FDA ALERT – ANYONE FEEDING THEIR PET SPORTMIX PET FOOD SHOULD READ THIS!  MORE THAN 70 PETS DIE OF HIGH LEVELS OF AFLATOXIN IN PET FOOD!

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration is alerting pet parents and veterinary professionals about a deadly dog food recall.  Updated January 11, 2021, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with the state departments of agriculture for Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, is investigating certain Sportmix pet food products manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. that may contain potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins.

On January 11, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods expanded the recall to include additional products that contain corn and were made in their Oklahoma manufacturing plant.

• FDA is alerting pet owners and veterinary professionals about certain Sportmix pet food products (see list below) manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. in their Oklahoma plant that may contain potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins.
• As of January 11, 2021, FDA is aware of more than 70 pets that have died and more than 80 pets that are sick after eating Sportmix pet food. Not all of these cases have been officially confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing or veterinary record review. This count is approximate and may not reflect the total number of pets affected.
• This is an ongoing investigation. Case counts and the scope of this recall may expand as new information becomes available.
• Aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food. At high levels, aflatoxins can cause illness and death in pets.
• Pets experiencing aflatoxin poisoning may have symptoms such as sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes or gums due to liver damage), and/or diarrhea. In severe cases, this toxicity can be fatal. In some cases, pets may suffer liver damage but not show any symptoms.
• Pet owners should stop feeding their pets the recalled products listed below and consult their veterinarian, especially if the pet is showing signs of illness.  The pet owner should remove the food and make sure no other animals have access to the recalled product.
• FDA is asking veterinarians who suspect aflatoxin poisoning in their patients to report the cases through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. Pet owners can also report suspected cases to the FDA.

The list of recalled dry pet food products announced by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. on December 30, 2020 is:

• Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
• Exp 03/02/22/05/L2
• Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L2

• Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
• Exp 03/02/22/05/L3

• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50 lb. bag
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44 lb. bag
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

• Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

• Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
• Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

On January 11, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. expanded the recall to include all pet food products containing corn that were made in the firm’s Oklahoma plant and that expire on or before July 9, 2022. More than 1000 lot codes are affected so they are not listed individually.

Lots of the following pet food products have been recalled if the date/lot code includes an expiration date on or before “07/09/22” and includes “05” in the date/lot code, which identifies products made in the Oklahoma plant:

• 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

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”

If you have one of the products listed above, but do not know the lot code or expiration date, FDA recommends that you stop feeding the product.

The affected products were distributed to online retailers and stores nationwide within the United States.

What Do Retailers Need to Do?

Don’t sell or donate the affected pet food products. Contact the manufacturer for further instructions. The FDA also encourages retailers to contact consumers who have purchased recalled products, if they have the means to do so (such as through shopper’s card records or point-of-sale signs).

What Do Pet Owners Need to Do?

If your pet has symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning, contact a veterinarian immediately. Even pets without symptoms may have suffered liver damage, so you may want to contact your veterinarian if your pet has eaten any of the recalled products. Provide a full diet history to your veterinarian. You may find it helpful to take a picture of the pet food label, including the lot number.

Don’t feed the recalled products to your pets or any other animal. Contact the company listed on the package for further instructions or throw the products away in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access them. Sanitize pet food bowls, scoops, and storage containers using bleach, rinsing well afterwards with water, and drying thoroughly.

There is no evidence to suggest that pet owners who handle products containing aflatoxin are at risk of aflatoxin poisoning. However, pet owners should always wash their hands after handling any pet food.

You can report suspected illness to the FDA electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. It’s most helpful if you can work with your veterinarian to submit your pet’s medical records as part of your report. For an explanation of the information and level of detail that would be helpful to include in a complaint to the FDA, please see How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.