Lawsuit claims Purina's Beneful led to death of thousands of dogs

Seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, liver malfunction and internal bleeding are some of the complaints on consumeraffairs.com regarding Purina's dog food, Beneful.

A class action lawsuit was filed on Feb. 5 accusing Beneful of making dogs sick and even causing death in some instances. The lawsuit accuses the company of using mycotoxins, a species of mold. According to blackmold.awardspace.com, mycotoxins are some of the most toxic substances in existence.

The plaintiff in the lawsuit, Frank Lucido, said he dealt with Beneful firsthand. According to topclassactions.com, Lucido's English Bulldog died after switching to Beneful. Lucido's two other dogs, a German Shepherd and Labrador, also became ill after switching food.

Purina Beneful received 708 one-star ratings out of 821 on Consumer Affairs' "Complaints & Reviews" page. One woman who said she was from Cincinnati said she lost both of her dogs in a six-month span after switching to Beneful. One dog died of kidney failure, the other succumbed to liver failure. The woman said the only connection she could make is the switch to Beneful.

Propylene Glycol, which can be found in antifreeze, has also been linked to the company. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of this additive for human and canine consumption.

"We believe the lawsuit is without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves," said Purina's Vice President of Corporate Public Relations, Keith Schopp to thedailybeast.com. "Beneful is a high-quality nutritious food enjoyed by millions of dogs each year and there are no product quality issues with Beneful."