FDA Warns Owners About Toxic Pet Food After 28 Dogs Die

At least 28 dogs have died and another eight fell ill after consuming a brand of dog food found to contain dangerous levels of aflatoxin. The Food and Drug Administration warned pet owners about the toxin, which was found in some Sportmix products made by Midwestern Pet Foods that were recalled on Wednesday. The FDA said the “scope of the recall may expand as new information becomes available” during its investigation with the manufacturer and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “Although this pet food recall is still unfolding, we are sharing the facts we have so far because the levels of aflatoxin found in the recalled pet food are potentially fatal,” the agency said in a release. Aspergillus flavus mold, which creates aflatoxin, can grow on the grains that make up pet food, potentially causing sickness or death when consumed in large quantities.