From December 2023, online posts (archived) claimed that dozens of dogs became ill after eating Purina dog foods, which have at least 10 (archived post) dying as a result. The repetitions of the claim appear to have come from the Facebook group Saving Pets One Pet @ one Hour (archived).
Below is a sample of some of the comments found in the group on January 30, 2024:
(Snopes compilation)
One website said that “in at least one instance, Purina offered to cover the pet owner’s veterinary bills.” Snopes is awaiting clarification from Purina on whether the claim is true.
In response to our general inquiry, a Purina spokesperson Lorie Westhoff Snopes notes that, as of this publication, “Purina has no current or pending recalls.”
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees pet food regulation, recalls can be conducted “on a company’s own initiative, by request of the FDA, or by order by FDA under authority of law.”
When Snopes searched for the FDA database (archived) for Purina recall, three have arrived — two from 2023 and one from 2022, which we’ve listed below:
- March 10, 2023: Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescribes dry dog food for “potentially high ingredient levels.”
- Feb. 8, 2023: Veterinary Diets EL Elemental dry dog food for “potentially high Vitamin D.” [Note: This was a voluntary recall following two complaints of dog illness, according to Purina.]
- December 2, 2022: Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat (PPVD EN Low Fat) prescription wet dog food for “mislabeling.”
Purina confirmed that those recalls have been completed and terminated by the FDA.
Westhoff referred Snopes to a Purina News release (archived) to address concerns related to the safety of Purina dog food, last updated on Jan. 15, 2024. In it, the company said it was investigating claims made online despite believing them to be implausible:
Because of this rumor, our Quality Assurance team reviewed all incoming consumer contact, manufacturing, and quality assurance data (including ingredient analysis, analytical data throughout the production process, and analysis of quality after production) for the previous year.
Additionally, our Office of Consumer Affairs, which receives calls and messages from pet parents and works closely with our quality assurance experts, veterinarians, nutritionists, a veterinary toxicologist and many others, to investigate product complaints, reviewed its data from the previous year. A thorough investigation by both teams found no data or trends that would indicate an issue with the product that had not been previously addressed.
“Just to repeat, the group behind the rumor has not provided any evidence or facts to support this narrative. It is currently based on anecdotal stories from pet owners,” said Westhoff. “Almost all the calls we get about this are from scared pet owners who are reading about this false rumor online and trying to figure out if there’s a problem with our food, which there isn’t. These rumors causes unnecessary stress and creates a sense of apparent fear that they may be doing something wrong.”
According to the news released by Purina, some of the people the claim proceeding is believed to have marketed or sold products that “competed with Purina, and some served as paid social media influencers to promote products and brands that were not actively purina- target of this rumor.”
Snopes posted on the Facebook group to solicit comments from members willing to provide a verified, confirmed report (ie, a necropsy from a veterinarian) directly linking Purina dog food to the illness or death of their dog. As of this publication, we have received no response.
The FDA did not respond to specific questions about whether it is investigating claims related to purported illnesses and deaths linked to Purina dog food. Instead, the agency wrote in an email:
The FDA takes seriously its responsibility to help ensure that pet food ingredients are safe and nutritious. While the agency cannot comment on the specifics of these specific disease reports at this time, generally when FDA becomes aware of pet illnesses, we will review them and determine what — if any — FDA action may be required. The agency encourages pet owners or their veterinarians to submit reports of illness or other adverse events associated with pet food directly to FDA by following the instructions on this page: How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.
The agency also referred Snopes to a X post which it shared with Jan. 12, 2024, pet owners are encouraged to report food-related medical issues to the FDA:
If your pet is sick, see a vet! If the veterinarian examines the pet and suspects a health issue is food-related, please submit an official report to the FDA. Like this: https://t.co/xK4jzOa1CB. Up-to-date, detailed reports with medical records + dietary information help us evaluate your case. pic.twitter.com/CXyvl1s7Ce
— FDA CVM (Center for Veterinary Medicine) (@FDAanimalhealth) January 12, 2024
Snopes will continue to monitor the situation and update this article as new information becomes available.
