Wellness Recalls Canned Cat Food For Low Thiamine Levels

Wellness is a higher-end brand of dog and cat food that’s now even carried at Petsmart. After discovering that some flavors didn’t contain enough thiamine (Vitamin B1), an absolutely essential nutrient for cats, the company announced a voluntary recall of all canned cat food manufactured between certain dates.

WellPet, the company that manufactures Wellness, said that they discovered the issue during independent testing of their products. This testing occurred after the Food and Drug Administration received a consumer complaint about the food. (Whether this complaint involved a sick pet, they didn’t say.)

The products that you should look for on your shelf include:

Wellness Canned Cat Food (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;

Wellness Canned Cat Food Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with 10NOV13 or 17NOV13 best by dates.

The chicken and herring can is the one pictured in this post.

In a statement addressed to “pet parents,” WellPet CEO Tim Callahan said, “Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.”

It takes weeks of eating low-thiamine food to develop a deficiency. If you’ve been feeding your pet solely recalled food, the symptoms to watch for include:

…loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures.

Customers should call WellPet at 877-227-9587 to arrange for a return of the food and refund.

Wellpet LLC Voluntarily Recalls Certain Lots Of Canned Cat Food [FDA] (Thanks, Elanor!)
Information on the Voluntary Wellness Canned Cat Recall [Wellness]

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