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Sportmix Pet Food Recall

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

dog food recall alert

Update: Dec 30th Recall- Recall Extended

As of January  11, 2021 — Midwestern Pet Foods has voluntarily extended their December 30th recalled of specific lots of their Sportmix pet food when the FDA was alerted of at least 70 dogs that have now died and at least 80 more that have been reported as becoming ill after consuming the recalled Sportmix pet food.

What Dog Food Products Have Been Recalled?

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”

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Cause of This Dog Treat Recall

Multiple Sportmix samples were tested by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and it was found that it contained very high levels of aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus which at high levels can lead to illness and can even cause death in pets.

What You Need to Know About Aflatoxins Poisoning

If a pet’s food contains aflatoxins, the toxins have potential accumulate over time in the pet’s system as they continue to eat the same food daily with minimal variety.

Dogs with aflatoxin poisoning may show symptoms such as sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes, gums or skin due to liver damage, and diarrhea. It is possible for these effects to cause long term damage to the dogs liver, and may even cause death in some cases.

Please be aware that some pets can be suffering from liver damage without showing any symptoms. Pet owners whose dogs have been eating the recalled products listed above should contact their veterinarians immediately.

Currently there is no evidence that pet owners who touch food that contains aflatoxin are at risk of aflatoxin poisoning. That said, it is recommended to wash your hands throughly after handling any pet food products.

Where Was the Product Sold?

The affected product was shipped to distributors for sale to consumers by independent pet specialty stores throughout all U.S. states.

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What to do Next

If you have purchased any of the above products with the above-mentioned lot code, it is recommended by the FDA that you stop feeding the product to your dogs immediately, dispose of the product, wash your hands accordingly, and proceed to sanitize any potentially affected surfaces.

You can report your complaint by visiting the FDA’s “Report a Pet Food Complaint” page or you can call your state FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators

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You can also see a full list of dog food recalls here.

Sources used: FDA


Featured Image Credit: eva_blanco, Shutterstock

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