Found on the Blue Buffalo Website (though not easily found) was the following recall information. I assume this recall is current – no date was provided on the web announcement of recall; a phone call to Blue only resulted in being connected to Voice Mail.
From the Blue Buffalo home page, from clicking on ‘Health and Nutrition’ link on Blue Buffalo home page, in the drop down menu was the option ‘Blue News’. On the page Blue News was this information – no date…
“Latest News
Vitamin D Related Recall
Blue Buffalo Founder, Bill Bishop, explains the circumstances leading to a voluntary recall of a few limited production runs of three dry dog recipes which may contain Vitamin D levels that are above product specifications.” http://bluebuffalo.com/news/blue-news.shtml
Link provided here took me to the information below…again, no date…
“Dear Fellow Pet Parent,
At Blue Buffalo, nothing is more important than the health and well being of our dogs and cats, so it’s consistent with this guiding principle that we are voluntarily recalling specific production runs of our Wilderness Chicken-Dog, Basics Salmon-Dog and Large Breed Adult Dog products, as we have reason to believe that the products from these runs may contain a higher level of Vitamin D than is called for in our product specifications.
We came to this conclusion after discovering that our ingredient supplier had made a scheduling error and produced a Vitamin D supplement immediately prior to preparing the ingredients for the BLUE products that are in question. We believe that some of the Vitamin D supplement may have been carried over into our products, resulting in more Vitamin D than is called for in our formulas.
While the potential of increased Vitamin D presents no serious health risk, and any negative reaction to these products has been confined to a very small segment of the canine population who appear to be sensitive to higher levels of Vitamin D, we have a zero tolerance for any product that does not meet our specifications. I think you’ll agree that our decision to withdraw these specific products is simply the right thing to do.
From a next steps standpoint, all products with the specific manufacturing dates in question will be removed from retailer’s shelves. If you have any products with the codes shown below you should stop feeding them immediately.You may call Blue Buffalo at 1-877-523-9114 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.
These are the ONLY code dates being recalled:
Product Bag Size Best Used By Dates
BLUE Wilderness Chicken (Dog) 4.5 lb., 11 lb., 24lb. JUL1211B, JUL1311B, JUL2611Z, JUL2711Z, JUL2811Z
BLUE Basics Salmon (Dog) 11 lb., 24 lb. AUG2111B, AUG2211B
BLUE Large Breed Adult Chicken 30 lb. SEP 22 11 P, SEP 23 11 P, OCT 26 11 P
This Vitamin D issue does not effect any other code dates of these products or any other Blue Buffalo dog or cat foods. In addition, new bags of Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken will be available on the shelves so you can continue to feed BLUE with complete confidence.
If your dog has shown any adverse reaction to the recalled products, have him checked by your veterinarian. Typical symptoms might include excessive water intake and/or excessive urination, and in some cases vomiting. Blue Buffalo will reimburse any veterinary or testing expenses related to illness caused by these products.
As Blue Buffalo is a family founded and run company, I am personally very upset about this and apologize for any discomfort or inconvenience that this situation has caused you or your pet family members. Product quality and safety have been, and always will be our top priority, and we’ve taken some serious corrective action to insure that this type of human error will never happen again.
Sincerely,
Bill Bishop”
http://bluebuffalo.com/news/vitamin-d-voluntary-recall.shtml
(Thanks to the alert from an ‘in the know’ pet owner regarding this recall information posted on the Blue website.)
marianne overstreet
December 28, 2013 at 9:15 am
We have two precious dogs that are family. So , we put them on Blue
Buffalo thinking it was the best.This report worries me! We use Salmon and sweet potato or white fish and sweet potato. Our dogs are a nine pound poodle and a eighteen pound cavalier. Are we using the right brand and type?
Lara
August 25, 2017 at 4:46 pm
I think the key word here is “voluntary.” There is a difference between a voluntary recall and a recall. Voluntary recalls are given when a product is not up to the companies standards. Whereas a recall is when a company is forced to withdraw products–so I think that also means a company that has an INVOLUNTARY recall they may know there’s an issue with the product but doesn’t want to spend the extra money to withdraw and potentially still make money off of the contaminated product.
