Years says testing finds no food safety issues after dog eye disease UK reports, cause of sudden dry eye in dogs remains unknown

A British dog food company that recalled its fresh meals in August after dogs developed a sudden, painful eye condition said this week that testing it commissioned found no contamination or toxins in its food. The company, Years, will resume deliveries in October without buckwheat, the ingredient it had flagged as a possible cause.¹

Years recalled all of its fresh meals except its Chef's Collection on August 17 after reports that dogs eating them developed sudden bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). This condition causes tear production to stop abruptly in both eyes, and it can progress to corneal damage and vision loss.²

The findings leave in question what is driving the cases. Years says dogs that never ate its food have developed the same condition in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Hungary.

The British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (BrAVO), which is running a separate investigation, says no food has been causally linked to the condition.^1,3

Company-commissioned testing finds no contaminants

The Years dog food investigation, commissioned by Years, included 21,757 individual test results covering 1129 substances in ingredients, production meals, and meals returned by customers. According to the company, the investigation was led by outside experts in food safety, toxicology, veterinary nutrition, and ophthalmology, along with specialists from the Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham. Every batch of buckwheat used by the company was tested for 940 substances, including tropane alkaloids, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and fagopyrin, with no safety issues identified, Years said.

Even so, Years is removing buckwheat from its food. The company said the decision was a precaution and reflected customers' preference for its earlier recipes.

"There was no scientific evidence that our food was responsible, but we were not prepared to take any chances with the dogs people trust us to feed," Darren Beale and Ivan Barashki, co-founders of Years, said in a joint statement.¹

Cases outside Years customers

Years said BrAVO case data identified 155 cases in dogs fed its food. It said 96 more cases occurred in dogs that had never eaten it, including in 41 in the United Kingdom and 55 in Finland and Hungary, where Years is not sold.¹

By the company's own count, Years-fed dogs account for most of the 251 cases it cited. Years said media attention after the recall may have led to some over-reporting of cases tied to its food.¹

In Finland and Hungary, foods containing buckwheat appeared in a significant share of affected dogs' diets, more than the ingredient's overall market share would predict, according to Years. The company called this an observation, not evidence of cause. It noted that no country has reported how many affected dogs were not eating buckwheat.

Years also argued that its scale could matter. It fed about 63,000 dogs from March to mid-August, so any rare reaction to buckwheat would be more likely to surface among its customers than among those of smaller brands, the company said.

"We know this conclusion may not feel like a resolution if you're caring for a dog with sudden bilateral dry eye. We see how hard this has been. These findings don't change that, nor do they answer the wider question of what is causing this unusual pattern of cases, which is also impacting dogs that were never fed our food, both in the UK and internationally," Beale and Barashki said.¹

Ophthalmologists urge caution

BrAVO said on September 23 that more than 200 cases have been reported through its survey and that not all affected dogs ate the same diet.³ The group said Years had no role in its data collection or analysis, and it declined to break down case numbers until validation is complete.

"At present...no causal relationship has been established between KCS and any particular food, ingredient or manufacturer. BrAVO considers it important that conclusions are not drawn before the available clinical data have been properly assessed," the organization said.³

BrAVO also said David Williams, PhD, a Cambridge veterinary ophthalmologist advising Years, is not acting on its behalf.³ Years said it will fund a study led by Williams examining tear gland tissue from affected dogs.¹

The organization warned owners not to stop prescribed treatment without veterinary advice, because some dogs may have significant tear gland injury.

"Even if diet is ultimately shown to be a contributing factor, changing diet alone may not restore tear production," BrAVO said.³

BrAVO is asking veterinarians to report all cases of acute bilateral KCS, regardless of diet.

References

1. Investigation led by independent experts finds no contamination, toxins or safety issues in Years fresh dog food. Years. Updated September 24, 2026. Accessed September 25, 2026. https://www.years.com/pages/care
2. Bautista-Alejandre A. Reports of dogs experiencing vision loss leads UK-based pet food company to recall all fresh dog meals. dvm360. August 19, 2026. Accessed September 25, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/reports-of-dogs-experiencing-vision-loss-leads-uk-based-pet-food-company-to-recall-all-fresh
3. BrAVO statement on reports of acute bilateral dry eye in dogs. British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. September 23, 2026. Accessed September 25, 2026. https://bravo.org.uk/2026/09/23/2111/