Feeding your dog Blue Buffalo or Blue Wilderness Dog Food? Wondering why your canine doesn’t seem to be doing well?
Sadly, despite all their enticing television commercials, another Class Action Law Suit has been filed against Blue Buffalo Pet Products. Note that Blue Wilderness dog foods are also made by Blue Buffalo.
In California on June 26, 2017, charges against Blue Buffalo Pet Products included Negligent Misrepresentation, violations of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, violations of the California False Advertising Law, violations of the California Unfair Competition Law, breach of Express Warranty, breach of Implied Warranty, and Negligence.
This time the law suit was filed due to evidence documenting the fact that several of Blue Buffalo’s dry dog foods contained toxic levels of lead. Lead tainted dog foods included Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, Blue Freedom Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, and Blue Basics Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe for Adult Dogs.
The Problem: LEAD in Your Dog’s Food.
The contaminated dog foods contained toxic levels of lead. Lead, is classified as a carcinogen, which means that at certain levels it can lead to cancer. Lead is a toxin that builds up in your dog’s body and over time as it accumulates your dog becomes sickened. Dog illnesses that may result from ingesting lead include cancer, reproductive problems, abnormal growth issues, as well as damage to the nervous system and other vital organs. Lead poisoning in dogs occurs when the amount of lead in your dog’s blood reaches levels high enough to cause visible signs. Signs of lead poisoning in dogs may include appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation, jaw chomping, blindness, seizures, muscle spasms, behavior changes, anxiety, circling and/or lack of coordination. Blood work may reveal elevated liver numbers.
It is interesting to note that that the FDA considers acceptable levels of lead in bottled drinking water to be 5 ppb (parts per billion). The three Blue Buffalo pet foods were documented with lead levels at 200 ppb in the Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, 140 ppb in the Blue Freedom Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, and 840 ppb in the Blue Basics Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe for Adult Dogs.
Therapy to reverse lead toxicity is based on liver detoxification and whole body support. Depending on the severity of your dog’s condition, therapy may range from hospitalization and intravenous fluids to supportive care. Natural therapies helpful to detox the liver includes antioxidants, NAC, milk thistle, buffered vitamin C, bentonite clay, and turmeric derivatives. Homemade diets high in green leafy vegetables are also beneficial.
Buyers Beware when you spend your hard-earned dollars on “healthy and holistic” dog foods. Blue Buffalo and Blue Wilderness Dog Foods have a 9-year history of being anything but “healthy and holistic” in this author and veterinarians experience.