The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall of several varieties of Sportmix pet food after at least 28 dogs have died and another eight fell ill. Midwestern Pet Foods on Dec. 30 issued a voluntary recall of nine lots of its Sportmix pet food after testing by the Missouri Department of Agriculture found they contained very high levels of aflatoxin, which is produced by a mold that can grow on corn and grain that is used to make pet food. In high enough amounts, aflatoxin can cause illness and deaths in pets and the substance can be present even if there is no visible mold. Pets are highly susceptible as they typically consume the same food over an extended period of time and the toxin can build up in their systems to potentially fatal levels. “Pets with aflatoxin poisoning may experience symptoms such as sluggishness, loss of appetite, …