In the human food industry, there are laws against calling something healthy when it’s not. There are regulations against deceitful packaging and outright lies to consumers.
There are no such laws and regulations in the dog food industry.
That’s right, a manufacturer can fill a bag with massive amounts of sugars, animal by-products, and fillers, label the food as healthy and nutritious, cover the bag with photos of vibrant, happy dogs surrounded by fresh meats and vegetables and sell millions of bags to unsuspecting consumers that believe they’re doing right by their dog.
Such is the case with Purina’s Beneful line of dog food. Here’s how Beneful describes their Original flavor kibble:
Beneful® brand Dog Food Original helps keep your dog happy and healthy with a perfect balance of healthful ingredients, quality nutrition and superb taste. It’s made with wholesome grains and real beef, and accented with vitamin-rich vegetables.
The only truthful part of this statement is the superb taste. And that’s only because the manufacturer sprays the food with rendered animal fats, making it irresistible to hungry dogs.
In truth, the number one ingredient in all of Beneful’s recipes is corn, a commonly-used filler that provides very little nutrition to dogs. In addition to providing little nutritional value, corn has a high glycemic index, raising your dog’s blood sugar, and is not easily digested by dogs.
The next ingredient in this so-called “healthy food” is chicken by-product meal. This is essentially the waste that’s left over after the good meat has been removed: feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs, and organs (the only nutritious part of by-product) that are “unfit for human consumption.”
Third ingredient in their food is corn gluten meal. Glutens are an inferior source of protein behind meat by-products. Using corn gluten meal in their food allows Beneful to show a higher protein content on their bag, making it appear to be a higher quality food.
It’s not until the seventh ingredient that we finally reach beef. But, since beef is 80% water, when it is cooked down, it only amounts to a small percentage of it’s pre-cooked weight, meaning it could belong much further down the list of ingredients.
As if these reasons alone aren’t enough to avoid this product altogether, dog owners are now claiming that Purina’s Beneful is killing their dogs.
You’ll remember that Purina is the manufacturer of the Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek Ranch chicken jerky treats imported from China that have been investigated since 2007, only now being recalled after illegal drug residue was found in the treats.
Are they using the same Chinese factories responsible for nearly 500 dog deaths and thousands of illnesses to manufacture their foods, too?
Since October of 2012 until now, 229 complaints have been made against Beneful dog food to Consumer Affairs.
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This really pisses my off. My dog Robbie ate this food his whole life and then I had to put him down because of kidney failure. I don’t know how companies can go to sleep at night doing things like this.
I just had to put my pit down after 10 years.. She had so many knots on her body.. never in my life had I ever has a dog whit this disorder..
What was wrong with your dog? Mine was eating beneful and knots came up all over him also a couple days ago. The vet said to give him benedryl and when I did it seemed to clear up….but once it wears off the bumps come back. They said to give it a couple more days and if the bumps r still coming up on him to bring him to the office. What’s is causing these bumps? Why did you have to put ur dog down? Please reply I’m worried!!!
Do not feed your dog anything made by Nestle Purina or any company they own. Buy high quality American brands (like Blue Buffalo or Evo) that are in the ‘premium’ section of the higher quality stores. Anything else is sadly a death sentence for your animal. Read the FDAs websites and read about the complaints against Nestle Purina. They are producing garbage that causes kidney and liver failure, and diabetes, and other terrible things, and they don’t care because it’s profitable. There is no check and balance system in the pet food industry (like there is in the human food industry) and pet owners are fooled at times even by their own vets who tell them that “x commercial pet food diet’ is safe when in fact very few really are. Most educated people who love their animals have come to realize that there are no shortcuts and they cook for their dogs. Believe it or not, it is cheaper and healthier in the long run.
Some of that is a bit over the top. Yes, you do need to research the food. We don’t only feed dry, but it’s hard to find one without corn at all.
While Blue Buffalo or Evo are better, they are hideously expensive around here. And before you go on about “money is no object”, think about the fact that we, and others, have several rescue animals, and in this economy right now, we have to make sacrifices even for people.
That said, we use a mix of Pro Plan wet and dry. The ground wet being gluten-free. For cats, we use Fancy Feast, which is gluten-free and one recommended for feline diabetes (we have a diabetic cat).
So while a huge company like Purina (owned by Nestle, I believe) may have an occasional problem, since they buy up so many other groups, it does not mean that all of the hundreds of products are bad. Do some research, people.
If money is a problem, Costco has a good dog food, lamb & rice, that is grain free and at a good price. You can find alternatives.
Laura,
I have to take issue with your comment about feeding dogs ‘high quality’ products like Blue Buffalo and Evo. First of all, neither Blue Buffalo or Evo is all natural. Both of them contain bi-products and other ingredients that can cause issues. Secondly, both Blue Buffalo and Evo have had their foods recalled! And, if you do some fact checking, which clearly, you have not, both of the foods you mentioned have caused the same problems that people are claiming Beneful has caused. So, claiming that “feeding our animals anything but Blue Buffalo or Evo is a death sentence” is an egregious error on your part! Obviously, you only read FDA reports for items manufactured by Purina and not checked the FDA reports filed against both Blue Buffalo and Evo!!! I don’t mean to be rude, but their are people who will read your post and take it to heart! And, there are more good reports about Purina products than there are bad!! Just sayin’!
my advise cook youre dog food because other wise he probaly will die and i think these people need to be arrested because that is just wrong
feed youre dogs hand made food because those people are a holes and should be arrested
I’ve fed my Lab Evo since he was a pup..just found out Evo was recalled too. I’m trying to figure out what I can feed him, as it seems like everything is on recall. He likes Beneful, but I see that is out.
its the damn food !!….they are saying that there are traces of a liquid in it as whats in antifreeze….change his food, and watch the bumbs go away
Propylene Glycol, although found in antifreeze, is used in tons of human and dog foods. It is GENERALLY SAFE as the FDA has stated. It can cause allergic reaction but oral toxicity with Propylene Glycol is incredibly hard to do, if at all. It has been used for forever. It’s a food additive. Research things before you post.
how long have u been feeding beneful? and how long has your dog had the problem? what else is going on in the environment that could have caused the problem? allergic reaction to something…..
I have a 3 legged Border Collie that is 12 and she has these wart like growths all over her body. One is oozing and I have to keep the hair around it and just clean it with Peroxide daily. I don’t know if it’s been caused by the foods, but if it is, That is just wrong!
You should have the vet examin the wart like growths, as it could be a sebaceous cyst (skin glands that secrete sebum, yellowish color oil). The sebum is what makes the dog’s fur and our hair shiny. Cleaning them peroxide is good, but if you have a ruptured sebaceous cyst, which oozes yellowish fluid, you may want to make sure what it is and if the dog needs antibiotics in the event of infection. It looks like a white crusty bump and is nasty looking with it is infected and ruptures, leaves a deep hole. Most vets will want to operate, but as in my dog’s case, the antibiotic, cleaning it daily with 50% water and hydrogen peroxide, covering it, should do the trick, can take up to month for it to completely heal. Without a diagnosis from the vet, you cannot treat it, let alone identifying causation. Some dogs do have allergies, not all caused by grains or gluten. Some dogs are allergic to chicken and lamb. Limited ingredient dry dog food product, like venison and whole brown rice or fish or bison or duck should be explored. The vet is still the best resource to diagnose the problem. If you believe the dog food is the causation, then give a small sample to the vet for testing.
take your dog to the vet and find out what they are. lots of older dogs get lumps and bumps and cancers on their bodies as they get older….that have nothing to do with food maybe it does , maybe it doesn’t…..
