Any pet owners feeding Wellness Pet Food? Is your dog feeling well, acting bright and moving freely after eating this pricey, pet food laced with deadly amounts of Arsenic & Lead?
Sadly, on July 19, 2017, a class action lawsuit was filed against Wellness Dog Food.
Among the law suit’s violations, negligent misrepresentation, False Advertising, Unfair Competition, Breach of Express Warranty, Breach of Implied Warranty, etc.
Apparently, certain batches of Wellness Dog Food were tested. Tested batches included but weren’t limited to Wellness CORE Adult Dry Ocean Whitefish, Herring Meal and Salmon Meal and Wellness Complete Health Adult Dry Whitefish and Sweet Potato.
What did the testing show?
ARSENIC and LEAD in Wellness Dog Food
Results verified toxic levels of arsenic and lead in the tested Wellness dog foods. Arsenic and lead are dangerous toxins for people and pets. Arsenic can contribute to cancers, heart disease, diabetes, mental decline, and increased susceptibility to viral diseases.
Allowable limits of arsenic, set by the FDA are 10 parts per billion in apple juice and 10 parts per billion in drinking water. The latter is set by the EPA. Allowable levels of arsenic for infant rice cereal has been set to 100 parts per billion by the FDA.
Now, take a deep breath.
What do you think the levels of arsenic were in the Wellness Dog Foods?
Wellness CORE Adult Dry Ocean Whitefish, Herring Meal and Salmon Meal each contained 1,500 parts per billion of arsenic and the Wellness Complete Health Adult Dry Whitefish and Sweet Potato contained 1,200.
That’s TEN TIMES more ARSENIC than what’s allowed in infant cereal! Certainly, not a sign of the Wellness Dog Food Slogan: “Uncompromising Nutrition” and “Unrivaled Quality.”
What about the LEAD?
Allowable lead levels set by the FDA for bottled water humans buy is 5 parts per billion.
The FDA has set limits for lead in bottled water at 5 parts per billion. The Wellness Dog Foods contained lead at over 120 parts per billion.
Lead is poison. It’s also a known carcinogen which means it can lead to cancer.
In addition, chronic lead ingestion builds up in your canine’s body and over time can damage your dog’s reproductive system and many other vital internal organs as well.
Think twice before spending your hard-earned dollars on dog foods that spend most of their money on false advertising instead of paying attention to the safety and quality of their ingredients.
For years’ pet owners as well as veterinarians have fallen victim to these Billion Dollar Pet Food Giants.
So, what’s a pet owner to do?
Consider homemade pet food options. There are also a couple commercial varieties of today’s RAW pet diets that have proven to be safe, healthy and beneficial for the pet patients in our veterinary clinic.
I believe wellness core in what caused my Mini Schnauzer to loose his coat and develope kidney disease. High protein in dog food is junk. I make my dogs food now.
DEAR JOY,
ITS NOT JUST THE HIGH QUANTITY OF LOW QUALITY PROTEIN IN TNHE VAST MAJORITY OF DRY PET FOODS; IN THE WELLNESS DOG FOOD,
THE TOXIC LEVELS OF ARSENIC AND LEAD CERTAINLY DIDN’T PROMOTE HEALTH OR WELLNESS.
I AM TRULY SORRY TO HEAR THIS. HOMEMADE PET FOOD ELIMINATES ISSUES LIKE THIS AND HAS WORKED WELL FOR MANY OF OUR PATIENTS.
BEST WISHES
DR CAROL
As a small animal veterinarian practiceing since 2001 along the Ohio River Valley in Kentucky, I have seen a horrible increase in food allergies: the first 13 years a total of 5 animals. Now I see at least one per day. All types of Purina products: pup-a-ronies, dog and puppy kibble. Everything! Also a strong correlation of food allergies and Milk-bones, Kibbles n Bits, and Pedigree foods. Because all allergies (inhalant, food and environmental). Our biggest help with the allergies has been recommending home cooked meals. I have not even ventured into the toxins of the pet foods. I will be closely watching for that now. Thanks for your hard work. If there is anything I should / can do, just let me know.
