Pet food contamination is no laughing matter. It affects your pets, their happiness, well-being, and their health. Recently, Blue Buffalo dog food was caught in a controversy of making dogs sick. Then what is the problem with Blue Buffalo dog food?
Blue Buffalo is the pet food brand to watch out for. It has been the subject of many online reviews and complaints from pet owners who report that their dogs have experienced symptoms associated with the use of Blue Buffalo dog food.
During recent years, thousands of pet owners have claimed that the pet food has made their dogs sick and even killed a significant number of pets. The complaints are wide-ranging: vomiting, lethargy, and general bad health, including stomach upset and allergies. There were reports of dogs literally wasting away before their owner’s eyes while on Blue Buffalo dog food.
Blue Buffalo has been in the news a lot lately and not for positive reasons. It seems many dog owners are not happy with the recent changes in their dog food formulas. They say that the food has changed, and it doesn’t seem to be as good as it was before.
Many reviews of Blue Buffalo say their dogs have become ill after eating this brand. Some of these people blame the change on the manufacturer, others blame it on the ingredients used by Blue Buffalo and still others think it may be a virus or bacteria that is causing problems for dogs eating these foods.
Some of these dog owners believe that their dogs have become ill from parasites or other infections that were present in their food when they purchased it. Other pet owners think that some ingredients have been changed in the dog food, which is resulting in illness in some dogs who consume this brand of dog food.
The number of complaints about Blue Buffalo dog foods has increased dramatically over the past year, especially since this company was sold to another corporation.
“I bought the small bag of dog food for my 9lb puppy. I was really excited about it cause I love the ingredients that are in it and I always buy high-quality foods for my dog. When she started eating it, she wouldn’t even touch the food. She kept putting her nose up to it, then walking away. I had never seen her do that with any other dog food I have given her before. Then when she did taste it, she spat it right out and puked. My husband and I tried mixing it with her old food, but she still had no interest in eating it. After a few days of trying to get her to eat this dog food, I gave up and went out and bought some generic brand dog food that she will eat … so needless to say… this Blue Buffalo Dog Food was a complete waste of money and time!”
“I purchased several cans and my dog ate them all within 15 minutes. He seemed to really enjoy it but then he started vomiting uncontrollably for a few hours.”
“I wish I could give this brand zero stars. The first time I fed my new puppy food from this brand, she immediately threw it up. After that, we switched to another brand and had no problems.”
“My dog has been having digestive issues for almost a year now and I was at my wit’s end trying to figure out why. Nothing would help. It was like clockwork every 10 days he had diarrhea and then he would be fine until the next bout. I had him tested for worms twice, blood work done, etc. We changed his food hoping that would help but it didn’t seem to make a difference… I was really skeptical about switching his food because he seemed to like what he was eating but my gut told me it was time for a change.”
Blue Buffalo has been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging its pet food causes serious illnesses and possible death in dogs.
The complaint says the company falsely advertises that its pet foods are free of animal byproducts and contain natural, healthy ingredients. But according to the lawsuit, tests show otherwise.
The lawsuit alleges that the following dog food products caused kidney failure, liver disease, and other ailments, according to Petful:
The suit has been brought by two dog owners who claim that their pets became ill or died after eating Blue Buffalo products. The plaintiffs allege that their dogs suffered from a number of symptoms associated with poultry by-product consumption, including vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.
This lawsuit is just one of many class-action lawsuits filed against the company in recent years. All of these lawsuits allege some form of false advertising on the part of the company. In some cases, plaintiffs are questioning whether or not Blue Buffalo’s products actually contain the vitamins and nutrients they claim to contain. The latest complaint alleges that Blue Buffalo’s products contain dangerous levels of lead.
Consumers who have reviewed Blue Buffalo dog food seem to be very happy with their purchase. There are hundreds of reviews by customers on Amazon that claim that they have switched their dogs over to Blue Buffalo dog food and they have not had a problem since. Some customers even claim that this has saved them money in the long run because there is no longer any need to buy special food for skin or stomach-related problems.
Blue Buffalo reviews from customers state that they’ve had great experiences with this company and that their pets love it too! People say that after switching to Blue Buffalo, their pets’ coats look healthier and shinier.
One reviewer said that the dog food is excellent, but it’s expensive. Another reviewer said that Blue Buffalo is the best dog food on the market and that she would never switch to another brand of dog food.
Reviewers on Chewy.com said that Blue Buffalo is one of the best dog food brands they’ve ever used. They also said they prefer Blue Buffalo dog food because it’s better than other brands, especially at helping dogs maintain a healthy weight.
Reviewers say their dogs enjoy the taste of Blue Buffalo and seem to do well on it for years without getting sick.
Consumers also love how easy it is to purchase Blue Buffalo dog food online. You can order it directly from the company’s website or you can purchase it on places like Amazon.com.Blue Buffalo Wilderness for Dogs | Chewy
The lawyers claimed that a small bowl of Blue Wilderness chicken recipe contains more carbohydrates than a wild grey wolf is likely to consume in a lifetime. Since the marketing implies that the dog food is similar to a wolf’s natural diet, the lawyers argued that consumers may assume it was likewise low in carbohydrates.