those people profit the money and for there treat kill youre dogs ‘change there food’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello, I suggest buying a bottle of castor oil and put it directly on sores and rubbing it in for 5 minutes 4 to 6 times daily. Trust me castor oil is a miracle medicine and its $5 a bottle aand you can buy a big bottle at whole foods if there is one near you. My dog had a few lumps on his legs 4 years ago and i rubbed castor oil on them religiouls for about a month and they disappeared and i got the idea fom an old lady about 95 years old that suggested it to me after going to a vet that said it may be bone cancer. Tumeric powder i used also as she suggested and sprinkled it in his food for about 3 months. She said that gets rid of tumors just in case it was a tumor. Stop feeding the benefiul NOW!!!! My 12 1/2 year old Akita died January 16 after feeding him beneful for 2 1/2 weeks because, I was in Georgia for the holidays and ran out of his dog food I had been feeding him for 7 years. He had pneumonia in October but, I put him on antibiotics and he was pretty much all better before I went home for the holidays but, I stayed longer than I expected and ran out of his Hills ID and Hills WD that I mixed for years and had no problems. My sister fed her dog this beneful crap and my dog loved it so, I was stupid obviously and saw no harm in it when I know your not suppose to change their food anyways but, he seemed to go crazy over it and I knew he might get an upset tummy from the change of food but, he was older and I thought what the heck let him have some bad stuff for a week or two cause he never ate his food up like he ate that food. The Hills food was bland and I had heard things of it as well but, my vet had him on it and it was working for him. He had just had a check up and he had no liver problems or kidney problems just a little weak from the pneumonia which I had no idea how he got in the first pace but he was 87 so, I just accepted it but, when I got back to Florida he could not get up on his own and he had thrown up 2 days before I left Georgia but, just thought it was from the change of food and had plans on buying his food as soon as I got back home. The doctors said the pneumonia just took over and he was dying and said there was no need for expensive test at his age because the anesthesia would just kill him most likely because he was older but after reading all these post I know now that it was that crap food because he had gotten totally better after being on antibiotics for the pneumonia. I am so upset with myself because he probably had a couple more years left before he would pass. If I had an autopsy on him and found arsenic I would be suing but, its to late now and I can’t let myself get upset about this because I just now was accepting it till I saw this article about beneful.
They catch a little cat-nap on the company Lear during the flight to Tahiti.
I am completly heart broken. I feed my Sadie girl beneful, she died of kidney failure in Oct. 2012. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her. I wish I would have had this information sooner.
I lost my miniature Schnauzer last nov 19, due to kidney &liver failure and high toxins in his body
Due to Beneful
Iam still heart broken as he was healthy and full of life 3 weeks prior
and now hes gone
Is BENEFUL by Purina KILLING dogs – Post YOUR Story!
We have members of our Facebook group with testimonies that will break your heart.. and now the first necropsies (two dogs) are just back..
PLEASE JOIN US whether you have good or bad experiences.. because you WILL start to get some answers very soon!
Click on my name to join the group!
Thanks!
We had a great dog.Bebe she was eating Beneful for years(3) .she died when she was 4. Just last year,I am hoping it was’nt the food. She all of a sudden stopped eatting her food and I cooked for her and she would get better than fail again I was still feeding Beneful free choice. Took her to the vet’s about 4 times, then to another vet,he did surgery and found a large mast wrapped around her liver…..we had to let her go.Best dog we ever had, and only 4 years old…Sorry for anyone that has to go tough this.it just should not be happening in this day and age. Bebe was a Beagle/Benesie Mountain Dog.Beatiful Dog.Thanks for lisening.Millie
Our Hannah is a minature schnauzer 9 years old and pretty healthy till last Friday she began to refuse to eat. By Sunday she was weak and pitaful looking. We had been feeding her Beneful that comes in a container, the fancy stuff. We first tried chicken soup, still would not eat. Finaly cooked her up some lean ground beef, rice and peas and carrots. Also, got her some Pedigree dry food for small breed dogs and sat it next to her ground beef. She ate it all and stated to get her strength back. Today is Monday and she is doing so much better.
I guess I will stick to Pedigree dry food and cook lean beef or chicken with peas and carrot and rice for her.
I have been feeding benefel and sometimes have had my dogs to the vet with these symptons. I make 1/2 the food and mix with benefel but now need a better dog food. I just switched to purina pro plan savor and they like this better but is it better for them????
Hi, if you are already cooking, then you are better off to cook for your dogs. With careful shopping, it works out better and you know what is really in it.
Yes, one has to ask why renal failure is so common in dogs. Your vet will probably tell you it’s just age and it happens, but there’s little question in my mind that the daily diet has a lot to do with this. I’ve never met a canine that’s not a carnivore…they eat meat, or are supposed to. The added grains have nothing to do with “healthy”, it’s all about keeping the costs cheap and the margins high.
But we live and we learn and while I have some regrets about my dogs in the past I simply didn’t know about this. Going forward with this raised awareness things will be different.
Check out Mercola Pets. Dr. Becker there is a big believer in a good species specific diet and has some good suggestions. A simple search and they should show up in Google for you.
dogs are omnivores like we are cats are true carnivores. corn is actually a source of protein also check out the aaha book on nutrition available from science diet and AAHA
same here ralph ate this for yrs seens like over nite hes peeing blood no one ever mentioned the food he had to be put down the vet said to much fat caused pankreitas then dibetes then blind then the kidneys god i loved that dog hes all i had in this world i still cry to this day i have another yorkie shes 3months on purina puppy food im scared now thats not good for her i hope if this food has done this these people need to have to answer to all these deaths truley hurt donna from tn
thousands and thousands of dogs have been on purina puppy chow at one point in their life with no problems. please don’t put problems where they aren’t.
Companies don’t care, all they care about is money & their profits from sales. I lost a dog too & I fed Purina’s Beneful all his life, he got cancer.
I am SO GLAD I saw this. My dog has been eating Beneful 6yrs now.
I noticed hes been very thirsty these days & doesnt really want to eat the dog food.
Reading this put two & two together.
My miniature schnauzer tried Beneful when it first came out. In a short time he developed diabetes and even with insulin his blood sugr was hard to control. I suspected the Beneful as he had no problems before and took him off it, but he still had problems and drank lots of water. The vet put him on insulin and he developed cataracts and his blood sugar was hard to control. In spite of everything we lost him. I have never bought anything by Purina since, nor anything that was made in China.
my beloved schnauzer peanut ate beniful also for the first 7 yrs of her life and also got diabetes she was put on some exspensive food from the vets office and she required insulin also i have lost her since and her passing almost did me in cause she was my baby i guess what i want to say is that i am so sorry for your loss also and i will be telling my friends with pets not to purchase this brand or brands of purina foods of any kind thank you for your story
schnauzers get diabetes look it up …..and has nothing to do with beneful. schnauzers are also prone to bladder stones, wart like lumps, etc. I’m sorry for your loss though…..
My pure cocker has been fed this for 4 years, he is 6 and I’ve had him for 2. Also noticed that he has been drinking a lot of water and like yours, he doesn’t want to eat the dog food. Now I know… Thanks all
My 15 year old rescue poodleimix was on beneful healthy weight for 8 years, the entire time I had him, developed bumps, very thirsty, diagnosed with diabetes in nov 2011. After 5 mos of 2 shots insulin per day and vet prescribed food, he siezed and had to be put down. Get him to the vet and off the beneful asap! Good luck!
I wouldn’t ever buy the stuff. My dogs are vegetarian. We cook healthy and mostly organic foods for them and supplement with packaged food delivered by Veggiepets – no rendered down animals in their products and you know it’s safe. My one rescue dog is now 13 and still behaves like a puppy and despite steel pins in her front legs (both broken when I found her not quite fully grown on a Spanish roadside) she runs like the wind.
Why kill one animal to feed another when dogs are omnivorous – they can eat a great variety of things and mine beg for raw vegetables, especially carrots and cabbage stalk.
Rebecca, dogs aren’t meant to be vegetarian. They’re carnivores and need meat in their diets. They need that animal protein for their own health. They may be able to eat a lot of things, but meat is necessary in their diets. Think about it, they’re descended from wolves and wolves hunt animals for food. If you don’t want to eat meat, that’s your choice, but until your dogs can say otherwise, it’s not smart to eliminate meat from their own diets. I’m sure any vet will tell you that. Cook them some meat if you don’t want to buy them dog food, that way you have control over what goes into that meat.
