Dog Food Recalls By Brand A Complete 2026 Reference Guide

A dog food recall by brand is what happens when a product is pulled from shelves because of a potential safety issue. These can be initiated voluntarily by the company itself or ordered by the FDA when something goes wrong, like contamination, a nutrient imbalance, or even foreign objects found in the food.

 

2026 Dog Food Recalls

Brand: Neogen

Company: Neogen Corporation

Product: Vet HYCOAT® Hyaluronate Sodium Sterile Solution

Recall Reason: Microbial Contamination

Date of Recall: 01/29/2026

Anouncement

Brand: Elite Treats

Company: Elite Treats, LLC

Product: Chicken dog treats

Recall Reason: May be contaminated with Salmonella

Date of Recall: 02/24/2026

Anouncement

Brand: Quest

Company: Go Raw LLC

Product: Cat Food Chicken Recipe Frozen

Recall Reason: May contain low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Date of Recall: 02/26/2026

Anouncement

Brand: Quest

Company: Go Raw LLC

Product: Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Freeze Dried Nuggets, 10oz bag

Recall Reason: May be contaminated with Salmonella

Date of Recall: 02/17/2026

Anouncement

Understanding Dog Food Recalls

Seeing a recall notice can be unsettling, but understanding what’s behind them helps you move past the worry and take clear, decisive action. They're a critical safety measure, and knowing the two main types gives you insight into a brand's quality control.

• Voluntary Recall: This is when the manufacturer finds a problem on their own and decides to pull the product. A voluntary recall can actually be a good sign, often pointing to a company with strong internal testing and a real commitment to safety.

• Mandatory Recall: In this case, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found a serious safety problem and legally requires the company to get the product off the market.

The Primary Causes of Recalls

Most recalls come down to a breakdown somewhere in the production or sourcing chain. Getting familiar with these root causes is the first step in making smart choices for your dog and understanding the brand-specific data we've gathered in this guide.

Here are the most common culprits:

• Bacterial Contamination: Pathogens like Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can find their way into food during processing. This doesn't just put dogs at risk; it can also affect any person handling the contaminated food.
• Toxic Substances: These often involve mycotoxins, with aflatoxin being a frequent offender. Aflatoxin is a dangerous mold byproduct that can flourish on grains, like corn, that have been stored improperly.
• Nutrient Imbalances: Simple formulation errors can lead to unsafe levels of certain nutrients. A common example is an excess of vitamin D, which can be toxic to dogs in high amounts.
• Foreign Materials: This is a catch-all for unwanted items that shouldn't be in the bag. Things like plastic bits, metal shards, or glass fragments can accidentally get into the food during manufacturing, posing a choking or internal injury hazard.

A recall doesn't automatically make a brand "bad," but it does signal a failure in their safety protocols at a specific moment. What really matters is the frequency of recalls, the root cause, and how transparently the company handles the situation.

To dig deeper into the world of food safety, it helps to check out a modern guide to food safety labels, which covers principles that apply to all food products. And since a lot of this information is on the bag itself, learning how to read dog food labels is an invaluable skill for any pet owner. https://www.joyfullpet.com/blogs/news/how-to-read-dog-food-labels

The Most Common Reasons For Recalls

When you see a recall notice, it's easy to focus only on the brand. But digging into why the food was recalled gives you a much clearer picture of the actual risks involved. After all, a simple packaging misprint is a world away from a widespread bacterial outbreak.

Most recalls trace back to just a few common problems. Getting to know what they are is one of the best things you can do to keep your dog safe and make more informed choices at the pet store.

Pathogenic Bacteria Contamination

Bacterial contamination is a huge one, triggering recalls across the board from raw diets to standard kibble. These microscopic threats are invisible but can make both your dog and your family very sick. The two offenders we see most often are Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.

• Salmonella: This is a name you've probably heard before. In dogs, it can cause salmonellosis, which looks a lot like food poisoning in people: fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and exhaustion. The contamination usually happens at the processing facility, either from tainted raw ingredients or equipment that wasn't properly sanitized.
• Listeria: While not as common as Salmonella, Listeria is particularly nasty because it can grow and spread in cold environments. This makes it a major concern for refrigerated and frozen pet foods. Understanding what causes Listeria in food is important, as it’s a serious contaminant that has prompted many recalls.