Dr Werner,
We appreciate your insight into pet food allergies, the number of which have skyrocketed over the 10 plus years for our dog and cat patients as well. We have also had good results using pet homemade diets in various cases including allergies.
Your thoughts and experiences are always welcomed!
We began suspecting Blue Buffalo after seeing many patients with various gastro-intestinal disorders including vomiting, diarrhea, IBD, pancreatitis, diabetes etc;
-all pets that were suffering; many for well over 5 years we traced back to diet: Blue Buffalo. Then we happened to come across the 7+ year Blue Buffalo Pet Food Recall which incidentally was just settled last year and sickened over 100,000 helpless pets.
We plan to publish a post to help pet owners become more familiar with Blue Buffalo’s long history of consumer fraud. The fact that the Blue Buffalo Pet Food Recall was the largest Pet Food Recall in the history of pet food is shocking. Whats worse is that less than 1 year later, they are still sickening pets as noted by this Class Action Law Suit.
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM
I just started three months ago Wellness Complete Health small breed for seniors deboned turkey and peas. I read it was a good brand for Maltese. Is this on the list? They really like it, but I don’t want to feed them something harmful. I did have them on Abound, salmon with sweet potato or pumpkin.
I did see Wellness on the list, but is this one?
Judy,
Due to their long re-call history, we do not recommend any foods for dogs or cat from Blue Buffalo. It seems apparent they are having quality control issues, that are sickening pets across the country.
First thanks for the information regarding lead and arsenic in premium dog foods.
You mentioned commercial raw diets could you suggest any specific brands.
He was raised on a raw diet by the breeders. I got him at 4 yrs, tried making a raw diet I made myself then tried Instinct raw patties w some instinct dry food but he had mucus diarrhea, lost 5 lbs weight and was switched to Wellness limited ingredient salmon and potato with weight gain and rare diarrhea.
He appears healthy. I give him baby carrot and his dry food for treats.
I’ve interested in your recommendations.
Thank you again
Barbara Rampo
My dog Gracie is a shih zu she had been on blue buffalo which I thought I was doing whats best, but obliviously not. she ended up with stones in her bladder and surgery next, my doctor said she has had a few of the same cases with others feeding them blue buffalo. she is now on a lifetime of Royal CANINE SOS WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND HARD FOR ME TO PAY.. What I read on that not so sure about either. I WISH I HAD 1 DOCTOR TELL ME THE TRUTH (WHAT IS REALLY THE BEST AND SAFEST FOOD FOR MY BABY SO I COULD GO ON HAVING FUN WITH HER ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT BECAUSE DOGS DESERVE IT AND THEY DON’T
LIVE LONG ANYWAYS. THANKS CONCERNED
please tell me how you make your own dog food. I’m not sure where to begin!!!
Omg iv been giving my dogs this food believing this was healthy. I’m sad to realize that i’ve been harming my dogs all along. Angry because this company falsely represented themselves, for years i’ve been paying higher prices for what I thought was a quality safe dog food.
Shame on you!!!!
there is a documentary every pet owner should see DOG FOOLED i dont need to say a thing the vets in this documentary say it all. just wondering whats in our food now
Any issues with Merrick or Castor Pollux dog food?? I joined dog food advisor to try to keep up with dog food info and they have none of this information. It’s shocking how they charge so much money and give our fur babies junk food.
The PAAWS Dog Vitamins are excellent!
My dog ate that almost her entire life and she got super sick fast and died.
Lost my standard poodle to melamine in 2007 and now my 10 yr old standard poodle who has been eating wellness fish core all his life the past two years I began buying smaller bags.” To keep it fresher” he has been so ill this year with terrible skin leisions and dry tar like stool. I cannot believe that I am going through this again. I found this article on a page from Dr Judy morgan thank god a few weeks ago and got him right off it. Now there’s pleanty of hits on this subject. It is so hard to find a vet that’s willing to put their name on a bad claim. Wish me luck. Atleast I have 10 years of barcodes and lot# s of everything he ever ate. 3 ziplock freezer bags full.