Yes. While dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats, the food their digestive system was primarily meant for, from teeth to gut, is raw meat and bone. To say they are omnivores is not accurate. To believe otherwise is to delude yourself. Because they survive on something does not mean it is optimum. Also, in Beneful and other cheapy kibbles, as well as many more expensive ones, meat is not the bulk of the food. Beneful is at least 80% non-meat, which is typical of processed kibbles. Only a few very expensive grain-free kibbles have high meat content. Chemical preservatives added to the separate ingredients before they are added to the food, often to the meat meal part – and therefore not required to be mentioned on the label – and fungal and other contaminants in the grains or glutens cause both the short and long term problems in dogs and cats. Kidney failure, liver failure, and cancer, as well as neurological problems, are the unhappy results. I will say Rebecca’s homemade diet is far superior to anything Purina or Iams has ever come up with. However, it is not an ideal diet for dogs, full stop, no leg to stand on as an argument. Dogs are NOT vegetarians. So not. So very not. Sorry. I am a vegetarian, though, if that helps.
Dogs Are Carnivores…
I know a few dog owners who feed there dogs a vegan diet and are healthy than any other dog I know. I used to believe that dogs need to eat mostly meat. In fact, I am a breeder and adopted out one of my dogs to a Dr. who decided to not feed meat and I was so angry… I am not upset anymore, this dog is amazingly healthy ! I am not a vegan or vegetarian. But we need to feed our dogs the same as we feed ourselves with fruits (berries) and veggies. Honest Kitchen is a good raw food brand and they have fruit and veggie products. The best thing you can do is cook for your pet, but be sure you add kelp and other nutrients and vitamins to their meals as well.
dogs are omnivores just like we are and need a good source of protein.
My dog had been eating this for several years – picking out about half of the food as edible, but that is her history with nearly any dry dog food. Last winter, she went blind very quickly – one Saturday, no problem finding her favorite ball when I threw it, the next Saturday, I’d have to help her find it about half the time and by the third Saturday, she was walking into things.
I am sick about this, suspecting that perhaps it was due to my choices. Always hard to know what food & toys are ‘safe’.
Omnivore doesn’t mean it’s healthy or safe to withhold meat from them. Omnivores rely on a mix of plant and animal based foods to maintain proper health.
http://www.dognutrition.com/vegetarian-diet-for-dogs.html
Nice shorthand for safety in pet foods – if it’s as cheap as Beneful, it CANNOT be good. It is not possible to make a decent food that cheaply. Of course, high price does not guarantee goodness. To find out what is acceptable in a kibble, read this months issue of Whole Dog Journal, which is like a doggy Consumer Reports – it takes no advertising. February is it’s “better kibbles” issue. Naturally, a highly processed food like kibble, any kibble, is not great. Only by feeding your dog yourself, preferably a raw, whole foods diet, can you be sure that they are eating as safely as they can in this crazy world.
please consult your vet before starting a raw diet or a diet that you make yourself so they can help you to make a diet that is appropriate for your pet and nutritionally balanced. raw diets can give pets salmonella, and other diseases that’s why we don’t eat it raw. wolves in the wild don’t live a long life not only due to people being stupid and killing them ….they also die from disease and parasites, etc.
My dog eats beneful, but not as amain food,it’s his snack we put it in his dish during the day and he goes back and fourth and eats it here and there, he also has his wet food half can am and half can pm. He is healthy and Happy.
Christine,
If you believe your dog is healthy you are deluding yourself. Take off your blind fold and do the research as to the garbage that is many of the dog foods that are promoting themselves as “healthy”. There are little or no regulations as to what type of food and the quality of food that passes for kibble. Your dog gives you his undying love and devotion. Doesn’t he deserve better than this?
I am truly disappointed with Purina. I trusted them over most of the pet food out there. I guess this warning extends to Purina cat food as well. Guess I gotta start doing more research on pet food and hit Petsmart of Petco————–
Phyllis –
If you “hit PetSmart or Petco”, PLEASE hit the “Premium” aisle and don’t waste your time with most of the junk they sell that costs less…
And PLEASE don’t buy ANY dog food from Wal-Mart or Costco – their house brands are pure GARBAGE…
Your best bet is to support your local, independent pet feed store…chances are they are carrying food that is better for your dog anyways…it might cost a bit more per bag, but you’ll probably save hundreds or even thousands in veterinary bills…
Hi Phyllis-
I’ve had great luck with Halo brand/Spot’s Stew Chicken for my Husky. I previously only bought Organix and Blue Buffalo, but Spot’s Stew is the only food that doesn’t give her GI problems.I drizzle a bit of olive oil over her dry food, and she loves it.
).
I also give her, each night, with her dry food, a can of human grade salmon or sardines- or some cooked turkey (that I get from the deli- I’m a vegetarian!
She’s really healthy, and I’ve been lucky to find Halo brand. I get it at Whole Foods, but I’m pretty certain that Petco and Petsmart carry it as well.
Congrats for getting off Purina asap!!
PetsMart and PetCo can have garbage food on their shelves too. Just do some research on ingredients before you buy anything. Understand how to read the labels. And If you feed inexpensive food ba
sed solely on price, please think about this…..when a food is full of fillers and literally garbage, your dog is not getting satisfied nutritionally. He eats more, poops more. If you feed your dog a more expensive, higher quality food, your dog will be getting the nutrients it needs, eats less and poops less. By your dog eating less and being nutritionally satisfied, it actually works out to about the same money as the cheap trashy stuff.
I have 2 rescues a pit bull lab mix, and boxer mix. They have been eating Beneful for 3 yrs. now and this severely worries me. Even though they have no symptoms and are still very playful. I switched their food once before and they would not eat it, no matter how hungry they were. My deepest condolences to those who have lost a family member from eating Beneful. Time to research new food for Juno and Tuxedo.
I put my dogs on this about 9 months ago & I haven’t had any problems, nor any of the signs; but this still really concerns me….what have others here switched to? Which dog food do you prefer and trust now? Thanks….
I don’t believe in feeding dry dog food. Anything with a shelf life of a year+ just doesn’t seem like food to me. I feed my 4 dogs Darwin’s Pet food(www.darwinspet.com). It is free range raw meat and organic vegetables. They send me a shipment once a month. My dogs go nuts for it and they are very energetic and healthy. In fact, I just switched my 13 year old who I recently rescued from Innova to Darwin’s and she is a totally different dog. She is running around like a puppy even though she has very bad arthritis. If you are going to feed kibble, I would go with Candidae, but that still is not even close to as healthy as Darwin’s.
When I adopted my husky mix last year, I did a lot of research on dog food and dogs’ diets. (I would suggest Dog Food Advisor as a starting point, if you are interested.) After much research, I have switched to Taste of the Wild. It has much higher quality products than Beneful, and pure meat is always the first ingredient. It is also grain-free. Although it may not be “better” than brands such as Canidae, Evo, or Nature’s Instinct, I find that it is a happy compromise. Whereas I would prefer to feed my dog Nature’s Instinct, I am a college student and paying $70 for one bag is just out of my budget. I have found that TOTW is cheaper than other premium brands (yet, still as nutritious!), and I can often find it at stores such as Tractor Supplies and Ace Hardwares as well as independent pet stores.
My mother had been feeding her dogs Beneful for awhile, and I finally convinced her to switch this summer. She bought the large bags of Beneful at a local Tractor Supply and switched to buying the large bags of Taste of the Wild at the same Tractor Supply. The difference was $6 more.
If you are worried that your dog will not like the new food, most independent, local pet stores will give you samples of their dog food if you ask. Again, Taste of the Wild works great for my lifestyle, but another brand may be better or you. I would do your research and keep asking around.
the first ingrediant is only the thing that weighed the most before they cooked it. it doesn’t mean that it the thing that is the most of in the food.
I also have (had) Pit rescues. I had two but was forced to put down one last year due to kidney failure after eating Beneful for less than two years. My little Boo who isn’t even two years old yet and has only been eating Beneful for less than a year has developed crystals in her urine. I have taken her off of Beneful at the advice of my vet. She is now eating Costco’s Kirkland Lamb and Rice. Great price and great nutrition. My dogs both loved the Beneful but Boo is eating the Costco food with gusto. She did turn her nose up for one day. I let her go without dinner and by the next day she was happy to eat it.
