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Science Diet

Larry of Crystal Lake, IL June 26, 2009

Our Golden Retriever was 11 years old and in good shape for his age. We have always used Science Diet Sensitive Stomach. He did vomit from time to time but I thought it was from the kids getting him excited after he ate. I am not sure on the exact dates, but sometime in late May of 2009 the neighbor's 12 year black lab past away. They had left over Science Diet and offered it to us since they knew we used the same brand. I thought it was sensitive stomach but found out later it was the vegetarian type. I mixed it in with the current batch. Our dog did not like it and did vomit. I thought he was just being picky. I ended up throwing it all away becuase it was too much of pain to pick out the new food. Even after I bought a new bag he would not eat and quickly went down hill. The vet said he contracted a auto immune disease. We tried to put him on medicine but it did not work. We had to put him down on June 15, 2009. I did not make the connection until I was telling a friend about the situation. I contacted the neighbor and found out their lab had the same symptoms before she past away.

Kimber of Port St. Lucie, FL June 24, 2009

I woke up to find my mom's 17-year-old dog had vomited in her crate, which is unusual (despite her age, she had just gone to the vet last week and has a clear bill of health) but I chalked it up to an upset stomach. Today my chihuahua (who shares the same bag of food with my mom's dog and Yorkie) threw up multiple times. I couldn't pinpoint the reason. Just a few moments ago, my mom's dog threw up again. This is a large amount of vomit, not just a bit of spit up. My Yorkie hasn't thrown up to my knowledge, he could have gone out to the yard. I am discontinuing use for good. I've used Science Diet for years without a problem. My mom's dog does not need the added stress of vomiting up her food; we were using the Adult Small Bites for her in particular.

Jason of Boca Raton, FL June 22, 2009

A Month into the dry and 2 of my dachsunds are throwing up and have diahrea. One of them does not want to eat it at all. Everything seems to sound just like everyone elses comments on here. Strang thing only 2 out of 3 are sick and they all eat the same food. But not taking any chances, chicken and rice and hopefully that will clear it up soon.

Helen of Boca Raton, FL June 22, 2009

I have used Science Diet for over 5 years. Never a problem. Must be a bad batch, purchased April 18, started using June. All 3 dogs throwing up, diareah, sick. Not all 3 got sick at once, so it was hard to figure out what was making them ill. Finally googled and found all the similar comments from other dog owners.

There is no recall from Science Diet, but I have discontinued use. I will be feeding them rice and chicken, homemade, for a week till they are better.

Kelly of Fort Mill, SC June 20, 2009

Possible bad batch of Dog food.

We have used Science Diet for 1 1/2 years without any problems until this past week. We bought a 10lb. bag of food for our miniature schnauzer and he has been throwing up and has had mucus in his stool.

Has there been a change in the composition of the Dog food?

J of Manchester, NH June 15, 2009

Possible Bad Batch! I purchased a new 20 pound bag of Hills Science Diet Small bites June 3, 2009 and began feeding my 2 Jacks a couple of days later. (They have been on the same brand for over two years.)By June 8, 2009, both were vomiting and had loose stools. Prior to this, both dogs have always been very healthy. I immediately stopped this dry food and started making them a combination of white rice, scrambled eggs and carrots. It took 4 to five days to clear up their systems. I plan on returning the remaining food to Petco since I have been a loyal customer for 10 plus years.

Ron of Scottsdale, AZ June 4, 2009

Shortly after I started a new 40 lb bag my 3 year old Golden Retreiver started having diarrea with huge amounts of mucousy matter. I at first thought she may have eaten something in the back yard but it was still going on a week later. I was out of town for a week and my son fed her Nutro lamb and rice while I was gone and the problem disappeared. When I got back I resumed the Science Diet and the problems recurred. Switched to Nutro and the problems were gone again. This dog has eaten Science Diet for over two years so it wasn't any sudden change in diet. I had lost two prior Golden Reteivers at young ages (6 and 7) and often wondered about the Science Diet since they both died suddenly from digestive disorders.

Petco said there has been no reports of any recent problems but this website certainly indicates that there are similar problems and that there is some contaminated food in the marketplace. I'm sure Hill's must be aware of this and is apparently doing nothing.

Tara of Warsaw, IN June 2, 2009

Our 4 year old cockapoo, Chloe, was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with bladder stones. Our vet did not do xrays, rather she could feel the stones through palpation of the abdomen. Chloe was given an oral antibiotic and Hill's Science Diet S/D canned dog food. After 5 days on the dog food she became lethargic, immobile, distended and vomited 7 times in 6 hours. We took her to our vet, where they did 2 xrays and found signs of pancreatitis. The pancreas and small intestines were blurred on the xray and the vet said that was indicative of pancreatitis. We could also see undigested chunks of food throughout her large intestine and colon. They then confirmed the pancreatitis through blood work.

They kept her at the clinic on IV fluids for the next 3 days, until we were informed she had rapidly deterriorated and was now anemic (her body was attacking and destroying her red blood cells). We then transferred her from our vet to a specialty clinic an hour away. That clinic did a plasma transfusion in an attempt to raise her red blood cell count but Chloe hardly responded to it.

Ultimately, we were convinced by the vet that the chance of Chloe surviving was less than 10% and even if she did survive this condition there would be permanent damage to most of her internal organs. Based on that, my husband and I agreed that euthanization would be the best for her. It was the hardest, most heartbreaking decision we've ever had to make.

We are distraught over losing our little girl and want Hill's to be held accountable! I've heard that this may not be the first time this has happened to someones pet after eating Science Diet food. Please contact me if you, or someone you know, has had this happen. My email is thebaglady1312@yahoo.com. Thank you!!

TINA of littleton, CO June 1, 2009

i have been feeding science diet to my dogs for over 13 years, and recently this may of 2009, she would hardly eat it, and she has had diarhea and has been throwing up...i took the one bag back and asked if there was a recall and they said no...i took her off the science diet and fed rice and beef for a couple days and she cleared up and was fine...until i put her back on science diet and she's back to the diarhea i'm talking squirting out...so i will take her off completely...they had to have changed something...and it's not good.

Kristina of Chandler, AZ May 26, 2009

I have always fed my dogs Science Diet adult food & they have been fine. Very recently about a week after I started another bag, my Border Collie started throwing up and had diarrhea. Since he was acting normal, I waited it out but after 7-8 days I broke down and took him to the vet. They took a ton of tests (xrays, bloodwork, barium w/xrays) and found absolutely nothing wrong with him.

About 7 days after my Border collie got sick then my LAB started having the SAME problems. I stopped the food (since that is the only common thing they have) and within 3 days of a bland diet of rice and chicken, they both have stopped throwing up! I have 3 other dogs in the house and none of them were sick (they eat OTHER food, puppy and older dog food). The vet said there was no evidence of anything else in the bloodwork or tests, so we have come to the conclusion that it's their food.

We think it might be a bad batch?? Something may have went wrong in processing it. The food was bought at Petsmart appr. May 1, 2009. Although I can not be 100% sure that the food caused this, through the vet and process of elimination it seems that it's the most likely source. 900 in Vet bills/tests & stress for both my dogs and myself. Nothing else noted at this time.

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