Another lawsuit was filed against Nestle Purina PetCare Company over claims by a pet owner in California that two of his dogs became sick and one died after eating the company's Beneful "kibble" style dog food.

In the lawsuit filed on February 5 with the Northern District of California, Frank Lucido of Discovery Bay claimed the reason why dogs have health problems after eating Beneful is that it allegedly has propylene glycol.

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Glycol is said to be an animal toxin used in automobile antifreeze. It also contains mycotoxins, a group of toxins made by fungus in grains.

Lucido had his dogs undergo medical tests. An English Bulldog named Dozer died, while a Labrador named Remo is still going through medical testing. The results of the toxicology tests are still pending.

While Purina is insisting that Beneful is safer and the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration has no warning against the dog food, Lucido cited over 3,000 online complaints the past four years of several symptoms reported by pet owners whose dogs have consumed Beneful.

The symptoms include stomach and internal bleeding, liver malfunction or failure, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, seizure and kidney failure.

Purina dismissed online complaints as often containing "false, unsupported and misleading allegations" that cause concern and confusion for customers. Keith Schopp, the spokesman of Purina, said the use of propylene glycol as additive in human food and animal feed has FDA approval.

Schopp added that Purina's grains are screened to prevent mycotoxins from getting into its products.

In May, Purina settled a lawsuit. The company and Waggin' Tail will establish a U$6.5 million fund to compensate people whose pets became sick due to the company's jerky treats made in China.

That particular dog food killed more than 1,000 pooches and caused over 4,800 pet dogs to be sick, according to FDA.

TagsBeneful, dog food, Nestle Purina, Lawsuit, toxin, Frank Lucido, glycol