It has been alleged that people whose dogs ate Purina Beneful dry kibble pet food could become sick or die after consumption.

Some pet owners have claimed that Purina Beneful pet foods contain harmful ingredients that are toxic and poisonous to dogs. In fact, more than 3,000 have allegedly complained that their dogs became seriously ill after eating Purina and that they incurred extensive veterinary bills to have their dogs tested and treated for illnesses. In some cases, these pet owners continue to incur expenses for medications to treat their dogs’ ongoing health problems.

If you have leftover Beneful products, please maintain them in a sealed container that will keep moisture from coming in contact with the product. Furthermore, it is recommended that you keep the packaging of the product as well, as it contains important information regarding product manufacturing dates and lot numbers.

Which Beneful Products Are Hurting Dogs?

It has been alleged that the following dry “kibble” dog foods are sickening and killing dogs:

• Purina Beneful Healthy Weight
• Purina Beneful Original
• Purina Beneful Incredibites
• Purina Beneful Healthy Growth for Puppies
• Purina Beneful Healthy Smile
• Purina Beneful Healthy Fiesta
• Purina Beneful Healthy Radiance
• Purina Beneful Playful Life

These pet foods allegedly contain substances that are toxic to animals, including:

Propylene glycol, an antifreeze component and known animal toxin that is poisonous to cats and dogs. There are claims that the maker of Purina Beneful knew or should have known that the FDA has prohibited propylene glycol from being used in cat foods because the company also makes these products; however, the company continues to use the potentially dangerous ingredient in its dog foods.

Mycotoxins, a group of toxins that are produced by fungus that occurs in grains. It has been alleged that dangerous levels of mycotoxins have been found during testing conducted on Purina Beneful Original.

What Health Problems Have Been Reported?

Consumers have complained that their dogs suffered the following health problems after eating certain dry “kibble” Purina Beneful products:
• Bladder stones
• Internal bleeding of the stomach and other organs
• Liver malfunction and failure
• Kidney failure

In many cases, pet owners claimed that their dogs showed the following symptoms prior to these diagnoses:
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Seizures
• Bloating

According to the complaints, these side effects occurred in dogs of all ages. In some cases, the dogs reportedly fell sick and died just days after eating the food.

What Are the Claims About Beneful?

One dog owner said he began feeding his three dogs Purina Beneful dry dog food on January 15, 2015 and that all of his dogs suffered adverse side effects from the food.

On the same day he began feeding his dogs Purina Beneful, the dog owner alleges that one of his dogs began losing large amounts of hair and producing an unusual odor. Two days later, the same dog became violently ill and veterinary testing allegedly revealed that she was suffering from internal bleeding in her stomach and liver malfunction that was consistent with poisoning.

Then, on January 23, the dog owner alleged that another one of his dogs was found dead in his yard. A post-mortem veterinary exam revealed that the dog was suffering from similar injuries, including internal bleeding and lesions on his liver. He also alleges that his third dog has since become sick after eating the Purina Beneful pet food and is currently undergoing medical testing.

The dog owner alleges that he has spent extensive amounts of money to have his dogs tested and treated by a veterinarian. Furthermore, he claims that his surviving dogs suffer ongoing illnesses that require medications to treat.

Has There Been a Recall?

Despite thousands of complaints from consumers about their dogs becoming ill or dying after eating Purina Beneful dry food, the manufacturer (Nestle) has yet to issue any recalls for the affected products, claiming that the toxins are approved at their levels within the food by the FDA. As a result, the pet food remains on store shelves throughout North America.

In 2016, the case was dismissed since it was difficult to prove that the illnesses and deaths were caused by the food. Please note that the case dismissal does not, however, prove that Purina Beneful is safe.

In Canada, we saw a similar legal result.