Mycotoxins From Mold

Mycotoxins are poisons created by specific molds that can grow on crops used in dog food, like grains. The most infamous of these is Aflatoxin, a dangerous toxin that can pop up in ingredients like corn, wheat, and peanuts, especially if they've been stored in poor, humid conditions.

This isn't something to take lightly. Even small, repeated doses of aflatoxin can lead to devastating liver damage, illness, and even death. It's a particularly significant risk for dry kibbles that are built on a foundation of grain ingredients.

Nutrient Imbalances

Sometimes the problem isn't an outside invader but an error in the recipe itself. A simple mistake during the mixing process can create a food with dangerous levels—either too high or too low—of a specific vitamin or mineral.

The classic example is excess Vitamin D. Your dog needs Vitamin D, but in toxic amounts, it can cause kidney failure. We've seen numerous recalls over the years for this exact issue, and it really drives home how critical precise formulation and constant testing are.

Foreign Material Contamination

This is exactly what it sounds like: physical objects that have no business being in your dog's food. These items almost always get in by accident during the manufacturing or packaging phase and can be a direct physical hazard.

Some of the most common things found are:

• Plastic fragments from a broken piece of machinery on the production line.
• Metal shards that have chipped off of processing equipment.
• Bone fragments that are dangerously large or sharp, creating a choking or internal puncture risk.

Incidents like these show that a company’s quality control at their plant is just as crucial as the ingredients they choose. To help prevent spoilage, many brands also use specific ingredients. You can learn all about them in our guide to natural dog food preservatives.

Which Dog Food Types Are Recalled Most Often?

If you were to guess which type of dog food gets recalled the most, what would you say? Many people immediately point to raw food, worried about bacteria. But when you dig into the actual recall data, the numbers tell a fascinating and often unexpected story.

The truth is, the risk of a recall has less to do with whether food is dry kibble, cooked, or raw, and much more to do with the manufacturer's quality control and production size. Understanding this helps you see past marketing hype and evaluate a brand based on what really matters.

The Surprising Data on Recall Volume

Let’s look at bacterial contamination, a common reason for recalls. The data completely flips conventional wisdom on its head. It turns out one food category is responsible for the vast majority of recalled product by weight, and it's probably not the one you're thinking of.

An analysis of pet food recalls from late 2020 to late 2023 found that over 68 million pounds of food were pulled from shelves. While pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella were a major culprit, dry kibble accounted for a shocking 98% of the food recalled for this reason.

Over that three-year period, the recalls specifically for pathogenic bacteria broke down like this:

• Dry Kibble: 7.65 million pounds recalled (98% of the total)
• Cooked Pet Food: 122,526 pounds recalled (1.5% of the total)
• Raw Pet Food: 23,328 pounds recalled (0.3% of the total)

These numbers are eye-opening. While bacteria can pop up in any food, the sheer scale of kibble manufacturing means that a single contamination event can affect an enormous amount of product. For a complete look at these figures, you can review the in-depth analysis of the last three years of recalls.

Why Production Scale Matters

So, does this mean kibble is inherently more dangerous? Not at all. What this data really highlights is the critical role of manufacturing scale.

Think about it: a contamination issue at a massive factory producing millions of bags of kibble will lead to a recall involving millions of pounds. A similar slip-up at a small, independent raw food kitchen might only affect a few hundred pounds. The problem is the same, but the footprint is vastly different.

This is why a brand’s commitment to safety testing and strict quality control is a far better indicator of safety than the type of food it produces. The risk of encountering a dog food recall by brand is tied directly to the manufacturer’s diligence, not simply the food’s format.

Dog Food Recalls by Brand: A 2020-2026 Database

Nothing matters more than our dogs' safety, and that starts with what's in their bowl. As pet owners, we put a lot of trust in the brands we choose, but sometimes that trust is broken. This database is our effort to give you a single, reliable place to track significant dog food recalls from 2020 to the present day.

We’ve organized everything alphabetically by brand, so you can quickly check a food you’re currently using or research the safety history of a new one. Think of this as your reference library for making informed decisions. We're constantly monitoring for new alerts and will keep this list updated.

