Purina dog food safety claims spark viral concern

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Concerns in viral TikTok videos and in a public Facebook group with tens of thousands of members allege Purina’s Pro Plan pet food has sickened hundreds of animals.

The claims, first reported on the website eFoodAlert.com, range from dogs vomiting, having diarrhea and seizures — and in some cases dying — after pet owners say the dogs consumed food produced by Purina.

Purina has now responded to the allegations.

Here’s what we can VERIFY so far about the Purina dog food safety claims.

• Purina
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Purina disputes its food is making pets sick

On Jan. 5, 2024, Purina responded to safety concerns being raised in viral posts, calling the claims “online rumors.”

“These false statements may be creating unnecessary stress for pet parents. There are no health or safety issues with any of our products, and they can continue to be fed with confidence,” the St. Louis-based company said in a statement posted to its website.

Purina said the source of some claims were, “well-intentioned pet parents who are genuinely concerned and trying to be helpful, while others may be trying to create chaos and distrust of certain brands as an opportunity to sell their own products.”

As of Jan. 15, the Facebook group called Saving Pets One Pet @ A Time had received more than 700 unsubstantiated reports of animals getting sick, and nearly 200 pets dying, supposedly after consuming Purina’s Pro Plan pet food, according to the website eFoodAlert.com.

Purina said there is no evidence supporting the reports.

“There is no product issue. All of our brands, including Pro Plan are safe to feed,” Purina spokesperson Lorie Westhoff told 10 Tampa Bay. “Sadly, this rumor is spreading quickly and causing a lot of unnecessary stress for pet parents.”

Purina posted an update on Jan. 15 to say investigations by its quality and consumer affairs teams found no data or trend that would indicate a product issue that has not been previously addressed. The company says as few as two complaints about the same Purina product can trigger an internal investigation. But Westhoff did not respond to 10 Tampa Bay’s request for the number of complaints it has received related to its Pro Plan food.

The FDA has not announced a recall

There is no recent recall listing for Purina products on the Food and Drug Administration’s website. 

A spokesperson for the FDA told 10 Tampa Bay the agency is aware of reports of pet illnesses and “generally speaking,” evaluates claims to determine what – if any – action is necessary. 

The FDA encourages pet owners and veterinarians to report illness or other adverse events associated with pet food directly to the agency.

One TikToker who has posted a series of videos outlining the claims said she had no confirmation of issues with Purina food and acknowledged there is no official recall for the food. 

10 Tampa Bay requested the number of adverse event reports the FDA has received on Purina pet food since Dec. 1, 2023, and is awaiting a response.

In March 2023, Purina voluntarily recalled Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental prescription dog food due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D.

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