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Science Diet

CHRISTINE of TACOMA, WA July 17, 2009

My dog has been eating Science Diet J/D prescription dog food for several years and has never had a problem but in June 2009 he started not wanting to eat it. I thought his mouth was hurting him and took him to the vet but nothing was wrong. Then in July he started vomiting every day and wouldn't eat it. I discovered that it must be the food because he will eat Iam's. I have seen many postings online of dogs who started having problems with Science Diet in May/June of 2009. There is no recall, but there must be something wrong with the food if lots of people are having the same problem.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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