and involved 33 varieties of canned dog food, with nearly 22 million cans recalled worldwide. The FDA's warning letter stated that Hill's failed to follow its own company procedures for consistently verifying the quality and safety of ingredients in its pet foods.
The FDA's inspections of Hill's manufacturing facility in Topeka, Kansas, confirmed that the unsafe levels of vitamin D were a result of an ingredient that Hill's received and accepted without proper analysis and testing. The vitamin D levels in the recalled products were more than 33 times the recommended safe upper limit, posing a significant health risk to pets. The FDA's letter included directions and a timeframe for Hill's to address the violations and prevent their recurrence.
In response to the FDA's warning letter, Hill's stated that it had already addressed the concerns raised and implemented stricter processes to safeguard against future incidents. These included testing every vitamin premix lot before delivery and requiring a Certificate of Analysis to confirm proper formulation. Hill's also expressed its commitment to cooperating with the FDA and ensuring the safety and quality of its products.
The FDA's warning letter and Hill's subsequent response highlight the importance of adhering to safety regulations and maintaining transparency in the pet food industry. While Hill's has taken steps to address the issue, it is unclear when the recalled products will be restocked or if they will be discontinued. This incident serves as a reminder for pet owners to remain vigilant about the food they feed their pets and to report any concerns to the FDA and relevant authorities.
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The recall affected 33 varieties of canned dog food
In January 2019, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled 33 varieties of its canned dog food products due to toxic levels of vitamin D. The recall affected 22 million cans of dog food in total. The affected products were manufactured by Hill's and marketed under the Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brands.
The recall was initiated after a report of vitamin D toxicity in a dog that consumed a canned Hill's dog food product. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Hill's Pet Nutrition, stating that the company had failed to follow its food safety plan and consistently implement its prerequisite program, resulting in a systematic failure that led to the recall.
Following the recall, Hill's Pet Nutrition expanded the scope of the recall to include additional products and product lots. The expanded recall affected 85-86 total lots of canned dog food. The FDA requested that Hill's test samples of foods not originally included in the recall, which led to the discovery of additional affected product lots.
The presence of toxic levels of vitamin D in the recalled dog food was attributed to a supplier error. Hill's implemented stricter processes in response to the recall, including testing every vitamin premix lot before delivery and requiring a Certificate of Analysis to confirm proper formulation.
It is important to note that Hill's Science Diet has been involved in previous recalls, such as the 2007 melamine recalls and a 2014 recall due to possible Salmonella contamination. The brand was also one of many affected by the widespread 2017 pet food recalls due to vitamin D toxicity. Pet owners should stay informed about recalls and their potential impact on their pets' health and well-being.
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No dry foods, cat foods, or treats were included
In January 2019, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled 33 varieties of its canned dog food products, totalling 22 million cans. The recall was due to toxic levels of Vitamin D, which were found to be more than 33 times the recommended safe upper limit. The company blamed the issue on a ""supplier error". However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Hill's Pet Nutrition, stating that the company had failed to follow its own food safety plan and consistently implement its prerequisite program, resulting in a systematic failure that led to the recall. The FDA also confirmed that Hill's had not followed its procedures for consistently verifying the quality of ingredients in its pet foods.
It is important to note that this recall did not impact dry foods, cat foods, or pet treats. Only canned dog food products were affected. The recall included both the Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brand lines. While there were reports of dogs suffering health issues and even death after consuming the tainted dog food, no issues were reported with dry foods, cat foods, or treats.
Hill's has stated that it has addressed the FDA's concerns and implemented stricter processes to safeguard against similar issues in the future. The company now tests every vitamin premix lot before it is delivered to them by a third-party laboratory. No vitamin premix is accepted at their plants without a Certificate of Analysis that confirms it has been properly formulated. Hill's is committed to cooperating with the FDA and ensuring the safety and quality of its products.
As a result of the recall, pet owners were advised to discontinue feeding their dogs the recalled products and to contact their veterinarians if their dogs exhibited any symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, or weight loss. Vitamin D toxicity can lead to kidney failure and death in dogs.
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Frequently asked questions
Hill's Pet Nutrition issued a recall of 33 varieties of its canned dog foods in January 2019 due to toxic levels of Vitamin D. The recall did not impact dry foods, cat foods, or pet treats. Hill's addressed the issue by putting stricter processes in place to safeguard against the cause of the recall from recurring. However, an exact restock date after the recall was not found.
Pet owners should stop feeding their dogs the recalled products immediately. They should look out for symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. If any of these symptoms are observed, they should contact their veterinarian immediately.
Hill's Pet Nutrition addressed the FDA's concerns by implementing stricter processes to prevent the issue from recurring. They started testing every vitamin premix lot before it is delivered to them by a third-party laboratory. No vitamin premix is accepted without a Certificate of Analysis that confirms it has been properly formulated.