My 7 year old Shih Tzu suddenly started vomiting and was in kidney failure and died. He had never been sick. I changed his dog food and it was Beneful now I know why my Bubba died. I have my cat on Purina indoor cat for 2 days now and is vomiting. It is getting put in the garbage. They will not kill another of my pets!!
I recently bought Beneful because it was on a great sale. Just one bag. One dog that never gets sick woke me up throwing up at 3am and threw up another 7 times. I took him to the vet–she couldn’t find anything wrong with him–”it must have been something he ate”. Well, my conclusion (not official in anyway) is that it was the Beneful. Then 2 days later this info started making the rounds on FB. I will never touch it again. That $5 off bag of dogfood cost me $70 at the vet. No problem with regular Purina…well, so far.
Stephanie, hate to tell you, but ANYthing Purina is bad. Purina owns Waggin Treat / Canyon Creek Ranch, which has been selling poisonous chicken jerky and other treats made in China – hundreds of dogs have died of kidney failure or liver disease after eating this. Purina does NOT care about pets. They care about $$ and that is it. Friskies is also Purina.
Rule of thumb: If you can get the pet food at the grocery store, don’t buy it. Got to a pet food store and get a high-quality food like Blue Buffalo or Merrick. You might pay $10-20 more per month, but you will save $ in the longrun – your dogs and cats will be healthier with less illness. Pet food stores do carry the cheap food too – stay away from it.
This site keeps up-to-date info on the quality of dogfood:
http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/top-rated-dog-food.html
I went by this site http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/top-rated-dog-food.html and purchase because it said the dog food was great and my dogs got crystals in their urine bad site. Someone must get a pay-off
I had switched from the original Purina-had 2-3 bags in a row that smelled terrible, like urine; my whole kitchen picked up the smell. I contacted Purina & they sent me a special bag to send them a sample, which I did, and I never heard from them again-that’s when I switched to Beneful. Every brand I look at all seem to be made by Purina-what do u feed your dog now? Thanks…
Does this report also include Beneful “Wet” food? My 11 Black Lab has been eating the Beneful wet food for years and has never had a problem. Just wondering if anyone has heard negative reports.
“Wet” foods usually contain gluten, which is frequently contaminated. And believe me, the other ingredients in them are not human grade. I would not feed any processed pet foods, not even the most expensive types, although I will admit the most expensive types are better than the cheapo crap in the grocery store, or made by Purina or Iams or Science Diet or Pedigree. If you can’t make your dog’s diet yourself, then buy the best ones from small pet supply places, or feed commercial raw foods, which are frozen, such as Darwin’s, or Primal, or BRAVO or Top Quality or Steve’s Real Food, etc.
We didn’t go for Beneful at all. Since labels show ingredients in order of percentage, it just didn’t add up right. Wet or dry Beneful just didn’t seem good for us.
We did end up with Pro Plan (black bag) kibble mixed with Pro Plan chicken and rice (ground does not have gluten).
Research is critical, but sometimes you do want to “listen to” the dogs. We were trying Merrick, which is supposed to be very healthy (and expensive). Our toughest girl started getting sick and not wanting to eat. You never know sometimes. Like our cat that starved for a week rather than eat Eukanuba.
How can we accept products that come from china a place where they eat dog’s and cat’s? In the US we continue to allow company’s to buy cheep products from china – a country that does not allow American inspectors to even test the products they are manufacturing.
We can’t expect to trust any of the pet food company’s because they are in business to make money and they will make there products as cheaply as possible so that they earn the highest amount in profit.
Company’s don’t care about our pets, its not until so many family’s looses their beloved companions that they care and only because the bad publicity hurts their profit and stocks.
I make my own pet food’s as I make my family’s food. It takes me a half an hour to make homemade pet food that lasts a week in the fridge, I use the dehydrator to make dog treats it takes me 10 minutes to prepare.
I have peace of mind using human quality meat and vegetables bought from the grocery store (or grown in my garden) and I find that it costs less then the premium brands of pet food.
I’ve been feeding my older dog Beneful for quite some years and she hasn’t developed any health problems. I wonder what else people whose dogs die suddenly of kidney failure feed next to the dry. Older dogs can develop these problems without eating a single bit of Beneful in their life. It depends on the breed. I tried Blue Buffalo and neither of my dogs liked it. And I had to feed them more per serving of that brand than of the Beneful. This “wholesome” petfood is not worth its money if you end up having to buy twice as much food as before.
A very dear friend of mine had to put his beloved dog down last week because of kidney failure. She was only six years old and he thought he fed and cared for her the best there was. She ate Beneful her whole adult life .She was a happy healthy dog until a few weeks ago. Then boom!!!! her weight dropped and never stopped dropping, she couldn’t drink enough water and within a few days the vet gave my friend the news of his “Vinnie’s” terminal condition. IDK maybe it was just her time but it does make you wonder. Corinna for you and your dogs sake I really hope it was just “Vinnie’s” time and you both have many more healthy years together.
Renda, Read my post below. Have your friend contact Bruce Newman in Bristol, CT.
Hi, Corrina, Read the label on Beneful. It is made mostly of corn. Corn is for cows, not dogs. Also, keep in mind, many people no longer eat corn. Corn and soy are the two products most likely to be GMO and both absorb alot of pesticides. I eat neither corn or soy.
I lived in Europe for 8 years. There is no dog food there (Spain). You buy meat and veg, feed raw or cook. Really simple. I have made dog food for 40 years. Shop on sale and it is cheaper.
This stuff is junk pure and simple. In fact pretty much every dog kibble you buy in the “pet” aisle of your local grocery or wal-mart is bad. I once did an experiment with “Kibbles n’ Bits” I took a hand full of the kibble and soaked it for a bit in warm water…the nasty coarse black hairs that were in almost every piece of kibble made me sick! My opinion is that if you don’t want to spend the extra money to buy high quality food for your dog then at least cook human food that you know is safer.
So——what is your solution ????
So what is your solution
Educate yourself about what dogs should eat, then read the ingredients on every bag of dog food you buy. If the first ingredient isn’t meat, move on to another bag. Don’t buy anything that has corn in it. Dogs can’t digest corn, it’s only there to fill up the bag. Look at the end of the ingredient list and see how many and what preservatives are used. Look and see where it is made. I’d avoid anything made in China at this point. And I have been fooled by companies whose products I didn’t know were made in China until I took a closer look. Grain free is a good option for many dogs especially if they have allergies. There is much written on this subject these days, check the internet. It does get confusing, but you can find enough information to make a choice you feel comfortable with.
My perfectly healthy Sheltie died on Dec. 18 less than 5 days after I opened a new bag of Healthy Weight Beneful. The vet wasnt sure why she died because she was healthy and happy prior to her death. She ate Beneful exclusively. Maybe a bad batch. I have no proof, but i am sure Beneful contributed to my dog’s death.
Kathy, read my post below. I suggest you contact Bruce Newman in Bristol, CT.
Sounds like what just happened to my lil black pug girl right before Christmas. One day she was fine and the next sick – After a week her condition was so bad I had to put her down – my heart still breaks. She was only 6 yrs old and ate Beneful her entire life. I still her her ‘big brother’ and today will be the last day he ever eats the crap. I am thanking God right now for bringing me to this page. Thanks to you all to for your information. I just feel sick now that she trusted me to do right by her, I just didn’t know.
I am so glad I stumbled upon this article & what do you guess I have sitting in my dogs bowl, Yes Beneful, no wonder neither one of them like it, they rather eat table food and ppl tell you not to feed your animals table scraps but I believe there lots safer than BENEFUL, maybe the ppl from BENEFUL need to sit down next to a nice fresh bowl of BENEFUL & see what they experience? I feel so bad, I will go out tomorrow morning and make a change, coupon or no coupon, I am sure not to ever buy that crap ever again! Shame on you big shots making thousands and thousands of dollars to kill everyones animals, but it all comes back? You guys will be the next animal to die, with your greediness! I now know the reason for their thirstyness?? BENEFUL your products going in the trash where you. . .
