# More Problems With Blue Buffalo



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I know many of our SMer's feed Blue so be aware!

186 Complaints and Reviews about Blue Buffalo Pet Foods


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

Noooooooo! Finally found something that I approve of and they like... Noooooo!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I read this and don't honestly know what to think, 188 complaints isn't really that much in the grand scheme of things. Are they all from within the last month or two?

It's sort of like the beneful complaints, they have close to 500 now, but that's compared to how many millions of homes that feed it? 

Now the Nutro complaints are over 1k-but again what time frame is that within? I really don't know what to think anymore..


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

The thing I have started to notice too is that several of the complaints are from people with very old dogs....  sorry but there comes a time, you know? I guess the best thing we can do if we are concerned is home cooking! That balance it stuff has me pretty excited


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

I fed Bella Blue Buffalo during her first year but recently switched to Fromm. She liked Blue Buffalo and did well on it but I like the variety of flavors that Fromm offers grain free and she really seems to enjoy it.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*I Seen this also-Its States*
*Vomiting Diarrhea and Seizures.*


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

We used to feed Snuggles and Chrissy BB but did end up changing to Fromm Whitefish and Potatoes and they are doing very well on Fromm. However, I only switched due to the fact that it was said here on SM that someone's Malt's tearstaining seemed to subside and thought that I would give Fromm a try. There is only one Pet Store though in our area that sell Fromm and wish that Petco and Pet Smart would start to carry it since they are a lot closer by. Thanks for sharing that link and I will take time out to read it.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I just started switching Riley to BB a week ago! Now what to do? His kibble is still half BB and half Eukanuba. The canned food is BB. Should I just stop BB and back on the prior food?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## IvysMom (Dec 24, 2012)

They are recent reviews, this past fall to the present. If you read the reviews, a number of people who have used the food long term state that they noticed a change in the food a number of months ago, that it is not the same in appearance or smell, and it was after the change that their dogs became sickened. Some of the reviewers contacted the company about this and were told that the company had been sold so it is possible that the formula has changed; they were also told that the BB food is made in numerous factories around the country and that the food may be different from one factory than another. When queried as to where the ingredients came from (what country: US? China?) the company would not respond.

Read a few dozen of those reviews and you might think twice about feeding BB. Everyone's stories/animals' symptoms were virtually identical, way too much so to be a coincidence. I had thought about trying BB, but I'm sticking with Science Diet, particularly since none of their ingredients come from China. Here's a veterinarian's take on why she likes Science Diet. I thought it was quite impartially written though a bit overly long.

Is there Science in Science Diet?


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## IvysMom (Dec 24, 2012)

sherry said:


> I just started switching Riley to BB a week ago! Now what to do? His kibble is still half BB and half Eukanuba. The canned food is BB. Should I just stop BB and back on the prior food?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 
After reading those reviews, I would stop the BB immediately. But others are feeding it without difficulty, so it's just a personal decision everyone will have to make for their own doggies.


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## lmillette (Apr 23, 2012)

IvysMom said:


> They are recent reviews, this past fall to the present. If you read the reviews, a number of people who have used the food long term state that they noticed a change in the food a number of months ago, that it is not the same in appearance or smell, and it was after the change that their dogs became sickened. Some of the reviewers contacted the company about this and were told that the company had been sold so it is possible that the formula has changed; they were also told that the BB food is made in numerous factories around the country and that the food may be different from one factory than another. When queried as to where the ingredients came from (what country: US? China?) the company would not respond.
> 
> Read a few dozen of those reviews and you might think twice about feeding BB. Everyone's stories/animals' symptoms were virtually identical, way too much so to be a coincidence. I had thought about trying BB, but I'm sticking with Science Diet, particularly since none of their ingredients come from China. Here's a veterinarian's take on why she likes Science Diet. I thought it was quite impartially written though a bit overly long.
> 
> Is there Science in Science Diet?


I had concerns about BB a while back and posted about it probably six months or so ago because if you look at the bag or any BB package it says "Distributed in the USA" not "Made in the USA". The issue with distributed is that the products that put into BB can be imported products from countries like China. That's why it's best to buy only "Made in the USA", IMHO. Hopefully nothing transpire too much like the other issues we've seen with dog food lately. 

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/59-everything-else-maltese-related/120786-blue-buffalo.html


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

I did not read the entire article but does it include their canned food too ?


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

I believe that there was also a problem with their canned food as well.


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## maltese#1fan (Feb 20, 2012)

Snuggle's Mom said:


> We used to feed Snuggles and Chrissy BB but did end up changing to Fromm Whitefish and Potatoes and they are doing very well on Fromm. However, I only switched due to the fact that it was said here on SM that someone's Malt's tearstaining seemed to subside and thought that I would give Fromm a try. There is only one Pet Store though in our area that sell Fromm and wish that Petco and Pet Smart would start to carry it since they are a lot closer by. Thanks for sharing that link and I will take time out to read it.


