Years Fresh Dog Food Investigation Finds No Link to Sudden Bilateral Dry Eye
Executive Summary: British fresh dog food subscription brand Years has completed an independent investigation into reports of sudden bilateral dry eye in dogs and found no contamination, toxin or safety issue in its meals and no identified link between its food and the condition. The company said it will resume service in October with a buckwheat-free recipe.
Key Facts
- Company
- Years (UK fresh dog food subscription brand)
- Investigation scope
- 21,757 individual tests across 1,129 distinct substances
- Meals and ingredients tested
- 273 meals and 101 ingredient samples
- Key ingredient focus
- Buckwheat — tested for 940 distinct substances
- External cases
- 96 dogs never fed Years also affected (41 UK + 55 international)
- Outcome
- No link found; buckwheat-free recipes to resume in October 2026
- Co-founders
- Darren Beale and Ivan Barashki
- Source
- Years official investigation page + trade coverage
What Happened
Years announced the results of an independent investigation on September 24, 2026, after voluntarily recalling all of its fresh dog food meals in August 2026. The probe followed reports of sudden bilateral dry eye in dogs that had eaten Years meals. The company commissioned independent experts in food safety, microbiology, toxicology, veterinary clinical nutrition and veterinary ophthalmology, with specialists from the Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham also involved.
The investigation ran 21,757 individual tests across 1,129 distinct substances. It examined 273 meals and 101 ingredient samples, with buckwheat alone subjected to 940 distinct substance tests. The testing found no evidence of contamination, toxins or safety issues in Years food, its ingredients or its packaging, and no link was identified between Years meals and sudden bilateral dry eye.
Separately, data from the British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists identified 155 cases in dogs fed Years food, but also 96 cases in dogs that had never been fed Years — 41 in the United Kingdom and 55 in Finland and Hungary, markets where Years fresh dog food is neither sold nor consumed. The company said this pattern showed the condition was not specific to its brand.
Background
Years began investigating on July 22, 2026, after receiving 11 reports of possible sudden bilateral dry eye. The count rose to 57 potential cases by August 17, 2026, when the company issued a precautionary voluntary recall of all fresh meals. Dry eye, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs when a dog stops producing enough tears; bilateral cases affect both eyes and can lead to discomfort and corneal damage if untreated.
The company’s initial recall notice had pointed to buckwheat as a possible focus, though it emphasized that buckwheat is a common and approved ingredient in pet food and that the investigation was examining potential contamination within a portion of the supply rather than buckwheat itself. The final report concluded that no tropane alkaloids, fagopyrin, mycotoxins, pesticides, sulphonamides or heavy metals were found in the buckwheat used by Years.
Industry Context
The case has been watched closely by the fresh dog food segment, where brands position gently cooked or raw diets as alternatives to conventional kibble. A customer asking fresh dog food vs kibble is effectively comparing a category built on minimal processing against one built on extrusion and longer shelf life. The Years episode shows how a safety signal in a small fresh dog food subscription brand can rapidly become a category-level reputation issue, even when the underlying investigation finds no product link.
Pet owners comparing fresh pet dog food options also weigh cost against convenience. How much does fresh dog food cost varies by brand and delivery model, but subscription services typically charge a premium for refrigerated home delivery. The investigation’s clean result may help Years defend that premium, though the company has chosen to remove buckwheat from its recipes as an added precaution.
Market & Business Impact
The recall disrupted Years’ subscription revenue for roughly six weeks and required the company to pause subscriptions automatically. Competitors in the fresh dog food delivery space are likely to use the period to win trial customers, while Years will need to rebuild trust through transparent communication and the published test results.
Regulators and veterinarians will also watch whether the wider pattern of sudden bilateral dry eye cases — including those in dogs never exposed to Years — leads to a broader inquiry into ingredients or environmental factors beyond any single brand. The company has pledged to keep sharing findings with the British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and other independent bodies.
Companies & Brands Involved
Years is a UK-based fresh dog food subscription service co-founded by Darren Beale and Ivan Barashki. The investigation involved independent laboratories, the Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham, and the British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. The Food Standards Agency and Trading Standards were engaged throughout the process.
Data & Evidence
Tests: 21,757 individual results across 1,129 substances. Meals tested: 273. Ingredient samples: 101. Buckwheat tests: 940 distinct substances. Cases in Years-fed dogs: 155 (BrAVO data). Cases in dogs never fed Years: 96 (41 UK, 55 in Finland and Hungary). Recall period: July 22 to August 17, 2026. Resume date: October 2026 with buckwheat-free recipes.
What This Means for the Pet Industry
The finding shifts the narrative from a single-brand safety scare to an unresolved wider health pattern. For the fresh dog food category, it is a reminder that ingredient traceability and rapid voluntary recalls are essential, but also that a precautionary recall does not prove causation. For consumers, the case underscores the value of veterinary reporting systems like BrAVO in distinguishing brand-specific issues from broader emerging conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Years completed an independent investigation finding no contamination, toxin or safety issue in its fresh dog food.
- No link was identified between Years meals and sudden bilateral dry eye in dogs.
- 96 affected dogs had never eaten Years food, including cases in Finland and Hungary where the brand is not sold.
- Years will resume service in October 2026 with a buckwheat-free recipe as a precaution.
- The episode highlights the difference between a precautionary recall and a confirmed product-caused condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Years investigation find?
It found no evidence of contamination, toxins or safety issues in Years food, ingredients or packaging, and no identified link between the food and sudden bilateral dry eye.
How many tests were performed?
Independent laboratories performed 21,757 individual tests across 1,129 distinct substances, including 940 distinct substance tests on buckwheat.
Will Years start selling food again?
Yes. The company plans to resume its dog food subscription in October 2026 with recipes that do not contain buckwheat.
What should owners comparing fresh dog food vs kibble take from this?
The investigation found no safety problem specific to Years’ fresh dog food, but it also shows that any fresh or minimally processed diet can face intense scrutiny when adverse events are reported. Veterinary guidance and transparent brand communication remain important regardless of format.
Sources
- Primary — Years, “Investigation update,” years.com/pages/care, September 2026
- Secondary — All Paws Industry, “Investigation finds no contamination, toxins or safety issues in Years fresh dog food,” allpawsindustry.com, September 2026
- Secondary — Nation.Cymru, “Dog food brand reports investigation found no link with eye problems in pets,” nation.cymru, September 2026
- Context — Years, “Voluntary recall of all Years fresh meals,” years.com/pages/care-retail, August 2026