My little poodle died Dec. 4th. He loved to eat, he lived to eat. He stopped eating like he usually did. The second day I made an appointment to take him to the vet. He had to stay the weekend as the blood tests showed his kidneys were failing. He started to eat that weekend and I was to pick him up on Mon. the vet had me keep him there another day to see if he was eating better. He took a turn for the worse and I had to had him put down. He was only 8 yrs old. The vet and I can not understand why he died of kidney failure as he as young. I had my dogs on Waggin Train but took them off the treats when I saw the warning on the computer last summer. They ate the ones with the jerky around a doggy treat bone. I was giving them the chicken/rawhide chew that is easy for small dogs to eat but they are not Waggin Train but made in China. I quit and went to my vet and got some Science Diet dog treats that are not made in China. I was in Walmart today and I saw they did not have any Waggin Train treats but still have the Milo treats. It broke my heart to lose Mikey as I bought him while going through Chemo and radiation in 04, after losing my little poodle Bitsy of cancer. I have a little Chi that went blind 2 yrs. ago and I do not know if the China treats caused that.
Mary – please read my post below. I suggest you contact Bruce Newman in Bristol, Ct.
When Kibbles & Bits first came out, my mom and I read the ingredients and mom deemed it “Twinkie’s for dogs”. I’ve never read the ingredients on Beneful, but I assumed it was just as bad. I’ve cooked my own vet approved dog food for the last 10 or so years. A dog that was plagued with kidney disease, bladder stones, and gastrointestinal disorder never had a problem again after he stopped eating commercial dog food. He lived to 16 years old, as did his companion. Another family member’s dog, same breed as mine, ate commercial foods & developed diabetes. He only lived for 9 years. I’ll stick to cooking up my organic mix of brown rice, ground meat, & fresh vegetables. My ingredients have never been recalled either.
By the way, you can tell the quality of the food, by the quality of the poop. A lot of poop means a lot of useless fillers in the food.
Stormyw, Can you tell me more about how you know what to cook for your dogs. I would like to see if I can save money by cooking my dogs food vrs buying the really expensive bags of dog food. I feed 14 cups of food each day to my 7 dogs. Every time I look, the price of good dog food has gone up. I really would cook their food, if it would save some money and not reduce the quality of their food. Thanks, Debbie
Yes, this is what I make!! I use organic brown rice, very little, and get lean beef, chicken and turkey. I stock up when it’s on sale. I steam pumpkins, carrots, peas etc. My dogs also love a slice of apple or a piece of green pepper. My raw fed dog gets a whole variety of meat. Only way to go.
Forgot to add that all my dogs love eggs!! crack it raw into the bowl and they eat the shell too.
Well….All our Beneful went into the trash today….NO MORE…EVER!!
My puppy loves the treat-peanutbutter and cheese flavor—Are these part of this whole thing?
Yes. Don’t feed your puppy crap full of sugar and sorbitol!
People need to get educated, instead of just taken by the pet food industry. Since when can you trust corporations to do something right if they don’t have to, or if it isn’t in some way self-serving? To you actually think what’s on the package is what’s in the food? Do you realize pet manufacturers aren’t even required to report what additives are in the food when they buy the ingredients? So if they but a shipment of “chicken meal” to put in their food, and said chicken meal is loaded to the gills with chemical preservatives, that doesn’t need to be put on the bag. In fact very likely the lie “all natural” or “naturally preserved” is put on the bag.
CRAP! That’s what my husband bought when the store was out of Rachel Ray food. Guess I’m throwing it out tomorrow.
Honestly, I really didn’t know that anyone still fed their pets this kind of trash. Read the ingredients… they’re all terrible ingredients to feed to a dog day after day. It would be akin to feeding your children candy bars for every meal. Worse, really… at least candy bars aren’t soaked in propylene glycol.
I read an article about dog nutrition and how really have the dog food.. I now read the label and no “by product” food is coming home. I change to Blue Buffalo and have been a blessing.
i’m terrified to trust any dog food anymore. my vet says try using hill’s science diet. i have 3 dogs and would like to be able to get them dog food by going to the dog food store. all 3 of my boys are sick, my youngest was diagnosed with addison’s disease by the time he was 1 yr old. i think their food is a big part of it. i don’t like to keep changing foods, and i know that’s bad for them. i just would like one food and stick with it. has there ever been a recall on blue dog food and is it made in america? thanks so much for your posts.
Sorry to hear about your dog with Addison’s disease
I use Blue and it’s made in the USA and I don’t believe it’s ever been recalled. They have a website you can check out. My dogs are doing well on it. Beautiful coats and healthy. Pricey, but in line with other premium foods and worth it.
yes it has been recalled a few times……
Make your own food or buy a commercial raw food. Hills Science Diet is crap, although apparently they do have a new, better quality food, because too many consumers have figured out that all their other foods are crap. I am suspicious of dog food companies that have a line of crud food and various “better” more expensive lines. It doesn’t show any kind of commitment to excellence to me. I might dislike Hills more than Purina because their foods are really expensive and they’re STILL crap: Almost all grains, by-products, full of chemicals not on the label, etc. And vets sell them! And vets get what little nutritional training they get from Hills! A dog food company! And most of them seem to swallow it hook, line and sinker. On the other hand, most of the movers and shakers behind the natural feeding movement are also vets, the ones that come up with the answer when they see sick dog after sick dog.
http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/fda-information-regarding-beneful-complaints
Thats a worthless website.. The author doesn’t feed commercial dog food and you pay for her list of foods… give me a break. thats like going to a blind eyeglass dr.
This is really upsetting. I actually use to think Beneful was great. My 3 labs were on it and luckily I switched to Merrick because of a sale they ran a few years ago. But if it weren’t for that, my dogs would still be on Beneful because they liked it and I thought it was healthy. It’s a scary thought.
What could you possibly like about it? The bag is pretty. The list of ingredients reads like a nightmare, and there is almost no meat in it. What meat there is, is Four-D meat – from animals that arrived at the slaughterhouse down, dead, diseased, or dying. It is condemned for human consumption. The “meaty bits” are apparently made from soy and sorbital. Yummy! The commercials are really well done, though.
I use Merrick too, after researching on dogfoodadvisor.com. It’s a superior food and I don’t feed anything but.
PET OWNERS OF INJURED PETS: I suggest you contact Bruce Newman who is one of the lawyers involved in the chicken jerky treat class action against Nestle-Purina. He is in Bristol, Connecticut (Google him) and might be able to help you. Our pets deserve to live healthy long lives, not be killed by toxic food from large corporations whose only concern is making a profit at the expense of our beloved family members.
I am from southwestern Ontario, Canada, and I’m wondering if this potential Beneful problem is both a USA and Canada problem…my bag says the product is manufactured in Mississauga Ontario, not China, although the list of ingredients appears to be the same. So far I haven’t been able to find any warnings or complaints on Canadian websites, but we’ve been feeding our 13yr old lab Beneful ever since I can remember…she’s in great health, lots of energy and always a voracious appetite, but I’m thinking we might be changing up her diet regardless. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, but are all the ingredients from Canada? Probably (certainly) not.
I have been feeding My Dogs Rachel Rays food how do I check that food out My dogs love it
We were feeding our puppy Purina Puppy Food, she got skin iritation had to have prednisone and anti biotics. She is now on Natural Choice by Nutra it is lamb and brown rice. It has made her coat beautiful and she loves it. It is expensive but aren’t our animals worth it..
I have had two of my three dogs diagnosed with pancreatits in the last two weeks. They have been eating Beneful for a logn while now. Symptoms emerged suddenly. The first ended in the hospital for 4 days on IV’s. The second we were able to bring home with antibiotics and pain meds. Both are recovering on the Hills Rx I/D canned food for now. Will hopefully be able to go to something else in a few weeks. Only time will tell how much damage they suffered. I had no idea that this food was causing problems or I would have changed a long time ago. Yes, I am guilty of being ignorant regarding the ingredients as well. Too much blind faith in a highly recognized brand name. Never again.
Pancreatitis is another word used for garbage gut, usually noted when dogs are fed to much people food or get in to something they are not use to eating i.e. dead animals like rats or mice.It is not a long term problem nor is it contagious..
yeah, but did you or someone else feed something from the table or did they get into the trash?
