Is Hill’s Science Diet Discontinued? Hill’s Science Diet has been recalled several times over the years. Hill’s Pet Nutrition released a massive global recall of 33 varieties of its canned dog foods. 22 million cans were placed due to toxic vitamin D levels, which Hill blamed on a supplier error.
Both the Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet brand lines were recalled. The recall did not include any dry foods, cat foods, or pet treats.
Hundreds of dogs are said to have died after eating contaminated dog food. Families who spoke with Petful said their dogs had been in good health until a few days ago. Their pets’ health took a severe turn, which resulted in kidney problems, kidney failure, and, in some cases, death.
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Is Hill’s Dog Food discontinued?
According to pet food industry data, Hill’s Pet Nutrition was the world’s fourth-largest pet food company in 2020. The company had nearly $2.4 billion in annual revenue.
Regarding the recalls, Hill’s blamed their supplier for their mistakes. The excessive amounts of vitamin D in their Science Diet formulas are just like many other pet food companies before they had done. It led to forgetting that Hill’s was in charge of ensuring the safety and caliber of their pet food.
Hill did not reveal anything about the supplier. But many questions were going into the minds of people. Like, if it was the same one who gave Sunshine Mills? Also, the risky vitamin premix led to the recall of other dog food brands for having too much vitamin D.
Hill’s Dog food company understood how vital consistency and texture were for cats to sustain palatability and avoid food aversions. Their manufacturing teams are working on a solution. But the impact on production means that these product lines will be temporarily out of stock beginning in June 2022.
Hill’s Dog Food recall
Hill’s Pet Nutrition began a recall of 25 items on January 31, 2019. This is in response to a report of vitamin D poisoning in a dog who consumed canned Hill’s dog food. Hill’s increased the recall on March 20, 2019, to cover 19 more cans of dog food. Only canned dog food from this brand is subject to recall. Canned cat food, dry food (kibble), or treats are unaffected.
The FDA affirmed Hill’s findings that the firm manufactured and advertised pet food with unsafe levels of vitamin D. The FDA stated that Hill had determined that the unsafe levels of vitamin D were caused by an ingredient. It has been received and acknowledged as a vitamin premix from a provider. It is subsequently incorporated into animal food products.
Hill’s standard operating procedures required those raw materials. The vitamin premix is to be tested for safety before being unloaded at the firm’s production plant. The FDA investigation discovered that the vitamin premix had not been tested. Also, the final product had yet to be tested to ensure it met Hill’s specific formulation. Furthermore, Hill’s did not obtain certificates of analysis from the vitamin premix vendor.
As a result of the failure to follow the food safety plan, the FDA wrote, “the risk of vitamin D toxicity was not managed appropriately at the receiving step.” A systemic problem with the food safety plan occurred due to the failure to implement the pre-requisite program. The FDA directed Hill’s to take corrective steps and warned the company of future inspections.
This resulted in the recall of canned dog food. Vitamin D levels in recalled product lots were much higher than 33 times the standard safe upper limit.
Conclusion
The heartbreak, fear, and anxiety aren’t over for many customers. Their veterinarians are dealing with the consequences of vitamin D toxicosis in their patients. They must deal with angry customers who followed their advice and purchased Hill’s Science Diet or Hill’s Prescription Diet dog food formulas.
Formulas are intended to treat rather than cause health problems. How do those veterinarians clarify to their clients that the dog food they recommended most likely caused their dog’s illness and death?
This drama is played out in thousands of veterinary clinics and animal hospitals across the United States. However, the issue is not limited to the United States. The implicated formulas are now being recalled all over the world.