Yes, Wellness Pet Food has been recalled multiple times. The most recent Wellness recall was announced on March 18th, 2017 due to elevated levels of naturally occurring beef thyroid hormone. In total, Wellness has been recalled five times.
The Wellness brand of pet food was launched in 1997 by WellPet. The companys first brand of dog food was Old Mother Hubbard (which is still available). Although Wellness has been recalled five times within two decades, Old Mother Hubbard has never been recalled.
Not only has the oldest brand never been recalled, neither have any of the other 3 brands owned by WellPet (Holistic Select, Eagle Pack, and Sojos). The fact that Wellness has issued 5 recalls and none of the other brands owned by WellPet have had any recalls is a very strange observation.
WellPet announced a voluntarily recall for one variety of canned dog food. The recalled canned dog food is called Wellness 95% Beef Topper. The affected product is packaged in 13.2 ounce cans and has an expiration date of 2/2/2019, 8/29/2019, or 8/30/19.
The affected products may contain elevated levels of a naturally occurring beef thyroid hormone. According to WellPet, symptoms of consuming the affected canned dog food may include the following: increased thirst, increased urination, restless behavior, and weight loss.
On the same day this recall was issued, Blue Buffalo also announced a recall for the same exact reason. Most likely, Blue Buffalo canned foods and Wellness canned foods are produced within the same facility.
WellPet recalled several varieties of canned cat food. The company was notified that foreign material was found in some non-WellPet products manufactured in the same facility as Wellness canned cat foods. Therefore, WellPet decided to issue a voluntary recall as a precautionary measure.
Wellness announced a recall for its 12 pound Small Breed Adult Healthy Dry Dog Food. The foods moisture content was higher than expected. According to the announcement, “High Moisture can cause food to mold before its expiration date.”
The affected dry dog food has an expiration date of August 18, 2013. No other products were included in the recall.
WellPet announced a voluntary recall for one recipe of Wellness dry dog food because of a possible salmonella contamination. The dry food was produced by Diamond Pet Foods in Gaston, South Carolina. Here is a snippet of the original press release:
Products being recalled: Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy (15 lbs, 30 lbs, 5 oz) with best by dates of JAN 9 2013 through JAN 11 2013.
Wellness recalled certain lots of Wellness canned cat food due to insufficient levels of thiamine. Here are the main points from the original press release:
Wellness dog foods and cat foods are made in the USA. The WellPet company owns its own manufacturing facility located in Mishawaka, Indiana. The vast majority of products (including all dry foods) are produced within the companys own Mishawaka, Indiana facility. However, it appears that most Wellness canned food products are produced elsewhere.
By studying the recall history of Wellness, it appears that the canned foods are manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. We know that Diamond Pet Foods owns five different pet food facilities through the United States. Unfortunately, pet foods manufactured in Diamond Pet Food facilities have been involved in some very serious recalls.
Wellness pet food is often considered a premium pet food brand. None of the brands owned by WellPet contain any artificial preservatives or artificial food dyes.
It appears that WellPet has recently increased the size of its Mishawaka, Indiana manufacturing facility. The expansion is a positive step forward for the company because it allows them to outsource less of their production. By manufacturing foods within their own facilities, they could reduce the likelihood of contamination and manufacturing errors.
Most brands owned by WellPet have not been involved in any recalls weve been able to find. However, Wellness has been recalled on five different occasions. Were not certain why there is such a large discrepancy between the recall record of Wellness and the recall record of the 3 other brands owned by WellPet.
Given that Wellness is the companys #1 selling brand, WellPet may have been forced to outsource the manufacturing of Wellness. This could be a possible reason for the discrepancy in recalls, but that is just speculation on our part.
One particular issue that bothers us regarding WellPet is the way in which they announce recalls. Of the five Wellness recalls, two of the recalls were never mentioned on the FDA website. Instead, they decided to only announce the recalls on their own website and Facebook page. Were not sure why those two recalls (February 10, 2017, October 30, 2012) were not announced by the FDA.
Generally, WellPet has had an excellent record of safety throughout its history. Even with Wellness, most recalls have been precautionary in nature. We havent reported any serious illnesses or deaths attributed to any Wellness pet food recall.
Furthermore, public option of Wellness is positive relative to many of its competitors. Therefore, we believe that Wellness is one of the better premium brands of pet food commercially available.
We are fairly confident in the safety of the dry food recipes offered by Wellness, however we have serious concerns regarding the canned food varieties. Hopefully WellPet will continue expanding its own facilities to accommodate the manufacturing canned pet food.
List of Wellness Pet Food Recalls
Cause: Potential for elevated levels of naturally occurring beef thyroid hormone. Announcement: Website announcement dated March 17, 2017 (archived here). What was recalled: 13.2 oz. cans of Wellness 95% Beef Topper for Dogs with “best by” dates of Feb. 2, 2019; Aug. 29, 2019; or Aug. 30, 2019.
Cause: Potential for foreign material. Announcement: Website announcement dated Feb. 10, 2017 (archived here). What was recalled: 12.5 oz. cans of the following Wellness cat food:
Cause: Possible moisture problems, which could lead to mold. Announcement: Facebook announcement dated Oct. 30, 2012 (archived here). What was recalled: Wellness Small Breed Adult Health Dry Dog Food, 12 lb. package with “best by” date of Aug. 18, 2013.
Cause: Potential for salmonella. Announcement: FDA report dated May 4, 2012 (archived here). What was recalled: Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy, 15 lb. and 30 lb. bags and 5 oz. sample bags with “best by” dates of Jan. 9–11, 2013.
Cause: Unapproved ingredient (a grain called amaranth that was approved for humans but not for pets). Announcement: Article in the Albuquerque Journal dated Jan. 27, 2012. What was recalled: The state of New Mexico ordered the removal from stores of certain Wellness WellBar dog treats containing amaranth. WellPet said it would be reformulating the treats.
Cause: Inadequate levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Announcement: FDA report dated Feb. 28, 2011 (archived here). What was recalled: The following canned cat foods and expiration dates:
If you have not done so already, we urge you to sign up now for Petful’s FREE recall alerts by email. Our free alerts are saving pets’ lives.
Review of Wellness Core Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Wellness Core Dog Food earns the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Wellness Core product line includes the 12 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
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Wellness Core Original Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal (source of glucosamine), chicken meal (source of chondroitin sulfate), peas, dried ground potatoes, lentils, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, ground flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, salmon oil, taurine, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, chicory root extract, spinach, broccoli, carrots, parsley, apples, blueberries, kale, mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, niacin, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, Yucca schidigera extract, calcium iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, rosemary extract, green tea extract, spearmint extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 34% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 18% | 36% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 32% | 37% | 31% |
The first ingredient in this recipe is turkey. Although it is a quality item, raw turkey contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The third ingredient is chicken meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The next ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is dried ground potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.
The next ingredient lists lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The eighth ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The ninth listing is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Wellness product.
With 4 notable exceptions…
First, we find salmon oil which is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
Next, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Based on its ingredients alone, Wellness Core Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 36%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 38% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 38% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 42%.
Which means this Wellness product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, dried potato, lentils and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Which Types of Dogs is Wellness Core Dog Food Best Suited For?
Any owners who want to feed their pets food made from high-quality, natural-if-possible ingredients should consider Wellness Core.
The food is high in protein and fat, so it should be a good choice for both active dogs and those who could stand to lose a few pounds.
FAQ
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