Cat Food Recalled Due To Essential Vitamin Deficiency

Premium Edge Pet Food, a subsidiary of Diamond Pet Foods Inc., is recalling Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat Food and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food. Product testing proved no contaminants were discovered in the cat food; however the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. The company has contacted all retail outlets and asked them to both remove the product from their shelves and to contact their customers via email or telephone.

Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin for cats, meaning they cannot manufacture it themselves and must acquire the vitamin from food. A deficiency can lead to neurological problems ranging from mild loss of balance to life threatening seizures. Other symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, mental dullness, dilated pupils, increased respiratory rate, and low body temperature. If a cat has been exclusively fed the affected foods for a prolonged period of time will almost definitely be experiencing thiamine deficiency.

Diamond tracked the vitamin premix lot number that was utilized in these particular cat foods and have performed testing on another lot of Premium Edge cat food that used the same vitamin premix, and it was not deficient in thiamine. The recalled food bags are coded RAF0501A22X, RAF0501A2X, RAH0501A22X, and RAH0501A2X. Diamond Pet Foods advises customers who have been affected to return their purchase to the retailer and to take their cat to their veterinarian immediately. Cats that exhibit clinical signs of thiamine deficiency will require immediate veterinary care.

A full recovery may be achieved if anti-seizure medication, thiamine supplementation, and supportive care can be provided quickly enough. Reported cases have centered around the Rochester, New York area. All 14 reported cases of cats with thiamine deficiency linked to the recall have recovered fully.