Pet Owners Question Whether Food Is Making Dogs and Cats Sick, While Pet Food Makers Say It’s Safe – WSB-TV Channel 2
ATLANTA – Channel 2 Action News is analyzing social media reports from hundreds of pet owners who say their dogs and cats are getting sick and even dying, and question whether the food is to blame.
Pet owners said symptoms include seizures, vomiting and diarrhea.
A retired veterinarian who is helping with the investigation said more than 20 pet food brands are involved.
Cellphone video showed Ella, a Siamese cat, playing with a dog before she became ill.
A pet food safety advocate started a citizen petition, a legal process, to ask the FDA to update the public. But pet food manufacturers have said their products are safe.
“She was super cozy,” said pet owner Kassie Smith.
[HAVE A STORY FOR 2 INVESTIGATES? Submit a tip here]
She said her Dachshund Rocket first got sick after eating some of Ella’s cat food and recovered quickly.
“He had diarrhea and was kind of lethargic,” Smith said.
A week and a half later, in September, 2-year-old Ella developed symptoms.
“She started vomiting frothy bile,” Smith said.
Smith took Ella to the vet, who did x-rays and tests, and then to a specialist who did an ultrasound and discovered elevated kidney levels.
“They thought maybe she had eaten something toxic, but we couldn’t find anything that said she had eaten anything toxic,” Smith said.
She said Ella barely ate or drank anything.
“She went from 8 pounds to 4 pounds,” Smith said.
MORE STORIES FROM 2 INVESTIGATIONS:
She said Ella died in December after eating a string which she attributes to pica, a condition in which cats eat inappropriate things when they are sick.
Her other cat Chewy also showed symptoms.
“He actually got sick the day after she passed and threw up,” Smith said.
Chewy recovered quickly.
A few days later, Smith received an email from Dr. Judy Morgan, a retired veterinarian who works with the “Saving Pets One Animal at a Time” Facebook group.
The group conducted a survey that found 2,600 pet owners, including dozens in Georgia, believe their pets became sick and in more than 500 cases died.
“And then when I started talking to other people, the only connection we had was food,” Smith said.
Channel 2 Action News filed a Freedom of Information Act request for all complaints the FDA received about a major pet food brand from May 2023 through January 11, 2024.
We have received more than 60 reports mentioning symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.
Morgan said the complaints started with that brand, but are now also linked to 20 others.
“And now it has hit several pet food companies. So our thinking right now is we have a supply chain issue,” Morgan said.
The Pet Food Institute, which represents pet food manufacturers, sent us this statement:
“The Pet Food Institute understands that our pets are members of our families and that owners want the best for their dogs and cats. We are aware of the unsubstantiated claims about certain pet foods making dogs sick. To our knowledge, the Food & Drug Administration has found no evidence that any brands listed on certain social media sites are contaminated or causing illness in pets, and no recalls have been issued. Pet food manufacturers have internal safety controls, including product testing and product review testing, in case of consumer concerns. We regret that these online rumors are causing stress to pet parents, and we ask pet parents to consider that websites spreading these rumors, while well-intentioned, may not be reporting accurate information. Pet food manufacturers are committed to producing high-quality pet foods that are nutritious and safe for dogs and cats, and pet owners can continue to feed their pets with confidence. If pet owners are concerned about what their dogs and cats are eating, they should contact the pet food manufacturer, file a complaint online with the FDA, and check the FDA website for recalls active.”
Morgan recommends that pet parents pay attention to how their dogs and cats react to food.
“If you open a new bag or your pet is sick, please take this warning seriously. Stop feeding him,” Morgan said.
A pet food safety advocate has filed a petition requesting that the FDA promptly inform the public about current pet food investigations.
“It’s supposed to be something you trust and it’s not safe. Whatever is going on, it’s not safe,” Smith said.
The FDA sent us this statement:
“The FDA takes seriously its responsibility to help ensure that pet food ingredients are safe and nutritious. Although the agency cannot comment on specific details of these specific disease reports at this time, generally speaking, when FDA becomes aware of illnesses in pets, we will evaluate them and determine what—if any—FDA action may be warranted. The agency encourages pet owners or their veterinarians to submit reports of illnesses or other adverse events associated with pet foods directly to the FDA by following the instructions on this page: How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.”
The FDA also said Channel 2 Action News is reviewing the citizen’s petition.
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.