I feed my dog Blue and I take him for his annual check ups and the vet even told me “keep doing what you’re doing because he is very healthy!” I have not told the DVM that I feed Blue yet because I feel it keeps the results of whatever she says to be unbiased.
Dennis
February 25, 2014 at 1:50 pm
This recall was from a year ago and was relatively very small in nature. It was also a minor issue and it shows how careful that Blue Buffalo is regarding the quality of its products. The writer of this “Assumed” this was current to 2014. Remember the old adage about Assuming and what it does to you and me.
Susan Thixton
February 25, 2014 at 2:31 pm
If you notice – the post date is from 2010 (not 2014). And the ‘writer’ was Blue Buffalo. Perhaps you made an assumption?
Adam E
March 6, 2014 at 10:00 am
@Susan. Dennis was making the point that this was not current. And the writer of this article was NOT Blue Buffalo. It was Bill Bishop calling attention to an honest mistake years old for no particular reason
Kathy Hudgins
April 16, 2014 at 3:38 pm
I just lost one cat and have another at the vet in kidney failure. So far $1,000 in vet bills. Two vets slammed blue buffalo for the nutritional quality of their food, the lack of ongoing testing of the quality of the food. Blue Buffalo is known to cause kidney failure. Don’t get lured in by their great advertising. Other premium foods are much more conscientious about verifying the nutritional content and quality of their foods. Please pass this along.
J Jesus
May 4, 2014 at 10:49 am
Our has incrased thirst, has excesive licking to bloody spots.
J Jesus
May 4, 2014 at 10:53 am
Our dog. That is (sorry)
The poor thing shouldn’t be used as guinea pig by careless and obtuse corporations
karol kohner
May 19, 2014 at 4:34 pm
We just switched to Blue Buffalo a few months ago thinking it was the best food we could buy for our dogs, we have an English Bulldog and an older chihuahua mix also a Savannah cat who has been eating the dog food. They all have been experiencing similar symptoms but they were mild in nature and not really to the point of extreme concern until this weekend when their symptoms were stronger and they all just didn’t feel good at all, throwing up, drinking way more water than normal, excessive urination, very gassy, loose stools and generally just not feeling good at all. We decided it was time to take them in to the vet to find out what the problem could be. Last night my daughter went online to check to make sure there were no recalls on the food. We found one that seemed to match their symptoms perfectly but then realized it was from back in 2010, well that didn’t help but left many questions, why are the stories being re- released now? seems odd that all their symptoms are exactly alike and it matched all the symptoms for the vitamin D recall of 2010. They are on the Wilderness Duck Food which isn’t even the one mentioned in the recall but it seems very suspicious to me and will not risk my pets health by giving them this food anymore, we are switching back to Nature Select and making a trip to the vet to find out if this could be from the food we were giving them.
Very disappointed with what seemed like the best food we could buy for our babies, being the most expensive doesn’t mean a thing, especially if they are really making them sick.
Traci
December 7, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Our daughter has lost two of her beloved min-pins within 2 weeks. Only change in diet was this food. I have suggested she send a sample of the food back to the manufacture. Has anyone else experienced death, seizures, “high liver”, extreme thirst? Healthy young boys — just seeking help and maybe clarity/closure.
Susan Thixton
December 8, 2014 at 9:06 am
Traci – it is very, very important your daughter report this incident to FDA. Here is the link: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm
Traci
December 8, 2014 at 11:39 am
Susan beyond reporting this what should happen next? Should she contact Blue Buffalo and explain what has happened? Will they care…I just don’t want her to continue to revisit this painful experience if no one in the corporate environment cares.
She was the best dog mom, inside dogs, ride in the car, the best of food and treats (so she thought) regular vet visits, heart worm meds, dog care when she was not home, etc. She left to go volunteer one day and within a hour Tuck died (3 yrs old) his ashes had no sooner been returned and now she is waiting on Toby’s (less than 2 yrs old).
Susan Thixton
December 8, 2014 at 11:46 am
I’m going to email you more – but briefly, the only way to hold manufacturers accountable is to report deaths and illnesses. We have to push officials to investigate. Manufacturers know that most pet owners don’t know to report these situations (and most vets don’t know either). Will anyone care? I don’t know. But I can’t encourage her enough to try. It might save other lives.
