Blue Buffalo Recall: What You Need to Know

Although you’ve seen it promoted as a premium brand, you may be concerned about the Blue Buffalo recall after hearing about it. Here’s the info you’re looking for.

We love our pets. We pamper them, dress them up, and spend a fortune on them every year. Part of taking superior care of your pets is buying them the highest quality food you can afford. Whether this means splurging for grain-free, raw, organic, or holistic formulas is up to the individual pet owner to determine.

Blue Buffalo brand is one of the most popular and highly lauded pet foods on the market. Last year, Blue Buffalo voluntarily recalled one of its BLUE dog food formulas: BLUE Wilderness® Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs.

This is not the first time we’ve seen a Blue Buffalo recall for products. Nor is it the first time the company has faced public scrutiny about the quality of its high-priced pet foods. In fact, the company has had to defend itself against a class action suit regarding lead contamination. Blue Buffalo brand has also issued recalls for over 30 varieties of pet food products between 2007 and 2017.

One month before the most recent Blue Buffalo recall, they recalled its Homestyle Recipe dog food. The dog food was under suspicion for possible contamination with metal. That same month, the company recalled 17 varieties of dog food cups. This time because of a packaging malfunction.

In June of 2017, Blue Buffalo was issued a class-action suit in California. The claim alleged that the company’s 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 all contained toxic levels of lead. However, Blue Buffalo denied these claims, and the suit was dismissed last month.

In November of 2015, the Blue Buffalo recall was Blue Kitty Yums Tasty Chicken Recipe cat treats. The company warned that the treat possibly contained low levels of propylene glycol. Even in very small amounts, propylene glycol can cause a condition called Heinz body hemolytic anemia in cats. In addition, in that same month, Blue Buffalo recalled its Cub Size Wilderness Wild Chews Bones due to potential salmonella. Salmonella is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that can result in severe diarrhea. Humans and animals can pass the infection to one another.

In November of 2015, the Blue Buffalo recall was Blue Kitty Yums Tasty Chicken Recipe cat treats. The company warned that the treat possibly contained low levels of propylene glycol. Even in very small amounts, propylene glycol can cause a condition called Heinz body hemolytic anemia in cats. In addition, in that same month, Blue Buffalo recalled its Cub Size Wilderness Wild Chews Bones due to potential salmonella. Salmonella is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that can result in severe diarrhea. Humans and animals can pass the infection to one another.

In October of 2010, the Blue Buffalo recall was four varieties of its dry dog food. The list included Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food, Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon, and Potato Recipe dry dog food. These formulas potentially contained unsafe levels of Vitamin D. High levels of Vitamin D are often found in rodent poisons. Overdose can cause the following symptoms in dogs: bloody stool and/or vomit, increased thirst and urination, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, constipation, excessive drooling, muscle tremors, seizures, and depression.

In April of 2007, Blue Buffalo issued a recall of all cans of Blue Buffalo BLUE dog food, all cans of Blue Buffalo BLUE Spa Select cat food, all Blue Buffalo BLUE dog treats, and Blue Buffalo Spa Select Kitten dry food. These foods and treats were contaminated with melamine (a plastic compound combined with formaldehyde and used for laminating). Melamine poisoning causes acute kidney failure and resulted in the the death of hundreds of dogs in 2007 alone.

The latest Blue Buffalo recall is voluntary. This happens when a company becomes aware of a potential problem with its products and decides to recall it before consumers suffer any damages. In this case, Blue Buffalo responded to a possible safety issue after an owner claimed that their dog got sick after consuming BLUE Wilderness® Rocky Mountain RecipeTM Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs. The company investigated and found possible elevated beef thyroid hormones in one production lot of the Blue dog food formula in question. They implemented a recall as a result, and there were no further reports of similar incidents. Not affected by this Blue Buffalo recall are cat food and other varieties of Blue dog foods.

The symptoms that appear in dogs who have ingested high levels of beef thyroid hormones are similar to any other form of toxicity. If your dog experiences increased thirst and urination, weight loss, increased heart rate, restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or rapid or difficulty breathing after consuming BLUE Wilderness® Rocky Mountain RecipeTM Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs, he or she may be exhibiting a reaction to beef thyroid hormones. It is possible that symptoms will resolve on their own when you discontinue feeding your dog that formula. However, it is important to take the dog to a veterinarian for treatment if he or she continues to suffer from any or all of these symptoms after no longer being fed the recalled Blue Buffalo dog food.

If you have purchased BLUE Wilderness® Rocky Mountain RecipeTM Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs, the first step is to check the product’s packaging for the UPC code and the expiration date. The manufacturer only recalled one production lot. This means all of the recalled products have the same UPC (840243101153) and the same Best Buy Date (June 17, 2019). If you find that the UPC and Best By Date on the product you purchased match those of the recalled production lot, you are entitled to a refund. Take any BLUE Wilderness® Rocky Mountain RecipeTM Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs with this recalled UPC and Best Buy Date back to the store where you bought it. They will take the food back and issue you a full refund.

Let’s be honest, if the past is any indicator, the odds of another Blue Buffalo recall are high. Keep an eye on the Recallspage if you plan to continue feeding your pets Blue Buffalo. Stay aware of recalls by checking periodically, or sign up for email updates. It is even possible to contact Blue Buffalo directly. Call or email with questions about past, present, and future recalls, or product safety concerns. Blue Buffalo’s customer service department can be reached by phone at (866) 201-9072 or by email. (CustomerCare@bluebuffalo.com)

Our pets don’t have a choice in the food they are provided. The only way to keep our beloved animal companions safe is being vigilant about the products we buy for them. Research and compare pet food brands. Decide what matters to you in a pet food and compare the leading brands that meet those requirements. Safety recalls on pet products happen very frequently. They aren’t, by any means, limited to any particular brand. Unless you make all your own pet food and treats from scratch, keep an eye out for recent pet food recalls. They could affect the health of your furry family members.