The U.K. company is investigating possible contamination in part of its buckwheat supply, although no cause has been established.
NOTTINGHAM, England — Dog food company Years has voluntarily recalled all of its fresh meals except its Chef’s Collection after 192 customers reported potential, unverified eye problems in their dogs, including a sudden dry-eye condition that can cause serious damage and possible vision loss.
The recall covers Years fresh puppy, adult and senior meals. The company said the action is precautionary and stressed that investigators have not established that its food caused the reported illnesses. Years is focusing part of its investigation on possible contamination within a portion of the buckwheat supply used in its recipes, rather than on buckwheat itself.
Years said it began receiving multiple reports in late July of dogs developing sudden bilateral dry eye, a condition in which tear production drops sharply in both eyes. On Aug. 1, an independent veterinarian and specialist in small-animal clinical nutrition advised the company that a connection to the food appeared unlikely based on the available information but recommended an investigation, according to the company’s recall notice.
The number of reports increased rapidly in mid-August. Years said it had received 57 suspected cases by Aug. 16 among roughly 40,000 customers served during 2026, with most of those reports arriving after Aug. 12. The company decided on Aug. 17 to issue a full voluntary recall of its fresh meals. By 9 p.m. Aug. 18, the total had increased to 192 customer reports of potential eye problems. Years said those reports were still being assessed and had not all been verified as cases tied to the food.
The condition under investigation is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS. Dogs with the condition do not produce enough tears to properly lubricate and protect their eyes. Signs can include excessive blinking or squinting, pawing at the eyes, thick discharge, redness and discomfort. Veterinary guidance says severe or untreated cases can cause inflammation, ulcers, scarring and, in some cases, permanent loss of vision.
Years said its investigation includes independent laboratory testing of meals and supplements for substances including heavy metals, mycotoxins, alkaloids, pesticides and veterinary drug residues. The company is also working with veterinary ophthalmologists, suppliers, a toxicologist and a specialist conducting a root-cause analysis. Years said the U.K. Food Standards Agency and Trading Standards were notified before the recall.
The company said all of its recalled fresh puppy, adult and senior recipes contain buckwheat, making up about 6.3% to 7.2% of the recipes depending on the meal. Years said buckwheat is an approved ingredient commonly used in pet food and emphasized that investigators are examining whether a portion of its supply may have been contaminated. Independent testing had not identified a definitive cause as of Saturday.
Years has advised customers to stop feeding the recalled fresh meals even when their dogs show no symptoms. The company said its Breed Health+ supplements do not contain buckwheat and are not part of the recall, while treats and other products are also unaffected. The Chef’s Collection is excluded from the fresh-meal recall.
The company has paused customer subscriptions for an initial six weeks while it reformulates its fresh meals, removing buckwheat and replacing it with quinoa. Years said retail customers can return recalled Signature Meals for a full refund, including partly used packages. Customers who bought the food through subscriptions are also being contacted about refunds.
Reports from dog owners have continued as the investigation develops. The Guardian reported Saturday that several owners described lengthy veterinary treatment after their dogs developed dry-eye symptoms, while veterinarians interviewed or cited by owners were examining whether diet could be involved. Those individual experiences do not by themselves establish that the Years food caused the conditions.
Years said it plans to publish the findings of its investigation when the laboratory, toxicology and root-cause work is complete. As of Aug. 22, the company continued to describe the 192 customer reports as potential and unverified, and no definitive causal link between Years meals, buckwheat or the reported eye conditions had been established.
Author note: Last updated August 22, 2026.