Vitamin D toxicity can cause kidney failure and death in canines

Food recalls aren’t just a human concern.

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced a recall of dry dog food from eight different brands over concerns of potentially toxic vitamin D levels.

“The FDA is alerting pet owners and veterinary professionals about recalls of several dry dog foods after receiving complaints that dogs eating the food experienced vitamin D toxicity,” the FDA shared in a release on its website.

While vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, consuming too much vitamin D can cause kidney failure and even death in canines. The federal agency reported that tested samples of the recalled food had “potentially toxic amounts of vitamin D.”

The full list of brands and foods affected by this recall are:

If you are currently feeding your dogs one of the foods listed above, you should switch your dog to another food immediately. If your dog shows symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, take them to see a veterinarian right away. Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include “vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling and weight loss.”

The FDA notes in the release that this is a developing situation, and dog foods not listed above may be recalled in the future for the same issue.