Where have you been able to find Fromm in Lancaster County? I haven't been able to find it and after hearing about BB, I definitely want to change.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I think I will just switch back to Eukanuba dry and science diet canned. That's what his breeder had him on.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Here are great links about the recall on march the 3rd. *http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/blue_buffalo.html 
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/nutro.html

Hope Maybe this Helps Someone. Nickee*


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

https://www.facebook.com/BlueBuffaloAllNaturalPetFood?ref=streamBlue responds to the claims


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Karen, I found Fromm at that Pet/Fish Place on Centerville Road and just picked up a larger bag of it last week. Unfortunately, PetSmart nor Petco carry Fromm which would surely be a lot closer for me. Since we belong to BJ's that Pet/Fish Place is on the way home and easy to stop in. Hope that this information helps!!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

https://www.facebook.com/BlueBuffaloAllNaturalPetFood?ref=stream

I don't think the other link works, Blue has put a statement out about all the claims and questions.


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

shellbeme said:


> https://www.facebook.com/BlueBuffaloAllNaturalPetFood?ref=streamBlue responds to the claims


Thank you for sharing this with us Shelly. Makes me feel a lot better.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

LuvMyBoys said:


> Thank you for sharing this with us Shelly. Makes me feel a lot better.


I think everyone here knows I'm not a huge fan of Blue just because I think they charge about 5 bucks more a bag than they should-but I also don't think they are a bad food. I feel like there has been a recent rash of attacks against several dog food companies and I'm not sure how much I'm believing anymore. 

Let's be honest, Blue is not afraid of recalls-if something is wrong they are going to recall it. Recalls can make a company look bad, but heck, at least you know they are tracking their products. I really think, if they thought there was something wrong with the food, they would pull it.

Just wanted to add: I'ts like the guy told me when Rocky was not doing well on Fromm (and there is NOTHING wrong with Fromm).. 'Trust what you see with your own eyes.' Is it working for your dog? If it is, then it's working, if it's not then find something else


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

For those of you not on FaceBook or who don't want to click the link, below is Blue's response to the complaints that have been spreading around. 



Hi pet parents. Recently we have seen a rash of FB posts expressing concern about information you have read about Blue Buffalo on other web sites. Some of these other posts are on sites that claim to contain “independent” reviews of products. Some even have names that might be read to suggest the sites have official government functions. And the posts tell some very negative stories about Blue Buffalo. We have also read these posts, and we are very concerned, because of their total lack of accuracy with regard to the quality of BLUE food.

They may claim that BLUE sources its meat from China. Absolutely false. Or that we get grains from China. Also false. Or that we have been sold to a “conglomerate”. Yep, you guessed, it: totally false...we're an independent and family run company.

Some of the posts tell distressing stories about pet illnesses, and describe BLUE’s alleged refusal to respond to inquiries about the pet illnesses. Nothing could be further from the truth. We take all claims about the integrity of our products very seriously. Every single claim that comes into our Customer Care Center, either by e-mail or telephone, is fully investigated. The medical records are reviewed by our veterinarians, our manufacturing records are pored over, to look for any indication that an error has occurred. And, we keep very detailed records of all claims. So we know when a post on another site matches up with a claim we have received at Customer Care. They almost never do. If the “consumers” who write these posts really do exist, the stories they tell have almost never been brought to us in a way that would allow us to investigate, verify, and respond to the claim. These claims are unsubstantiated, and we firmly believe that it's their design because competition is not always friendly, and the web can be used to start rumors without the need for any support.

The important thing to take away from all of this for you, as pet parents, is to be very suspicious of any of these “review” sites. And certainly do not rely on them for information about Blue Buffalo, or any product for that matter. If you want to know anything about Blue Buffalo or its products, please contact our Customer Care Team using the tab above or by calling 1-800-919-2833. Our Customer Care associates, who are employees of Blue Buffalo here in the United States, are there for you and will help resolve any issues you may have. The integrity of our products is the lifeblood of our brand, and the relationship of trust we have with you and all companion animals, and is something we will never compromise.


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## dragonsdawn (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree it really comes down to what works for you and your dog. I have seen posted on here where one food works great for one family and another family had issues. Both me and my daughter use blue and it works great with our furbabies. My vet even likes the fact that i am feeding Zoey Blue. So either my vet isn't in the know, or someone is out to make blue or some other company look bad so it makes other brands look better.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

I have called Blue on several occasions and was very pleased by the responses that I received by their customer service personnel. And I too agree that what might be good for one dog, might work for another. Just like people, everyone has their personal likes and dislikes as far as food is concerned. There are a good number of foods that I cannot eat due to my stomach that others have no issues with at all.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

sherry said:


> I think I will just switch back to Eukanuba dry and science diet canned. That's what his breeder had him on.


