Sportmix pet food voluntarily recalled

COLUMBIA, MO. — Following an alert by a University of Missouri veterinary toxicology expert working in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. voluntarily recalled some of their Sportmix brand of pet food on Dec. 30, 2020.

The FDA launched a formal investigation to identify all Sportmix pet food products containing potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin, a fungal toxin that can be poisonous if consumed by animals or humans. The FDA is now aware of more than 30 canine deaths and 8 illnesses in dogs, located in multiple states, that ate the contaminated product.

MU’s Tim Evans, an associate professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and head of the toxicology section in MU’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, alerted the Missouri Department of Agriculture and Steve Strubberg, Missouri’s state veterinarian, after a sample of pet food submitted to the VMDL by one of his former students, David Sikes, was found to contain high, potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin that exceeded FDA regulations.

The FDA’s deputy director for the Division of Compliance at the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Amber McCoig, is another former student of Evans, and she has been actively involved in the investigation since its very beginning.

“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,” said McCoig, who graduated from MU in 2005. “We are working quickly on this developing situation and will continue to update the public as new information becomes available. This is in service of the FDA’s mission to protect human and animal health.”

Evans provides an overview of what happened and advice for what pet owners should look out for and what to do if they suspect their pet may have eaten contaminated pet food.

The clinical signs to look for in your pet include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and potentially yellow mucous membranes in the pet’s mouth.

This recall is a perfect example that illustrates Mizzou’s commitment to the ‘One Health’ approach. By collaborating with governmental and business industries, the research at Mizzou is aimed at service and outreach to benefit Missourians and keep animals safe and healthy.