Pet food made in Oklahoma recalled after 70 dogs die from toxin

by: KFOR-TV and K. Querry

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A pet food company says it has increased the number of brands it has recalled due to a dramatic increase in the number of dogs that have died.

In December, Midwestern Pet Foods voluntarily recalled three varieties of Sportmix dog foods and cat foods after 28 dogs died after eating the mix, which has since increased to 70.

The recalled lots of food contained “potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin.” It’s a toxin produced by mold grown on corn and other grains.

The affected products were distributed to online retailers and stores nationwide within the United States, the FDA said.

Now, the company says it has increased the number of brands that it has recalled after 42 additional dogs died in the past two weeks.

“As of January 11, 2021, FDA is aware of more than 70 pets that have died and more than 80 pets that are sick after eating Sportmix pet food. Not all of these cases have been officially confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing or veterinary record review. This count is approximate and may not reflect the total number of pets affected,” the FDA posted.

Officials say the Sportmix pet food products were manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods in their Oklahoma plant in Chickasha.

The recall now includes all Midwestern Pet Foods dry dog and cat foods containing corn, manufactured in the company’s Oklahoma plant, and having an expiration date on or before July 9, 2022.

The list of recalled dry pet food products announced by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. on December 30, 2020 is:

• Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/02/22/05/L2
  • Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
  • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Lots of the following pet food products have been recalled if the date/lot code includes an expiration date on or before “07/09/22” and includes “05” in the date/lot code, which identifies products made in the Oklahoma plant:

• Pro Pac Adult Mini Chunk, 40 lb. bag
• Pro Pac Performance Puppy, 40 lb. bag
• Splash Fat Cat 32%, 50 lb. bag
• Nunn Better Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
• Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
• Sportmix Maintenance, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Protein, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Stamina, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Stamina, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Bite Size, 40 lb. bag
• Sportmix Bite Size, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Energy, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Energy, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Premium Puppy, 16.5 lb. bag
• Sportmix Premium Puppy, 33 lb. bag

Lot code information may be found on the back of bag and will appear in a three-line code, with the top line in format “EXP 03/03/22/05/L#/B###/HH:MM”

If you have one of the products listed above, but do not know the lot code or expiration date, FDA recommends that you stop feeding the product.

According to the FDA, pet owners should stop feeding their pets the food and consult their veterinarian, especially if the pet is showing signs of illness.

Symptoms in pets can include:

• Sluggishness
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes or gums due to liver damage)
• Diarrhea
• In some cases, pets may suffer liver damage but not show any symptoms.

If your pet has symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning, contact a veterinarian immediately. Even pets without symptoms may have suffered liver damage, so you may want to contact your veterinarian if your pet has eaten any of the recalled products.

Pet owners can report suspected cases to the FDA.