There are many better foods than those two brands. We also need to keep in mind that an unscrupulous person can hire spammers to flood a complaint site against a company. I would be cautious of those sites.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

maggieh said:


> There are many better foods than those two brands. We also need to keep in mind that an unscrupulous person can hire spammers to flood a complaint site against a company. I would be cautious of those sites.


And I'm not so sure consumeraffairs.com is all that reputable. Do a google search. Here is a link to one of the sites I found. Just keep in mind it's not any 'official' type agency. I did not know that until just recently-I was following info about the whole beneful fiasco for a while.

Others have also noticed many reviews tend to be worded exactly the same and with no grammar errors, interesting huh?

TortsProf Blog: ConsumerAffairs.com - Front? Legit? A Front but Disclosed?


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## maltese#1fan (Feb 20, 2012)

I was at my local pet store today and I mentioned to the owner what I read here about Blue Buffalo. She hadn't heard of any issues, but she did say she didn't think all of the source food was from the U.S. That alone would make me think twice about feeding it to Bella.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

If there is any doubt that all or some of the ingredients come from other sources for BB, I would most certainly call them directly. I have always been very satisfied with speaking with those who I have been in contact with at Blue Buffalo. Before anyone makes any statements as to any pet food, they should do a very indepth research of the company.


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

maltese#1fan said:


> I was at my local pet store today and I mentioned to the owner what I read here about Blue Buffalo. She hadn't heard of any issues, but she did say she didn't think all of the source food was from the U.S. That alone would make me think twice about feeding it to Bella.


Please see the response from Blue. Please, if you have questions about something, go to the source for your information, don't rely on what some person 'thinks' may be the fact.




LuvMyBoys said:


> For those of you not on FaceBook or who don't want to click the link, below is Blue's response to the complaints that have been spreading around.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Blue Buffalo is getting a lot of bad press for complaints on a website that we are finding out is very suspect:

TortsProf Blog: ConsumerAffairs.com - Front? Legit? A Front but Disclosed?

and:

Consumers Beware of ConsumerAffairs.com

If they thought there was something wrong with the food they would recall it. What needs to be spread is that consumeraffairs.com is no official website, it is a website that profits off of bullying companies with bad reviews and if you pay close attention many of the reviews are worded exactly the same and have no grammar errors what so ever-which is extremely suspicious.

All this not to say that no dog has ever gotten sick eating Blue Buffalo. I'm sure there are documented cases of that happening to every single dog food. Just saying to investigate for yourself.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I'm going to continue Blue Buffalo for Riley. He has no tummy or poop problems and it has a really good rating. If they recall, then I'll worry.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Guys, seriously if you are worried they are being very open on their fb page about their ingredients and such, don't be afraid to contact them or take a look at the statements they have made  

I use to jump all over these type of accusations and wave my little pom poms, now I am seeing that I have been wrong several times in the past. You really really need to dig a little with stuff like this and not take something as gold because a few run with it. 

That said, I mean no disrespect to Marj for posting this, I think it's important we both share this type of information and investigate it. I post stuff like this all the time too.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

shellbeme said:


> .
> That said, I mean no disrespect to Marj for posting this, I think it's important we both share this type of information and investigate it. I post stuff like this all the time too.


None taken. I don't feed Bailey Blue so I didn't bother to investigate it, but I wanted to share it with anyone who does.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Consumer Affairs Threats of Lawyers to TruthaboutPetFood.com


VERY interesting article on the subject


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

And another related article if you are interested  

Beneful, Nutro and Blue Buffalo Complaints to FDA


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## Daisy's Mommie (Sep 24, 2012)

There was a Blue Buffalo rep in PetsMart one afternoon last year telling people about the benefits of Blue Buffalo. I wasn't even in there to buy food, just spending time with Daisy Grace--well, actually showing her off! and the rep started to tell me about BB. I bought a small bag just to see if my furbabies would like it. I started out just giving them a couple pieces of kibble as a snack to test it out. NOTHING DOING !! They wouldn't even taste of it. They would sniff and walk away. Mixed a little with their BilJac and they would eat around the BB. I got a little miffed at the fact that they would have nothing to do with it becasue even a small bag was not cheap! But, I quit trying to get them to eat it and I wound up throwing the bag away. After reading about all the problems with BB, THANK GOD they didn't and wouldn't eat it. They have been on BilJac since they all were tiny babies and everybody does great on it. I will keep buying what I know works for them.
P.S.They wouldn't eat the treats-the blueberry and apple-either..


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

There was an interesting comment on this site Beneful, Nutro and Blue Buffalo Complaints to FDA

Someone said many of the supposed "Beneful illnesses" are actually cases of leptospirosis. (That's the awful disease that my foster, Minnie, caught and is recovering from.) 

I wonder if that could be true of some of the complaints about Blue Buffalo or other foods.


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