Lawsuit Alleges Major Pet Food Manufacturer Has Been Feeding Animals Lead

by pawbuzz on in Animals, Cats, Dogs, Food & Recipes, Health 104

Blue Buffalo has not been immune to errors in quality control over the past few years. The pet food manufacturer has issued three recalls in 2017 alone, and it now faces a lawsuit that alleges its products have been causing lead poisoning.

California resident Vladi Zakinov filed a class-action lawsuit against Blue Buffalo after his 4-year-old cocker spaniel-poodle mix, Coco, was stricken with an acute kidney disease and died after eating the food daily.

Healthy Pets reports that lead was discovered in the dog’s bodily tissues after death. Zakinov’s case blames Blue Buffalo for that death.

Source: Pexels

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the permissible amount of lead in a food product at 5 parts per billion, but a third-party lab found excess amounts in the following Blue Buffalo foods:

Zakinov’s case asserts that Blue Buffalo did not protect its customers from lead poisoning by warning them of lead in their products or the health issues lead-tainted foods can cause. He wants to be paid back for the food he purchased from the company back when he believed its positioning as a healthy and holistic option.

Source: Vladi Zakinov v. Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc

He also wants compensation for Coco’s veterinary bills and the loss of his friend.

LEAD POISONING

When lead is ingested, it can take the place of zinc and calcium in cells, gradually building up and affecting the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.

Source: Pxhere

PetMD maintains that young animals and dogs are the most common victims of lead poisoning, although cats are also vulnerable.

Lead poisoning symptoms include:

  • Vomiting
  • Poor appetite
  • Loss of balance
  • Diarrhea
  • Seizures
  • Blindness
  • And eventually, death

If you notice your pet exhibiting any of these symptoms, call a veterinarian immediately. They will need to understand your pet’s health and environmental history, as well as run a number of tests to see if lead is an issue.

Source: Pexels

Pet food has long been a source of worry for pet owners and health officials. Reports of salmonella contamination are frequent and threaten not only animals eating the food but also the owners handling it. Nutritional deficiencies and toxins have been found in pet foods as well — including melamine, which has led to multiple pet deaths.

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104 thoughts on “Lawsuit Alleges Major Pet Food Manufacturer Has Been Feeding Animals Lead”

  5. Sam Beavin

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    Not surprised anymore. It has become normal to not be to trust anyone. Look at business, politicians, people in authority, coaches. This is calling out no one – but who can anyone really trust.

  14. Matthew Lyons

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    I called and inquired about this with Chewy.com and they said it was all safe and they have no recall on any Blue Buffalo stuff. They say if anything ever does happen they will contact the customer and not ship the product.

  24. Harvey Greer

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    Stopped using blue buffalo while ago. Only feed my babies Acana or Orijen champion dog foods. My 15 year old Rottweiler looks better and I would say feels better and still likes to play with puppies.

  26. Deb Haverlock

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    We asked our vet specifically about this, she had heard nothing about it and stated they get notices about foods that are not healthy or not good foods. My Moose is on the senior large dog chicken and rice.

  36. Matthew Fellows

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    I have been a blue buffalo fan for 12 years. I was 16 and worked at the petsmart a few blocks away. I met a rep while stalking shelves and obviously wanted to be educated on the new product i was stocking to help my customers. At this point and time in my life i was already into bird and dog breeding. So i was curious. Learning of the story of a man and his dying dog i will never forget. It was the only food of its time with out so much filler and actual nutritional ingredients. Ive always stuck with the old school stuff. When blue introduced all those new lines of food i figured at that point he sold out. Sasha is three years on nothing but chicken and brown rice large breed. Healthy as ever.

  37. Paula Lindsey

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    My dogs started having diarrhea on Blue Buffalo in the spring of 2017. I had been feeding them Blue Buffalo Wild Salmon for some time and suddenly they started getting sick in April. Switched them to Merrick, problem solved.

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