A Quick-Reference Summary of Recent Recalls

Before diving into the full details, this table provides a high-level overview of the major recall events we've seen in recent years. It's a quick way to spot recurring issues or see which brands have faced significant safety challenges.

Major Dog Food Recalls by Brand (2020-2026 Summary)

Brand Name	Recall Year(s)	Primary Reason for Recall	Affected Food Type(s)
Midwestern Pet Foods	2020, 2021	Aflatoxin & Salmonella	Multiple dry kibble brands (Sportmix, Pro Pac)
Sunshine Mills	2020	Aflatoxin	Multiple dry kibble brands
Fromm Family Foods	2021	Excess Vitamin D	Canned/Wet Dog Food
Bravo Packing Inc.	2021	Salmonella & Listeria	Raw Frozen Dog Food
Primal Pet Foods	2022	Listeria	Raw Frozen Dog Food
TFP Nutrition	2023	Salmonella	Dry Kibble

This summary makes it clear that contamination issues—from mycotoxins like aflatoxin to bacteria like Salmonella—remain the leading cause for concern across different food types.

How to Use This Recall Database

We designed this resource for easy navigation. All brands are listed alphabetically, so you can scroll directly to the one you’re looking for. For an even faster search, just use your browser's "Find" feature (Ctrl+F on Windows or Cmd+F on Mac) and type the brand's name.

Each entry is broken down into a consistent format so you can get the facts quickly:

• Brand Name: The company that issued the recall.
• Recall Date: The official announcement date.
• Reason for Recall: The specific hazard, such as Salmonella, excess Vitamin D, or foreign objects.
• Products Affected: The specific product lines, bag sizes, and lot codes you need to look for.
• Official Notice: A direct link to the official FDA announcement or company statement with complete details.

A-F Brand Recalls

This first section covers brands with names starting from A through F. Take a moment to review these, especially if you feed a raw or canned diet.

Bravo Packing Inc.

• Recall Date: March 2021
• Reason for Recall: Contamination with both Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
• Products Affected: Performance Dog (frozen raw pet food) and Ground Beef (frozen raw pet food).
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

Fromm Family Foods

• Recall Date: October 2021
• Reason for Recall: Elevated levels of Vitamin D, which can be toxic to dogs in large amounts.
• Products Affected: Four specific recipes of Fromm Fromm-Blue Family Foods Canned Dog Food.
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

M-P Brand Recalls

The recalls in this section are particularly noteworthy. The Midwestern Pet Foods event was one of the largest and most serious in recent history, serving as a stark reminder of how quickly a manufacturing issue can escalate.

Midwestern Pet Foods

• Recall Dates: December 2020, January 2021, March 2021
• Reason for Recall: A massive, two-part recall event. The first was for deadly aflatoxin contamination, followed by a second recall for Salmonella risk discovered during the investigation.
• Products Affected: Dozens of SKUs across multiple brands made in their facilities, including Sportmix, Pro Pac, Nunn, and Splash.
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

The sheer scale of some recalls is hard to comprehend. Between mid-2020 and mid-2025, there were 45 total pet food recalls. Yet the Midwestern Pet Foods incident was a shocking outlier, accounting for an astounding 93% of all pet food pounds recalled during that five-year period due to aflatoxin and Salmonella. You can dig into the numbers in the full analysis of the 45 pet food recalls.

Primal Pet Foods

• Recall Date: July 2022
• Reason for Recall: Potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
• Products Affected: A single lot of Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula.
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

S-Z Brand Recalls

This final section of the database covers brands from S to Z. It’s always a good idea to check this list periodically, even if you’ve been using the same food for years.

Sunshine Mills

• Recall Dates: September 2020, October 2020
• Reason for Recall: Elevated levels of aflatoxin, a toxin produced by mold that can grow on corn and other grains.
• Products Affected: Several brands manufactured by Sunshine Mills were impacted, including Family Pet, Heartland Farms, and Paws Happy Life.
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

TFP Nutrition

• Recall Date: November 2023
• Reason for Recall: Potential contamination with Salmonella.
• Products Affected: 50 lb. bags of Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food.
• Official Notice: View the FDA Recall Notice.

