Company recalls Sportmix dog and cat food brands after 28 dogs die

Stock image | Photo by Agustin Vai/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. is issuing a voluntary recall of dog and cat food products due to tests indicating levels of Aflatoxin that exceed acceptable limits. Products were distributed nationally to online distributors and retail stores.

Aflatoxin is produced by a mold that grows on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food. At high levels, aflatoxin can cause illness and death in pets.

There have been reports of illnesses and deaths in dogs associated the Sportmix High Energy pet food product. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is aware of at least 28 deaths and eight illnesses in dogs that ate the recalled product.

No cat or human illnesses have been reported.

Signs of aflatoxin poisoning including sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes, gums, or skin due to liver damage) and/or diarrhea. Pet owners are advised to contact a veterinarian immediately if these symptoms develop. Provide a full diet history to your veterinarian. It may be helpful to take a picture of the pet food label, including the lot number.

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”. See product photos below.

A brand of dog food recalled due to unsafe levels of a mold toxin. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. George News
A brand of dog food recalled due to unsafe levels of a mold toxin. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. George News
A brand of dog food recalled due to unsafe levels of a mold toxin. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. George News

Pet owners are advised not to feed the recalled products to pets or any other animals. Destroy the products in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access them. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and storage containers.

Recalled lot codes are as follows:

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

Contact Midwestern Pet Foods Consumer Affairs at 800-474-4163, ext. 455 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, or by email at [email protected] for additional information.

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