FDA expands Sportmix dog food recall after 70 dogs died; product shipped to New Mexico

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded a recall and is alerting pet owners and veterinary professionals about high levels of aflatoxin in some pet foods after 70 dogs reportedly died and over 80 others were sickened.

The dog food in question has been identified as certain Sportmix products manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods. The products were voluntarily recalled by the company on December 30, 2020, but Midwestern Pet Foods expanded the recall to include additional products that contain corn and were made in their Oklahoma manufacturing plant on Tuesday, according to the FDA.

While the New Mexico Department of Agriculture is unaware of any reports of affected pets in New Mexico, recalled pet food has been identified in the state.

The impacted products have and expiration date on or before July 9, 2022, and have “05” in the date or lot code.

Aflatoxin is produced by the Aspergillus flavus mold, the FDA said. It can grow on grains used as ingredients in pet food, and when high levels of aflatoxin are consumed, it can cause illness or death in pets.

Pets poisoned by aflatoxin can display symptoms that include sluggishness, jaundice — a yellowish tint in the eyes or gums caused by liver damage — loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea, according to the FDA.

Even if a pet is not displaying any symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning, the FDA recommends that pet owners who have pets that have eaten the affected products contact their veterinarian — as it can cause long-term liver damage.

While the FDA says there is no evidence that pet owners who have handled the affected food are at risk of aflatoxin poisoning, it recommends that they always wash their hands after handling pet food.

The following foods added to the original recall are as follows, but the FDA says there are over 1000 affected lot codes so they are not listed individually:

• 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

Customers can find the lot code on the back of bag in a three-line code. The following dry pet foods were flagged for recall on December 30:

Sportmix Energy Plus, 50-pound bag

• Exp 03/02/22/05/L2

• Exp 03/02/22/05/L3

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L2

Sportmix Energy Plus, 44-pound bag

• Exp 03/02/22/05/L3

Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50-pound bag

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44-pound bag

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Sportmix Original Cat, 31-pound bag

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Sportmix Original Cat, 15-pound bag

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L2

• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Pet owners can report suspected illnesses to the FDA electronically through its safety reporting portal or by calling the state consumer complaint coordinator. The FDA also offers a guide with steps to report a pet food complaint.

The investigation is ongoing, and the scope of the recall may expand as new information becomes available, the FDA said.