I am shocked to hear that the Blue Bufflo Grain free, I purchased based on the marketing and advertising it professes. We moved our dogs (schnauzers) from Purina Beyond to Blue Buffalo. My beautiful, 12.5 years, now has splenic cancer – a large tumor on his liver and spleen. He is not.long for this earth. I had taken him off of Blue Buffalo because he started throwing it up. Now that I have read this report and my neighbor advise me – all of my dogs will eat cooked food that I have control.of. and I will use antioxidants that are appropriate. I would like.to know how I can get compensation for the pain, suffering and soon to be loss.of my prized silver Schnauzer.
Are there any safe commercial dog foods out there now that aren’t going to cost an arm + a leg? We just got a sweet rescue Pittie. Don’t want anything to hurt him food wise. Lost 3 Rotties to cancer over the yrs, last one was in 3-17. We’re in our early 60s, so are down sizing dogs.
How do you join class action. I believe I just read that blue buffalo was all,Maybe Purina. Its industry wide no guidelines for safety in animal food. They lie. I had 3 dogs on blue for years have one left. Also I purchased. Rachael rays vegetable mix stuck hand in bag and cut finger bad on carrot dehydrated. My shitzu almost choked to death. I contacted them their distributator. Their lab. Co that made it. Sent samples to them and they were supposed to contact me. Never did wrote Rachel ray in NYC. Never a response. They don’t care.
How do you join the class action suit ?
Does anyone know if there are issues with Taste of the wild?
Is there any problem with Wellness Core canned food, both dog and cat? I’ m starting to panic. Recently switched from Blue Buffalo to Wellness Core , and now it is in litigation too. Also, where can I find recipes for home cooked dog and cat food?
Me too. I switched from Blue Buffalo to Wellness Core grain free and it’s not cheap. She has had some crystals and blood in her stools. Poor baby. I think I better start making her food.
i use Acana, never had any problems, company never has had any recalls, a bit pricey, but rather pay up front then later at the Vet
Acana now is involved in a class action law suit which will post within 24 hours
I feed my Great Danes Eagle Pack brand canned, and dry dog food. This company touts the fact that they’ve never had a recall.
Do you have any information about this brand?
I don’t understand why pet food companies do these terrible things. These dogs are family, like kiddos that we love with our very being. I lost my sweet Yorkie, Belle, she ate wellness for at least 2 years, both canned and dry. I now wonder if that played a part in her illness and subsequent death?? My little rescue Yorkie , Spanky ate the same and is now suffering from pancreatitis, uncontrollable diabetes and as a result is now blind. My heart hurts at the very thought of this criminal negligence and the pain and suffering these greedy companies inflicted on unsuspecting families. So heartbreaking.
PetSmart has their own brand of Blue Buffalo called Simply Nourish. We have been feeding our pups this for a few years and they seem healthy. Could this also have lead in it?
We always tell our clients to steer clear of pet food companies that have any history of recalls. You can always check this on the FDA website.
https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm
Thank you, Dr. Carol, for your information here. I have sent a link to the information on Wellness. We put my Yorkie on Wellness white fish and sweet potato (canned) later added Prescription R/D when she has loose stools. I wonder if the Wellness canned food was causing some of the problem? She was fine once we added the R/D – but over the last few months she started having G.I. issues again. We put her on a couple of different flavors of Zignature canned food, but not seeing much improvement.
After testing (echocardiogram and abdominal sonogram) showed nothing serious, blood work and urine analysis both came back normal, nothing in fecal… now I just sent a link to this information to my vet and we will discuss on Friday the 30th, I guess we will need to test for arsenic and lead….
This is devastating. But, knowledge is power and at least this lets me know what to look for and a source for other recalls, etc.
Again, thank you for your work and for sharing it with the public so we can protect our fur babies.
Abigail
My dog had allergies and only ate the Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato. In 2007, he died at the age of 9 from cancer (very young for a German Shepherd mix). I later found out that the food had melamine to make the protein levels seem higher. Also reading so many other bad stories about Wellness, I will never buy their food ever again and will try to warn people before deciding to buy this brand.