I switched my 14 yr old mixed breed male to beneful a few weeks ago. He was already deaf and pretty much completely blind but was active … about a week ago he started barfing up his food …only a little at first .. then it got worse… I started to give him Iams wet food mixed with rice .. 2 days after stopping Beneful .. he was still barfing up undigested Beneful .. today… he stumbled around outside and had to be carried up the steps .. he has slept all day.. got up to pee and could barely walk to the chair… he is being PTS this afternoon … did I speed up his death ? I will never forgive myself
Yep. You did. Educate yourself, instead of being marketing’s plaything.
you do not know if he speeded up his dog’s death deirdre. 14 yrs is a pretty good life span for a mixed breed.with older dogs you can stop the barfing by lifting their bowls up due to eating with their heads hanging down they do not chew or digest food as well as when they were young..my dog has been on beneful since she was a puppy and she is 7 now and has no health issues what so ever..
How on earth are people still feeding this garbage to their dogs??? It seems to me that there’s info. everywhere educating dog parents; on tv commercials like for Blue Buffalo, and all over the internet. When you bring a dog home, you should know that you are adding a family member, and it will cost a bit of money, like caring for a child. But it doesn’t have to be expensive. Even for low-income families it can be cheap, you just need to know how to shop. I just got Avoderm for $3.17 a bag at Petsmart! Plus with coupons (which are usually for $3+ off), it’s not that expensive. My dog generally eats Halo (we rotate because he gets tired of any food after a while); I use a coupon plus wait for it to be on sale. Just join Halo’s (or other company) website and you’ll have access to coupons every month. For instance Petco often has Halo on sale for $10, minus the $3 coupon, you’re only paying $7! Also be on the lookout for free samples, independent stores and feed stores all have them.
It doesn’t seem to me you’re doing that much better. Yeah, it’s better than Beneful – like that’s saying much. For optimum health dogs need to be fed real food – whole food, preferably raw, or at most minimally processed by home cooking. Living your whole life on highly processed food, even if it started out as something decent before all the nutrition was heat-processed out of it, is not healthful. Sorry. The difference between a raw-fed and a kibble-fed dog is phenomenal, especially in older animals. I switched to raw in 1997, and have fed no fewer than ten dogs at a time on raw since then – and I would never go back. It is more expensive and it is less convenient, and I will never go back. And I’m very far from well-to-do.
I feed my dog Mollie (Corgi) Natures Select (chicken lamb and rice). She’s very fit and healthy and happy full of energy. I have feed her the same food for almost 2yrs. Natures select customer service is outstanding. They deliver for free right to your door step.
My dog Ginger had to be put down just this past October 2012,due to kidney failer.We also fed her Beniful,but in Febuary of 2012 she had an ifection and had to have a blood transfusion ,an operation on her female parts,which after a week at the vet hospital,we were told that her kidneys were damaged,so since than she just never bounced back to her old self,and just got worst as time went on.A week before we put her down she was not able to use her back legs,I don’t know why,and she began to bloat again,so I couldn’t bare the thought of her suffering anymore.R.I.P. Ginger my love,I’m still missing you,baby girl
I completely agree with Laura and no it is not “over the top.” She’s absolutely right!
I would recommend Flint River Ranch. They’re out of Roswell, GA and the food is really clean. Go to their website.
Yeah… I’m one of the 229 complaints. 4 of my 5 dogs (at the time) got very sick on Purina Beneful Healthy Fiesta. I had $650 in vet bills/meds. Luckily Purina took responsibility and reimbursed me every dime. I cannot say the same for the Hartz chew that nearly killed my dog Macon. He spent the night in the ER… that whole fiasco cost me $750 and that was just ONE DOG!
My dog has been on beneful dog food since we had her as a puppy. SHe has just recently started to kind of lick and eat her fur. Her whole neck is raw and disgusting looking and she is starting on her tail. I am noticing some lumps but am not sure if they are tumors or if it is being caused from the beneful after reading the posts. Has anyone ever had these problems. The same thing is happening with her sister that my mom has.
I experienced the same thing with my dog who was on Purina beneful for years,.I just weaned him off..He is now on Nutro, venison and brown rice..the poor dog was always liking and chewing himself raw, rubbing his eyes and I had over $600 dollars in vet bills in 4 months! He had to live with a cone on his head and it got so bad we thought we would have to put him down, I switched vets and switched foods…he is like a different animal…he is like a puppy again and he is 10! I am so thrilled…throw out the treats and dog food..try nutro and I also only started giving him pure sweet potato treats nothing else…he is full of allergies and so far so good!!! Good Luck!
I feed this to my 5 dogs and they are fine and healthy. so i dont know the truth to all this. I have fed this to my all my dogs for years. and all of them lived very long healthy lives.
here here
There is nothing safe that says chicken by products..bone mean..chicken meal.beef bone meal nothing is safe at all it seems..whats bad about it I don’t think they even fine them even if they lie on the pagkage..I went to a store saw where it said where the dog food was make in the USA just to look at the bar code and it was from china!!
no wonder my dog won’t eat the Beneful treats — she turned her nose up at them.
Sojos! It’s the only way to go. Dehydrated food (made in Minnesota) which you mix yourself.
For more information:
http://www.sojos.com/?gclid=CIqsyeOCpbUCFQ4EnQodexUAjw
I just wanted to say that I think that Beneful contributed to the death my dog as well. I have been feeding all three of our dogs beneful for years and last year my oldest (maltese) began having seizures. I started doing some more research about this and decided to change her diet. I switched to an all natural food and low and behold the seizures stopped. Unfortunately I think it was too late for my little baby girl and she ended up bleeding internally and I had to put her down a week ago because the vet said she had a tumour that had exploded. Probably cancer he said. Fortunately my other two are still young and I will never feed them beneful ever again! Terrible terrible stuff and although I have no proof either I am confident that it was what led to her becoming so sick.
she had cancer dogs get cancer so do people don’t blame it all on the food
I am appalled that they to are able to still market and sell this product. My dog is 10 and I had been feeding him this since a month ago. He was getting very lethargic, allegies everywhere, dry eyes and he was a complete mess, I took him to a new vet and thankfully he is much better..I had done some research and immediately took him off this food along with all the treats full of garbage…Something needs to be done to protect these dogs!!! We as consumers need to be our own educators.
Well Folks,
Ive never used it and have been feeding one of the meatier holistic foods for years now and its done wonders for my shepherds ear infections and I believe his overall health.
That said lets not go crazy on Purina here. They do more for shelters and rescues than most companies put together. Food is what it is and if yor concerned with your dogs health than you need to mtake a little responsibility. The ingredients are listed on the bag for crying out loud. ! WHOLE GRAIN CORN isnt very digestible. Good luck everyone
This makes so much sense! I started buying this brand about 3years ago for my poodle and she’s been peeing like crazy! We’re worried she might have diabetes.. She liked this food and I thought it was healthy for her but I’m definitely gonna switch it! She’s almost 9 years old and I want her to stay in our family for a long time!
Also I forgot to mention that since eating beneful my dog has gotten a couple of warts. Has anyone else’s dogs expire emceed this?
very rarely will you see a poodle without warts or moles,whatever you want to call them. I did not see where cancer can be linked to a certain food. But the #1 cancer causing agents in dogs and cats are vaccines.
Iam as of the moment going through seziure’s with my 15 lb Boston Terrior I pray he will make it , this is a sad time as I so was depending on a company not to let me buy food that would kill my dog , this is a product that should be removed from the shelves and not alowed back untill it is truely safe , or at the very least make the C.E.O. eat a bowl full several time a day is now my atitude at this point , my heart breaks for what my lil guy is going through and what is ahead for him and I pray for my guy and all the others out there suffering . May God be on our side and not let the company continue to get away with this hellish act .
We are seeing an explosion in dog deaths and severe illness right now.People are coming to us and offering testimony; we try to tell them what they need to do regarding signs and symptoms, record-keeping and FDA reporting. We believe that Purina’s Beneful MAY have become contaminated with deadly Aflatoxins from mold (just like 2006/2007, as 2006 was a drought year with extremely high temps causing an Aflatoxin problem, just like 2012, and Purina were culpable then!). Remember the signs of Aflatoxin poisoning are VERY SIMILAR to Antifreeze poisoning, which is what vets are assuming right now because they don’t know any better!