“Wild wolves consume little or no dietary carbohydrate and they do not experience high rates of chronic diseases such as obesity and cancer. In fact, these diseases are essentially non-existent in wolf populations,…” wrote the lawyers. Blue Buffalo’s “claims are deceptive because their Blue Wilderness products all contain high levels of dietary carbohydrates, which are neither healthy for dogs nor a meaningful part of the diet of grey wolves.”
Tim Wall covers the dog, cat and other pet food industries as senior reporter for WATT Global Media. His work has appeared in Live Science, Discovery News, Scientific American, Honduras Weekly, Global Journalist and other outlets. He holds a journalism masters degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a bachelors degree in biology.
A dog owner filed a class action lawsuit claiming that consumption of Blue Buffalo dog food caused her pet’s obesity. In legal documents, Shannon Walton’s lawyers claimed her seven-year-old Labrador-Beagle mix, Tucker, “gained significant weight and now requires medical attention for canine obesity.” Veterinarians also diagnosed the dog with diabetes, which Walton pays to treat. Tucker ate BLUE Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe (Red Meat flavor) and BLUE Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe (Bison flavor).
The packages of both variety feature a wolf, as Walton’s lawyers noted. They based their argument on Blue Buffalo’s marketing and labeling of its dog foods as healthy and inspired by grey wolves’ natural diets. They listed marketing terms, “[i]nspired by the diet of wolves,” “ancestors in the wild” and “Nature’s Evolutionary Diet.” Lawyers filed their complaint with the U.S. District Court in New York.
As pet parents ourselves, we know that many of you have questions about the FDA’s ongoing investigation into dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and what it means for the health of your four-legged family members and the safety of their food. Blue Buffalo is taking the issue of DCM very seriously. We are providing the following information to help pet parents better understand DCM and what Blue Buffalo is doing around this important issue.
All Blue Buffalo products undergo a robust formulation, manufacturing and testing process to ensure their safety, efficacy and compliance with all nutrient requirements. All Blue Buffalo formulas undergo feeding studies, including digestibility and nutrient analyses, to help ensure their safety and efficacy. Blue Buffalo formulates and manufactures all of its products to meet the criteria of evaluating commercial pet foods as outlined by the Global Nutrition Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), an organization that represents 105 member associations of more than 200,000 individual veterinarians. And, as we pledge with our True BLUE Promise, all of our diets are made with high-quality natural ingredients and contain NO corn, wheat or soy, NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals and NO artificial flavors or preservatives.
Our team continues to work hard to better understand DCM and to collaborate with experts across the industry to determine what, if any, role diet plays in DCM. Even though the number of DCM cases remains small, we know that pet parents consider a variety of factors when choosing the best food for their four-legged family members. That’s why we are proud to offer a broad range of diets to meet a variety of nutritional needs for your dogs and cats, and to support you in choosing a healthy and holistic food for your pet.
In late September of 2020, the FDA hosted a symposium on the topic of DCM at Kansas State University, which Blue Buffalo participated in, along with other industry experts. To date, no causative link has been established between DCM and a grain-free diet in dogs. The FDA further stated that DCM in dogs is a multifaceted issue and likely has many contributing factors including genetics, environment, taurine levels and nutritional deficiencies. Because this will require a broader investigation, another FDA announcement on DCM is likely years away. We will continue to work with the FDA as they look into each factor, and together we hope to arrive at a clear understanding of what causes DCM in dogs.
At Blue Buffalo, we have worked hard to build a brand you can trust. From the ingredients we choose, to formulation by a team of animal nutritionists, veterinarians and food scientists, to our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and processes, we want pet parents to feel confident that they are getting the best product possible for their beloved four-legged family members. Know that we will continue to uphold these high standards for every recipe that we make, because we believe that when you love your pets like family, you feed them like family.
In a statement to CNBC, J.M. Smucker, which owns Natural Balance and Rachel Ray Delish, said: “As pet parents ourselves, we will continue to monitor this very closely, as we want to make sure all dogs are happy and healthy. Since a conclusive root cause has not been identified to date, we will continue to actively collaborate with the FDA and industry partners to better understand and resolve this increase in heart disease occurrences among dogs.”
Midwestern Pet Foods, which owns the Earthborn Holistic brand, said it has reviewed the FDAs recent update regarding grain-free pet foods and the potential link to DCM.
DCM is recognized as a genetic condition in dogs, commonly affecting larger breeds like the Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane or Irish Wolfhound. However, the FDA began to investigate after receiving reports of the disease in breeds that dont normally suffer from the condition.
General Mills added that all of its Blue Buffalo products contain taurine. “Blue Buffalo is evaluating the data shared by the FDA, and will be utilizing this data into our own research regarding canine DCM,” the company said.
The FDA said it is still “gathering information to better understand” how taurine may have a role in reports of DCM.
FAQ
What is bad about Blue Buffalo dog food?
What do vets say about Blue Buffalo dog food?
Is Blue Buffalo food good for my dog?
An excellent choice for active dogs, this food is high in protein to give them the energy they need to keep going. Pick one of the versions with healthy whole grains as grain-free formulas may be detrimental to heart health.
Is Blue Buffalo poison?