Hy-Vee recalls house-brand dog food and treats

The Hy-Vee Inc. grocery store chain voluntarily recalled certain bags of its Hy-Vee band dog food due to elevated levels of aflatoxin, a chemical contaminant commonly found in corn. The contaminant was found during routine random tests conducted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture in samples of the dog food produced at a Kansas City Plant operated by Pro-Pet, LLC.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aflatoxin is a naturally occurring chemical produced by the mold fungus Aspergillus, which is often found in corn, particularly during drought conditions. Pets that ingest higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin, especially over a period of time, may become ill. Clinical signs of exposure include sluggishness or lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, jaundice and diarrhea. The primary clinical finding is elevated liver enzyme activities.

Hy-Vee officials say no illnesses have been reported in dogs consuming the product, and the product does not pose a health risk to humans handling it. Potentially affected products have been removed from Hy-Vee stores. The recalled products carry three different “best by” dates and were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between Oct. 26, 2012, and Jan. 11, 2013.

The recall includes Hy-Vee Complete Dog Complete Nutrition dog food and Hy-Vee Complete Dog Bites, Bones and Squares treats. For a detailed list of the products recalled go to fda.gov. Recalled products can be returned to Hy-Vee stores for a full refund.