Most of us are blocked from the Beneful Facebook site. Check out the comments there. The site has just recruited a bunch of new moderators.. some particularly unpleasant individuals who are deleting the “bad” posts just as quickly as folks are posting comments because they were unable to keep pace with the negatives!
We are pushing hard to spread the word.. PLEASE join us on the link above.
Thank You!
Please were is the link I want to stop this .
Reva, Please click on my name in the above post. It will take you to Is Purina Beneful Killing our Dogs? Post Your Story
Note that the Dogington Post have got a NEW story on Beneful, published yesterday about the fact that Beneful are not addressing customer complaints.
I was a Mgr at PetSmart years back when there was a HUGE recall due to the melamine or whatever it was that China was putting in thier products. It was horrendous. All I can say to this is READ THE INGREDIENTS LIST before you buy. Educate yourself. It’s the best weapon against these companies lying to us about how great their products are.
how about wellness dog food grain free is that a good one!!
I can’t believe that the FDA still allows the practice of rendering and other nasty things that they allow the pet food manufactures to get away with. After I did my thesis in college on how pet food industry maneuvers and covers up the animal cruelty, testing and other nasty things that they do to market they product, I stopped completely using commercial pet foods. I use strictly holistic and or organic foods to feed my dog. I also read the whole dog journal and swear by the dog food dialysis to check the ratings of my food.
I only feed my Basset Hound Jasper, Taste of the Wild dog food approved by AFCO which he loves and also only spring water. He’ll be 8 I’m April and so far no problems. The vet said never feed any dog food unless it has the AFCO symbol on it and the letters.
Despite Beneful possibly causing problems on its own, I see a lot of people complaining about it while saying “I just switched to this”, “it was just one bag,” and what have you. You’re supposed to switch foods gradually, not all at once. Some of the symptoms your dog experiences can be caused by rapidly switching foods. Vomiting and diarrhea and other upsets can be caused by giving your dog food it’s been on for ages, and giving them something new without introducing it slowly WITH the old food first. Try to do research on how to feed dogs and switch foods.
I fall right into the ranks of those posting here. I fed Charger Beneful for years. In December 2012 he began vomiting, loose stool, increased water/urinating. Multiple vet visits, tests, treatments, internal medicine specialist, meds, etc…. I contacted Purina with the same “company line” that their food is safe. I emailed the FDA, consumerreports.com, poisonedpets.com, etc, etc,…. On December 12, 2012 I lost Charger to Kidney failure. It is time for Purina to stand up and take responsibility for their wrong doings. I will join any class action against them.
I went to the Consumer Reports link and read some of the posts and was amazed at how many of them say, my dog ate Beneful for years and suddenly they are vomiting or have diarreha and blame it on the dog food. Really? 5 years your dog is on one dog food but the first time they get ill, it has to be this food? My dog is 7 and has always eaten Beneful. I have heard from friends that it isn’t the best food to give him and I have tried many others over the years but I keep coming back, because he eats it.
I think I’m going to make my dogs food myself, That way I know whats in it and I will more likely save money. A little more work, But It will keep my babies safe.
I don’t feed purina, but I feed a food that has corn and chicken by products to all but one that has a grain allergy. I lost my first at 13, my 2nd at 15 yrs 7 months, the third at 15, oops one at 9, then his mom had to be put down for arthritis at 14.5, still have a 14.5 yr old and a 14 yr old, that has been on Diamond dog food since pups. The one gets Taste of the Wild, and skin cleared up great… My food is very simalar to Purina One, but a little cheaper.
What they want to blame on food is often yearly vaccs, that are not neccesary, causes cancer, skin problems,etc… Do your research and quit blaming it on food. Dogs don’t need yearly vaccs, unless in an unstable enviroment. They need the puppy shots and a yearly for a couple of yrs and maybe at 5 or 6 a booster. Some vets vaccinate a dog to death, why?? puts $$$ in their pockets!
As a groomer, I still see people using bio spot on their pets, if you look at their site and I havent in about 9 yrs. There were 300 pages of dog deaths, lawsuits that they had paid vet bills, etc… Dogs would not be around if Purina killed them, so sorry to say. There are many more poisons to your dogs than some commercial dog food, unless there is a recall, of course! Lawn chemicals, flea treatments, vaccs, carpet cleaners and powders, all chemicals… The list goes on forever. If dogs were that fragile they wouldn’t have been around this long. A lot of post on here are 10-12 yr old dogs going into kidney failure or being lost. Sorry to say that most dog breeds that is their life span.
wait, this is just the beginning, people all over eat horse meat and do not even know about it, never mind animals..as grouse that is
And, I simply love horses and dogs and hate to see them hurting any shape or form..yet…history repeats itself and humans DO NOT CHANGE only their environment and circumstances…
I don’t know if Beneful recently changed. But we fed only Beneful dry to our 3 dogs from the time it was introduced on market. Dogs also were never vaccinated, and lived on our property. The 2 large dogs died in 2011 of natural deaths, at 13 and 15 years of age. The third is still with us, trucking along at about 14 yrs of age.
I am not questioning what these other folks have said, but just relaying my own experience. These dogs were happy, healthy and energetic into old age. I think maybe the whole “holistic, all natural” dog food thing is getting a bit over the top. Until most people in this country can afford to eat all organic, holistic and healthy diets, and not live on fast food and “freezer food”, perhaps we should all relax a bit. Next thing will be proving you can afford “premium” pet food in order to adopt!
someone with some sense finally
Cook beef or chicken with rice if concerned about bought dog food. Only true way to your dog is getting.
this is not a balanced diet please do not feed this a sole diet
i do not feed dog food beneful
my dogs eat good dog food
[...] The Dogington Post reveals that many of the popular dog foods, like Beneful, cite corn to be their number one ingredient. Corn is often used as a filler in dog food with very little nutritional benefit to your dog. The high glycemic index in corn causes your dog’s blood sugar level to increase. [...]
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Good Morning Peeps!…. just sitting here reading all ya’ll posts and I am thinking to myself, “HOW MANY OF YA’LL COOK?”…. yes, COOK! As with children, animals rely on us to love them, play with them, teach them, and yes FEED them. So, that being said, why not cook for them as you cook for yourself? It is no different than preparing a meal for a child! The best part…. you know what your putting in it, healthy, nutritious, tasty meals! It is not hard. Did you know a dog can have garlic? NOT alot, but approx. 1/8 of a tsp. in prepared meals. Just for the taste of it, yes they do have taste buds, much like ourselves!
Ground turkey, ground chicken, shredded beef, chunky roast beef. Yes I spoil my lil’ people, as I cook for myself. Throw some veggies in it,sweet potatoes,greenbeans,carrots,peas.even alittle potatoe! If you don’t have the time.. you didn’t need the sweet baby in the first place! Do your part.. be a great pet/baby owner! As far as the FDA goes… GARBAGE! I’ve lived this long without their help, my babies too! Ask your Vet! Call me a hippie/ tree hugger, I’ll still come out KNOWING my pets ARE healthy & happy! Be good to your person, after all, they love you to pieces, they rely on you. Stop supporting the FOOD MEAL INDUSTRY! Make your own treats too! So easy to do, it would be silly not to try, and it’s fun too, as a kid.. they love the dough too! 
I hope your lil’ people live a long and happy life. <3
I am so sorry I did not know about this web site before today. My beloved dog Princess, a 12 yr old cocker spaniel died this past Monday. I opened up a new bag of beneful healthy weight dry dog food on Saturday 3/2/13 and fed it to her on Saturday and Sunday. By Monday morning she was lethargic and by 3pm I found her dead. Prior to this she was a happy, healthy dog. My heart is breaking and she is truly missed. I am just devastated and I just didn’t know that these dog food companies are making garbage for our dear little pets.
yes and charge dearly for it i only hope they feel the pain i did when i lost ralph i cried months and months still do i recently got another one my god shes on purina puppy chow im scared of this food to
Call local breeders and find out if they order there food from a distributor. If they do, contact the distributor and see what they have to offer. They usually make you buy in bulk but if the breeder will order it for you then you can buy it from them and will have saved a few bucks a bag. This is what I do. Sorry for bad spelling.
