Realized your dog has eaten recalled food? Vet explains exactly what to do
Pet food recalls can be alarming for owners, particularly when they involve contamination or other health risks that could affect an animal’s well-being.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains an Animal & Veterinary Recall database that tracks pet food-related recalls, withdrawals and terminated recalls. The database lists 10 pet food-related entries so far in 2026, compared to 20 entries during all of 2025.
The most recent recall, announced on July 2, involved Pedigree wet dog food that may contain metal and plastic foreign materials, Newsweek previously reported. For pet owners who discover their animal has eaten a recalled product, the next steps can depend on the type of recall and the potential health risks involved.
Dr. RuthAnn Lobos, DVM, CCRT, CVAT, a Purina veterinarian, told Newsweek that one of the most important steps owners can take begins long before a recall is ever announced.
Check the Recall and Stop Feeding the Food
Many owners transfer kibble into decorative storage bins or throw out wet food cans, but doing so can make it difficult to determine whether their pet’s food is affected by a recall.
“First, it’s important to store your pet’s food in the bag that it came in or, at minimum, save the bar code with the lot number,” Dr. RuthAnn said. “This allows you to know quickly if the food you’re currently feeding your pet is involved in the recall or not.”
To see whether a pet food is affected by a recall, owners can visit the FDA’s Animal & Veterinary Recalls database, where new recalls are announced. Owners can search by product name or company to determine whether their pet’s food has been affected. The database includes the affected products, lot numbers, expiration dates, reason for the recall and instructions for consumers.
If your pet’s food matches a recalled product, stop feeding it immediately.
Dr. RuthAnn advises owners to follow the disposal instructions provided by the FDA or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as recommendations may vary depending on the reason for the recall.
Before disposing of the product, taking photos of the packaging, including the brand name, lot number and expiration date, can give owners useful information when speaking with a veterinarian or contacting the manufacturer.
Whether a pet needs veterinary care depends on the reason behind the recall and whether the animal has eaten the affected food.
“The exact reason for the recall will shape if your pet needs to be examined by a veterinarian and/or have diagnostics like blood work done,” Dr. RuthAnn said. “Reaching out to your veterinarian for advice on your specific pet is always my recommendation.”
Owners should also watch for any unusual symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite or other changes in behavior, and seek veterinary attention if they have concerns.
Ask About a Refund or Replacement
After confirming that a product is part of a recall, owners may be able to receive compensation.
“I also recommend contacting the company from which you purchased the product for a potential replacement or refund,” Dr. RuthAnn said.
Many manufacturers and retailers provide refunds or exchanges for recalled products.
How to Choose a Safe Pet Food
While recalls can be unsettling and relatively rare, owners shouldn’t panic or assume all commercial pet foods are unsafe.
For those evaluating what to feed their pets, Dr. RuthAnn recommends consulting the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) Global Nutrition Committee guidelines, which outline factors owners can consider when selecting a pet food.
“Overall, the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee’s Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods is a great source of information for deciding on a pet food,” she said.
Newsweek reached out to Pedigree’s parent company, Mars Pet Nutrition, for additional comment.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
