Blue Buffalo Company Dog Food Linked to Illnesses

Endocrinologists with the Diagnostic Center, a service unit of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University has discovered that there are a group of illnesses linked directly to a specific brand of dog food from the Blue Buffalo Company.

Director of the Diagnostic Center, Carole Bolin indicated that vets across the country began to send samples when it was noticed that there were high levels of calcium in their blood stream. The affected dogs also had increased thirst and urination, some of them suffered weight loss; loss of appetite and signs of kidney damage. Samples were sent from eight states: Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, North Dakota and Utah

Dogs affected were in the age range of 8 months to 8 years, which included three mixed breeds and thirteen purebred dogs.

Director Bolin indicated that her department has been in contact with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration on an investigation into the brand. In the meantime Blue Buffalo has since issued a voluntary recall; more information can be found at http://bluebuffalo.com/news/vitamin-d-voluntary-recall.shtml

For more information, visit http://animalhealth.msu.edu/