We treat this database as a living document. As new dog food recalls by brand are announced by the FDA or the manufacturers, we'll be here to update it, ensuring you always have the information you need to keep your best friend safe.

What To Do If Your Dog's Food Is Recalled

Seeing your dog's food on a recall list is a heart-stopping moment for any pet owner. The key is to take a deep breath and follow a few straightforward steps to keep your dog safe. Don't panic—just act deliberately.

The very first thing to do is immediately stop feeding the recalled product to your dog. Don't wait. Even if your dog seems perfectly fine, it’s not worth the risk. Just set the food aside somewhere your pup can't get to it.

Confirm and Secure the Product

Now, you need to be sure the food you have is the exact product being recalled. Grab the bag or can and play detective, comparing its information directly against the official recall notice.

• Check the Details: Look for the brand name, the specific product name, bag size, lot number, and the "Best By" or expiration date printed on the packaging. Every single one of these details needs to be a perfect match to what's listed in the recall.
• Seal and Dispose: Once you've confirmed it's a match, seal the remaining food tightly in a plastic bag. Throw it away in a secure trash can where other animals (including curious wildlife) can't get into it.
• Clean Everything: Give your dog's bowls, any food storage bins, and all feeding scoops a thorough wash with hot, soapy water. This helps get rid of any potential contaminants that might be lingering.

As you can see from this chart, sometimes a single issue at a large manufacturing facility can ripple out and affect a huge number of products across several different brands.

It’s a good reminder that the problem often lies with the manufacturer, not necessarily the individual brands themselves, as one plant can be responsible for the overwhelming majority of recalled food in a year.

Get a Refund and Monitor Your Dog

With the product secured, your next step is to get your money back. You can contact either the store where you bought the food or the manufacturer directly to ask about a refund or replacement. Most companies have a clear process for this during a recall. If you still have the receipt, it can speed things up.

Most importantly, keep a very close eye on your dog for any signs of illness. Depending on the reason for the recall, symptoms can vary. Watch for things like vomiting, diarrhea, unusual tiredness, or a sudden loss of appetite. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, call your veterinarian right away.

You can also play a role in keeping the wider pet community safe. If you ever think a food is making your dog sick but it isn't on a recall list, you have the power to report it. You can file a report directly with the FDA through their Safety Reporting Portal.

This is also a perfect time for a quick refresher on food safety basics. For a deep dive into best practices, take a look at our guide on how to properly store pet food.

How To Stay Informed About Future Recalls

It's a sinking feeling—hearing about a dog food recall and rushing to check your pantry. But you don't have to wait to hear about a problem on the news. You can get reliable, official notices sent directly to you, so you're always one of the first to know.

The most direct and trustworthy place for this information is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since they regulate the pet food industry, their alerts are the official word—no rumors, no sensationalism, just the facts you need to protect your dog.

Sign Up for Official FDA Alerts

Getting on the FDA's email list is the single best thing you can do. It's a simple process that ensures you receive immediate notifications for all animal and veterinary product recalls, including dog food.

When you sign up, you'll get alerts that tell you everything you need to know: the brand, the specific product, lot codes, and exactly why it's being recalled. It takes all the guesswork out of the equation.

• How to Sign Up: Go to the FDA's website and find their subscription page for "Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts."
• What You'll Get: Detailed emails with the product names, UPCs, and lot codes so you can quickly check what's in your home.

You can register for these critical updates on the official FDA Recalls & Withdrawals page.

Honestly, this is my top recommendation for every pet owner. It cuts through the noise and gives you information you can act on instantly.

Other Trusted Resources for Recall News

While the FDA is your primary source, it doesn't hurt to have a few other reliable outlets watching out for you. Sometimes, these groups get the word out just as quickly and may offer extra context.

Think of these as your backup system.

• Veterinary News Outlets: Many sites geared toward veterinary professionals track and publish recall news. They often include valuable commentary from vets on the potential health risks.
• Pet Food Consumer Advocates: Websites like Dog Food Advisor have built their reputation on tracking recalls. They maintain extensive historical lists and offer their own email alerts, which are a fantastic secondary resource.

