Owners of dogs affected by dry eye have spoken of their concerns about a potential link to a recalled dog food brand, after Years announced it was recalling all of its fresh meals this week.
Elizabeth, a 29-year-old civil servant from north London, said her six-year-old cavachon, Chester, developed sudden red and gunky eyes in May and "can't open his eyes" on many days. She has visited vets more than 10 times in recent months, and they have been "totally stumped". Chester was initially treated for conjunctivitis, then suspected hay fever due to the dry weather and high pollen count, and then a possible autoimmune disorder.
Years recalls fresh meals over dry eye reports
Years said it began receiving reports late last month of dogs experiencing sudden bilateral dry eye, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), a condition where a dog cannot produce tears, making their eyes sore and potentially leading to sight loss if untreated. As of Tuesday evening, 192 customers had reported "potential, as yet unverified, eye issues". The company said its investigation was "currently focused on potential contamination within a portion of buckwheat supply", which was added to meals several months ago.
Chester had been fed Years food for about 18 months. Elizabeth said her vet told her "they are fairly confident of a link" between the recalled food and Chester's condition, with one theory being "a toxic chemical reaction". She added: "I fear what long-term damage has been done and whether this is reversible."
Owners describe emotional and financial toll
Marie Carter-Robb, editor of Pets Magazine, said her seven-year-old cavalier King Charles spaniel, Phoebe, was formally diagnosed with dry eye during a vet visit on Thursday. Phoebe is one of three dogs that have eaten Years meals since April 2025, but the only one affected. Her symptoms began in June. Carter-Robb said her vet told her the recall information "is concerning and could suggest the food as a possible cause", and that if the timing of buckwheat introduction correlates with symptom onset, he would be suspicious of it as the inciting cause.
"The worst part is the guilt," she said. "I had absolutely no reason to suspect her food. I thought we were dealing with an allergy or an ordinary eye problem, and I carried on feeding Years to all three dogs. Finding the recall by chance at 11pm at night and suddenly looking back at everything Phoebe has been through was horrible." Phoebe has been prescribed an eye ointment and will need treatment for at least the next few months.
Adele Chaplin, 50, from Suffolk, said her eight-year-old greyhound, Lettuce, was diagnosed with bilateral dry eye and eye ulcers in March. He has eaten Years food for "a good couple of years". He was referred to a specialist vet ophthalmologist in April with a severe warning that he might lose his eyes. "Fortunately, his eyes are safe for now, but he still had zero tear production when he was last tested and vast amounts of discharge," she said. "Frankly, he's miserable. His eyes itch and are painful; he rubs them against anything he can (sofas, legs, curtains), and now he has a gruelling daily regime of oils, cream and drops which are administered hourly."
Chaplin said the specialist told her to immediately stop feeding Years food to Lettuce. "So far, this has cost thousands in treatment and medication, not to mention the travel back and forth to the specialist vet, which is an hour away from our home," she added.
Company response and next steps
A Years spokesperson said: "Years exists for one reason: to give people more time with their dogs, and the reports we have received are deeply upsetting to everyone here. As a result of the reports, we took the step to voluntarily recall our fresh meals because, while the evidence is still developing, we are not prepared to take chances with the dogs people trust us to feed." The spokesperson said independent laboratory testing is under way, and customers are encouraged to visit www.years.com/pages/care for more detailed information.