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Darlene roy
April 9, 2015 at 10:35 am
A coworker just lost his 7 1/2 month old rottie pup that was eating Blue Buffalo puppy food. We are waiting to hear back from the autopsy now. I don’t think he kept the food to get it tested. But, reading this here concerns me that there might be a connection?!
Dottie Noyes
July 16, 2015 at 3:30 am
I have been researching what could have caused 2 kittens that were purchased at the Humane Society in Wenatchee, WA. Could have eaten that poisoned them. When the 1st kitty started throwing up and drinking a lot of water and losing weight we took her to our vet’s office. Our vet could not find anything wrong with him. We took him home and fed him a kitten nutrient with a little bottle. 2 days later after staying up with him to feed him, he died. The policy of our Humane Society is if they die during the 1st 2 weeks from purchase you can pick another kitten. We took the 200 mile trip and picked another cutie and took her home. A week after bringing her home, she went thru the same process and died. We started out feeding them Blue Buffalo Co. Healthy Growth for kittens. When they started getting sick, we went to Fancy Feast wet foods. Both were well kitties when we brought them home. We thought it could be something in our home. We have gone through our home and we do not have any poisonous products in our home. The only product that we think could have caused the kitties death was The Blue Buffalo Co. food we started them out with. please investigate this for us. We really fell in love with them both. They were so cute and playful the first week we had them. Our 2 dogs are not sick and miss them too.
Susan Thixton
July 16, 2015 at 9:40 am
Hi Dottie –
I am so sorry – this is heartbreaking. Please report this to FDA – you can do that here: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm You can also report this to your State Department of Agriculture – you can find your state inspector here: http://www.aafco.org/Regulatory Please don’t throw away the cat food – if authorities investigate they will need the food to test.
Lambler
September 4, 2015 at 5:27 pm
I am writing, researching and exhausting all efforts for answers and miracles. After the longest and most painful week of yay life, my 10 year old Schipperke who has managed great health the most part of his life has suddenly slipped into the brink of what we all are assuming the “dreaded C.” After incurring almost $4k in vet and hospital bills we still are left with so many questions as to why his body is suddenly working against him. The diagnosis this far, a very excruciating level of calcium vitamin D level that usually can be contributed by hyperthyroidism, tumors, cancer or vitamin D toxicosis…most all of which have been ruled out. We are still waiting for lab results for one last test to come back (hopefully the best case scenario) that it might be Addison’s Diseasse. My question here is, how can these dog food industries claim to be the top choice for wholesome wellness if there is evidence to support they are not?
We have always believed in BLue buffalo products up until a year ago when my brothers dog (also a former BB believer) was ridden with cancer and sadly put down. The vets also told us that the world has been buying into these dreams and false messages that the food is pure and simple wholesome, etc.when in fact they cannot guarantee that they are by the strict guidelines or standards of the dogfood drug and food administration. Of course we immediately switched to an old tried and true brand name…but I can’t help but wonder if this all stems from BB? I stumbled upon this thread, and will post any more info after our last results come back. My heart is crumbling into pieces to think that all these years, I have unknowingly been feeding possibly poisoned food to my beloved furry son.
Please tell me it isn’t true..
Wayne
October 10, 2015 at 9:22 am
I bet you get your food from China or another third world country. I am not buying your products. Sending into production with out checking your cheap labor first. This will take away from profit
Williy
November 23, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Blue buffalo dog food is manufactured in the United States. There are 9 us plants that produce the dog food, including their own in house facility located in Joplin, Missouri.
marla
November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am
I am furious. My 1 yr old did fine on large breed puppy. Switched to adult staying with chicken base. I gradually made switch. My poor dog got sick as hell. Unable to keep food down undigested food. I went to pedigree. Had a lab for 12 yrs on pedigree rather have her 12 yrs than watch a 1yr old puck and starve.. I am a nurse and I again will never use blue buffalo anything again. Very expensive and worthless…
Marla
July 3, 2016 at 2:33 am
Get better sent recall recovery form. Filled it out months ago guess what no check in mail. Hate people companies who try to save face and ass at the same time. My dog thriving on pedigree..