Dog food recalled for excess vitamin D

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Blue Buffalo Co. has recalled certain dog foods that may contain excess vitamin D, which can cause hypercalcemia.

On Oct. 8, a team at Michigan State University announced it had found that 16 dogs with hypercalcemia also had high concentrations of vitamin D in their blood and ate a diet of Blue Buffalo's Wilderness Chicken dog food. The dogs seemed to recover with a change in diet.

Blue Buffalo recalled certain product runs of Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon, and Large Breed Adult Chicken dog foods. A letter states that the company believes the products may contain excess vitamin D because an ingredient supplier made a vitamin D supplement before making ingredients for the products.

A company press release on the website of the Food and Drug Administration reports a total of 36 cases of dogs displaying signs consistent with high serum vitamin D concentrations after consuming food from the product runs in question. The signs subsided with a change in diet.

The Blue Buffalo letter states that the recall applies to the following:

  • Wilderness Chicken dog food in 4.5-, 11-, and 24-pound bags with "best by" dates of JUL1211B, JUL1311B, JUL2611Z, JUL2711Z, and JUL2811Z
  • Basics Salmon dog food in 11- and 24-pound bags with "best by" dates of AUG2111B and AUG2211B
  • Large Breed Adult Chicken dog food in 30-pound bags with "best by" dates of SEP2211P, SEP2311P, and OCT2611P

Blue Buffalo will reimburse veterinary expenses related to illness resulting from consumption of these products. Consumers may contact the company at (877) 523-9114. Additional information is available at avma.org/petfoodsafety/recalls.