Health officials are urging dog owners to be a little extra cautious before their furbaby’s next feeding. Nestlé Purina PetCare Company has voluntarily recalled Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat (PPVD EN Low Fat) prescription wet dog food due to a labeling error that resulted in the wrong dog food being presented as the prescription diet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared in a notice on Dec. 2.
The recall, which follows a number of other pet food recalls in 2022, only affects dog food products labeled as Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat (PPVD EN Low Fat) prescription wet dog food. This food was sold in 13.4-oz cans and was available by prescription only and distributed through veterinary clinics and other retailers with the ability to validate a prescription. The recalled product can be identified by the UPC (38100 17599), production code (22581159 L4TR6) and “Best Before Sept 2024” date, which is located on the bottom of the can. No other Purina products are impacted by the recall. An image of the recalled product can be viewed by clicking here.
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The prescription dog food recall was issued after the company was contacted by several pet owners who reported that “the texture of food in their PPVD EN Low Fat cans was not the same as previous meals.” It was later discovered that “for a brief period on September 15, 2022, cans of a different complete and balanced adult dog food, Purina ONE True Instinct Tender Cuts In Gravy With Real Turkey & Venison wet dog food, were labeled as PPVD EN Low Fat in one of our factories.” Although the mislabeled product is safe to feed and does not pose any inherent health risks on its own, the company noted that “it is not the intended formula for dogs requiring a prescription PPVD EN Low Fat diet, who may have sensitivities to traditional diets or difficulty digesting fat.”
“We apologize to pet owners for any concerns or inconvenience this situation has caused,” Purina said in a statement. “We’re pet owners too, and we know how important the health and well-being of our pets is, which is what led us to make this decision. We are taking action to investigate and notify pet owners and veterinarians of the situation. At Purina, pets always come first.”
Purina said it has not received any reports of illnesses or injuries to date. However, it issued the recall “as a precaution.” The company urged that dog owners who purchased the recalled PPVD EN Low Fat cans discard them, adding that they will “replace it as quickly as possible.”
