Years has told customers to stop feeding every one of its fresh dog meals immediately as reports of potential eye problems rose from 57 on Sunday to 192 by early Wednesday. The company described those reports as unverified and said testing had not established that its food caused the condition.
The voluntary recall covers all Years fresh meal products. Customers should not give the meals to another animal, donate them or resell them, according to the company.
Years delivers personalized meals through a subscription service and also sells products through selected retailers, including Pets at Home. The company said it had approximately 40,000 customers when it recorded the 192 reports.
General pet-food recall guidance from UK Pet Food advises owners to retain packaging, including batch codes and expiry dates, stop using recalled food and follow the manufacturer’s return or disposal instructions. Owners should also watch their dogs for unusual signs and consult a veterinarian if they have concerns.
What owners should watch for
The condition under investigation is sudden bilateral dry eye, meaning it affects both eyes. Its medical name is keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS, and it occurs when the eyes do not produce enough of the watery component of tears.
The Royal Kennel Club lists rubbing at the eyes, squinting, sensitivity to light, redness, inflammation, a dry or dull-looking cornea and thick mucus-like discharge as possible signs. These symptoms warrant veterinary attention rather than an attempt to determine the cause at home.
Cornell University’s canine health guidance says KCS can cause irritation, redness and thick discharge, while affected dogs are at risk of painful corneal ulcers. Untreated disease can lead to scarring, secondary infections and permanent vision loss.
Veterinarians can measure tear production with a Schirmer tear test. They may also use a fluorescein stain to identify damage to the cornea, according to Cornell. Diagnosis cannot be made from outward appearance alone.
KCS often requires long-term management, although outlook and response depend partly on its cause and the amount of tear production present at diagnosis. Years said information received from ophthalmologists was mixed, with some dogs responding well and others improving slowly or to a limited extent.
Why the cause remains uncertain
Years said reports of sudden bilateral dry eye began arriving in late July. On Aug. 1, an independent veterinarian and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons specialist advised that a connection to Years food appeared unlikely based on the information then available, while recommending further investigation.
The company then commissioned laboratory testing, consulted ophthalmologists, circulated a customer questionnaire and appointed two independent experts to examine root-cause and toxicology questions. It announced the full voluntary recall on Monday as a precaution.
Years said all customers had previously been moved to a recipe containing buckwheat, which had been added several months earlier. The inquiry is examining both the ingredient and possible contamination in its supply.
“The investigation has identified buckwheat as a potential contributing factor, and that includes investigating potential contamination within the buckwheat supply,” a Years spokesperson said.
That focus does not establish that buckwheat, contamination or the meals caused any dog’s condition. No final investigation result or conclusive connection has been established, and independent laboratory testing remains underway.
The growing total also should not be read as 192 confirmed cases caused by the food. It represents potential, unverified eye issues submitted to Years, while the approximately 40,000-customer figure describes the company’s customer base rather than the number of dogs proven to have been exposed or affected.
Owners whose dogs appear well should continue monitoring them and rely on current company and official recall instructions. Anyone who notices eye discomfort, discharge, redness, squinting or another concerning change should contact a veterinarian, because prompt examination can distinguish KCS from other eye problems and identify corneal damage. What would you do if your dog were in this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments.
By Sarah Mitchell — 8 years as a local-news reporter covering animal welfare, shelters, neighborhood disputes, and public-safety pet stories.
