The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is sounding the alarm to pet owners after dog food left 28 dogs dead and eight more ill.

Multiple mixes of the Sportmix dog and cat food, manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. were tested for containing potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a toxin produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food.

At high levels, aflatoxin can cause illness and death in pets. Pets experiencing aflatoxin poisoning may have symptoms such as sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes or gums due to liver damage), and/or diarrhea. In severe cases, this toxicity can be fatal. In some cases, pets may suffer liver damage but not show any symptoms.

The list of Sportmix dry pet food products recalled include:

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

Pet owners should stop feeding their pets the recalled products and consult their veterinarian, especially if the pet is showing signs of illness.  The pet owner should remove the food and make sure no other animals have access to it.

The FDA is asking veterinarians who suspect aflatoxin poisoning in their patients to report the cases through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. Pet owners can also report suspected cases to the FDA.

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