My little pomeranian mix was happy and healthy until we switched to beneful. After a few days of eating the food, he had three very violent seizures. I talked with a friend of mine and realized that her dogs had also experienced seizures on beneful. We quickly changed foods and he has not had a seizure since. It may not be related to the beneful but it’s a very strange coincidence.
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i had ralph on this food for yrs 1st pankreitas then dibetes then blind then kidney failure god i went through a hard time it was like loosing a child i sure hope it wasnt this food that did this and if so whats gonig to be done truley upset donna from tn
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my advise feed youre dog youre self because those people are just wrong and they should be arrested and stay there for ever because telling people that it is good for youre dog and making all the money they are real a holes
Sorry for any nasty details but i need help. My moms poodle was recently eating this beneful food amd she had the dark loose stool with almost mucus like pieces in it we thought it was the poodle and soy mom just switched food and she seems ok. Then my wife and i just got apuppy an australian shepard its having the same symptoms. Poor liytle guy cant seem to control it and it smells horendous. And looks just like the poodles.
So what im asking plz does anyone know a good dog food that can help my puupy stool become normal? I would love to hear answers. Plz feel free to email me at-synstergates.1ra@gmail.com. i really need some help. Hes pretty sick and im short in cash to take him to the vet. Any advice is great!
Thanks
We fed our Pitbull Beneful Healthy Radiance. It was recommended by our vet. 2 years later we had to have her put to sleep from the lymphoma that had taken over. I can’t be certain it was the food but after what I’ve seen I think it might be. We feed our new dog Blue Buffalo.
We lost our lab last summer due to diabetes at age 11. She was a thriving, healthy and strong dog who had no prior health problems. Six months earlier, we switched from Royal Canan (she just didn’t care for it anymore) to Beneful Healthy Weight. Out of nowhere, she started drinking constantly and began to limp. We took her to the vet and then a specialist. Her legs collapsed under her at the specialist’s office and she was gone within a month.
At first I didn’t make a connection to the food. After reading a ton of comments online, now I’m certain that was the cause.
My 3yo mastiff died this morning, after his first bowl of beneful! He did seizures after seizures until he died, we could do nothing to save him!
They killed my rex!
I have two dogs. Noticed they were drinking alot. Both have suddenly started to develops lumps. Not the same breed or age. I have fed them Benedikt for over a year. Throwing it out right now!
This story just broke on my local news station….and I am outraged. I had been feeding my 2 1/2 yo terrier beneful from the time he was 4 months old. He then started to itch and scratch so much he would cause him self to bleed. About 3 months ago I switched to Purina One which seemed to fix the problem…for about 2 weeks. Then the bumps and scratching came back with a vengeance. My poor pup was so miserable we had to put an ecollar on him so he wouldn’t cause himself to bleed and daily antihistamine (sp) regimen. I have since put him on a hypoallergenic diet and every single symptom has cleared up. While the hypoallergenic diet is extremely expensive and probably not very cost effective, I’m so glad I have read all of your comments and saw the segment on my news so I can figure out a plan of action. It is seriously disgusting what they are doing. Recall your POS product, admit you have done wrong, and stop killing innocent beings.
Blue & Evo ect… Are no diffrent then the rest bit in price.
Stop advertising for these foods .all dog foods
These days are poor quality and give false claims
And outrageous cost with fancy labels.
I’ve been to hell and back with high end as well
As med-low end .before you ask I gave every
Food ample time to prove its self.
My dogs are now 9 years of age and have thrived
On a rotation diet by not getting to much of one
Food so if there is a problem with the food ,enough
Time hasn’t been given a chance to cause harm.
May all you pet lovers have success with your
Darlings.
Take care
We have a Lab/Coonhound mix who we found and brought home a few years ago, he is our son’s best friend and we want to keep him healthy. Thankfully even though we have been feeding him Beneful he has not had any issues. With that said, after reading all of this we do want to switch his dog food. We also have two family cats who have been eating Purina Indoor cat food. We are a loving family of two adults, a toddler, a dog, and two cats so funds are limited……can you please give me your best affordable suggestions on both dog and cat food that will be better than Purina/Beneful? Thanks so much in advance everyone
Purina has never had a recall …
However, Blue Buffalo was very quick to respond to having too much vitamin D in a batch. They are likely the best in their price range.
We’ve fed Hunter Purina One Lamb and Rice formula since rescuing him about 1 1/2 years ago.
A few days ago he suddenly had a seizure, the first one for this very active boy.
Within a half hour he was back to normal. I’d already called a veterinary, who could only say Hunter could be examined and have blood work, but there was no guarantee a cause would be determined. We chose to observe him closely, watching for a recurrence.
I checked for snakes, bugs, etc., but found nothing in the yard. So I looked on the good old internet and found a blog on Purina, with mostly complaints about Beneful.
Further research revealed Purina primary uses rice as a filler – little or no corn. (Probably brings a higher price to make ethanol.) Looking into rice, there is a concern about arsenic content. And it is likely they are using rice from China = questionable.
While I cannot prove it, I now suspect his seizure was caused by digging up and ingesting a hyacinth bulb.
So many people want a quality product, but cannot afford to feed their pet like a show dog. I used to compare ingredients, and used Diamond when their label was very similar to Iams … at a lower price. Then Diamond food was found to be contaminated by Chinese ingredients that resulted in a number of pet deaths.
When I checked the lot numbers of the two bags I had, one was in the recall list. Thank goodness I hadn’t opened it, yet.
My recommendation is to buy the best you can afford from a high volume supplier. Hopefully it will not be proven that Beneful is unhealthy.
Purina has never had a recall …
Footnote: I would like to feed Blue Buffalo, but it is pricey.
The fact that on all the other Purina brands, except for Beneful, there is a money back guarantee. Big stamp on back of bag on claiming money back if not satisfied, but not on Beneful.
I don’t even know the way I ended up right here, however I assumed this put up was once good. I do not realize who you are however definitely you’re going to a well-known blogger in the event you are not already. Cheers!
I had a 20 year old pom that died last October. All his life he ate Pedigree dry and Pedigree pouch food. About once a week I would cook him plain chicken and rice with frozen vegetables in it. He was 20 when he died. And that was because he had some back to back seizures that caused other problems. Until then he walked just like when he was 10 years old. Never had any health problems. I would suggest cooking your own food to feed them though and add vitamins to it.
[...] be difficult. I did some research on different dog foods and discovered the supermarket brands like Purina are absolutely full of dyes and preservatives. I was stunned to learn that the all natural food I [...]
I don’t see how it’s exclusively Beneful food that killed your dogs. I’ve had 4 dogs. My first dog was fed Dr. Ballard’s food, which is a wet stew like food in a can. It was the cheapest stuff around, and I though it looked and smelled delicious, like real stew. That dog, Queenie, live 18 years and died naturally of old age (mind you with no heartworm medication, only rabies and her initial puppy shots). My second dog, Champ, was well taken care of, had all shots and medicine, and was fed a veterinarian recommended food, Royal Canine Medi-cal, and died at 11 of a horrible spleen and stomach cancer. His last days were incredibly painful. My next dog, Red, started out on Hill Science Diet, but then was switched to Beneful wet and dry food (a picky eater requiring a mixture) He only had rabies shots, just like the first dog. He lived 15 years, and died of a physical injury while being watched by a relative. My current dog is 6 years old and has been on beneful her whole life so far, and is doing well. I don’t see a problem with the food at all.
I have been feeding my mix chihuahua Beneful for four days now. At first, he was chowing down at the kibble, but then he lost the appetite just as fast. He would only eat three or four pieces of the kibble, then stop. He’s very active though, healthy and of the proper weight. I just noticed his coat started to dull in just four day’s time. And then I find this. I am going to quickly change his kibble to something less toxic and save myself the tears, my pocket the struggle, and most importantly, my baby’s health. Thanks for this info. You just saved my little Mayo’s life c:
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