According to The Independent, Years had received reports of 57 suspected cases of dry eye by Sunday, 16 August. The company said the issue had affected 0.1 per cent of its customers and advised owners to stop feeding Years products to their pets or any other animals while its investigation continues.
Years Investigates Possible Link Between Buckwheat and Dry Eye
Years said it began receiving multiple reports in late July of dogs developing sudden dry eye in both eyes. The company launched an investigation on 1 August and later told customers that buckwheat, which it described as a common and approved ingredient, had emerged as a possible factor.
According to Years, symptoms reported in affected dogs may include redness, cloudiness or dullness of the eyes, excessive blinking or squinting, pawing at the eyes and thick discharge. Dogs may also show general discomfort around their eyes. The company has asked owners who notice these symptoms to contact their vet promptly and mention the Years product recall.
The business, which has around 40,000 customers, said subscriptions would be paused for an initial six-week period. During that time, it plans to prepare new meals using quinoa instead of buckwheat. Years apologised to customers for the “worry and disruption” and said it would publish the results of its investigation.
Its range includes meals such as pork shoulder and apple stew, turkey thigh and cranberry fricassee, and steak and kidney hotpot. The company markets its food as fresh meals tailored to individual dogs and prepared by chefs.
Dog Owner Describes Months of Treatment and Rising Veterinary Costs
One owner, David Felton from Edgware in north London, said his six-year-old spaniel cross, Cookie, began experiencing eye problems in April after eating Years food for about two and a half years. He estimated that treatment and veterinary bills had so far cost around £1,500.
Felton told The Independent that Cookie had been in “a lot of pain” after he and his wife noticed that her eyes were becoming “really gunky”. A vet initially diagnosed a corneal abrasion, which can involve a scratch to the eye and may be caused by an irritant.
After two weeks of treatment produced no improvement, Cookie was referred to a specialist. According to Felton, the specialist diagnosed bilateral dry eye disease. Cookie is now being treated twice daily with a steroid paste, alongside over-the-counter drops and a gel intended to ease her discomfort.
Felton stopped feeding Cookie Years food immediately after receiving the company’s email about the recall on Monday. He said the possibility that the food could be connected to her condition had not occurred to the family before the company contacted customers.
He described the situation as upsetting and said owners who bought fresh food such as Years did so because they believed they were choosing high-quality food for their dogs. Years has not said that buckwheat has been confirmed as the cause of the reported cases, referring only to a potential link while its investigation remains under way.