By setting up a couple of these alerts, you create a safety net. You’ll be well-informed and ready to act, giving you peace of mind that your dog's bowl is always filled with safe, healthy food.

A Case Study In Foreign Contaminant Recalls

While we often hear about recalls for things like salmonella or vitamin imbalances, it’s just as critical to watch for foreign material contaminants. This is a catch-all term for physical objects—think metal shards, glass, or plastic bits—that accidentally end up in your dog’s food during production.

These situations are less about the ingredients themselves and more about the integrity of the manufacturing process. A single piece of broken machinery on the production line can taint thousands of bags or containers of food, making a brand’s quality control and equipment maintenance absolutely non-negotiable.

The Fromm Family Foods Plastic Contamination Recall

Let's look at a real-world example. In October 2024, Fromm Family Foods, a respected, family-owned company, had to issue a voluntary recall that perfectly illustrates this problem. It’s a great case study for anyone who tracks dog food recalls by brand.

Fromm pulled approximately 300 cases of their Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls Beef Recipe after customers found pieces of plastic in the food. The product, a frozen, gently cooked recipe, was contaminated, creating a direct and immediate danger to pets. You can find the full details of this specific event in the report from Fox Business.

This incident is a powerful reminder that contamination can happen to any brand, no matter how reputable or expensive. When a company issues a voluntary recall, it's certainly concerning, but it also shows they are actively listening to customers and taking responsibility.

Understanding the Risks and Company Response

The affected product came in 16 oz. chubs with a "Best By" date of December 25, 2026, and had been shipped to retailers across 15 states. Finding plastic in dog food isn't a minor issue; it can lead to serious and immediate health problems if ingested.

Potential Dangers of Ingesting Plastic:

• Choking Hazard: Larger pieces can easily get stuck in a dog's throat.
• Internal Blockages: Even smaller fragments can cause a dangerous and painful obstruction in the digestive tract.
• Internal Injury: Sharp edges on the plastic can cut or puncture a dog's mouth, esophagus, stomach, or intestines.
• General Sickness: Even if it doesn't cause a major injury, the body's attempt to pass a foreign object can lead to vomiting, lethargy, and a loss of appetite.

Fromm acted quickly, instructing customers to stop feeding the food immediately, throw it away, and get a refund where they bought it. This case drives home the point that even brands with solid safety measures can have manufacturing errors. It’s exactly why pet owners need to stay vigilant.

Your Top Questions About Dog Food Recalls

When you hear about a dog food recall, it’s natural to have questions and feel a little overwhelmed. We get it. Here are straightforward answers to some of the most common concerns we hear from fellow pet parents, so you can feel clear and confident about what to do next.

Where Do I Find the Lot Number on My Dog’s Food?

That lot number is your key to knowing if the exact bag or can you have is part of a recall. Manufacturers put it in different spots, but here are the most common places to look:

• Bags of Kibble: Flip the bag over or check the top. It's usually stamped near the "Best By" or expiration date. Sometimes it’s printed on the side panel, known as the gusset.
• Canned Food: Check the bottom of the can. You’ll typically see a string of numbers stamped directly on the metal, often right next to the expiration date.

Are Grain-Free Foods Safer From Recalls?

Not really. A recall can happen to any kind of food—grain-free, grain-inclusive, raw, or canned. The risk isn’t about a particular food philosophy; it all comes down to the manufacturer's quality control and sourcing practices.

Ultimately, the most important factor is a company’s dedication to strict safety testing from start to finish. That's what truly keeps food safe, not just what is—or isn't—on the ingredient list.

What’s the Difference Between a "Recall" and a "Withdrawal"?

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things for your dog's safety.

• A recall is the serious one. It's issued when a product could be harmful or is defective in a way that poses a health risk. Recalls can be initiated by the company itself (voluntary) or ordered by the FDA (mandatory).
• A market withdrawal is much less urgent. It's for minor problems that don't affect the food's safety, like a small tear in the packaging or a typo on the label.

My Dog Seems Fine. Should I Really Throw the Recalled Food Away?

Yes, without a doubt. You must stop feeding the food immediately, even if your dog isn't showing any symptoms.

Some contaminants, like the dangerous mold byproduct aflatoxin, can cause severe liver damage long before you’d ever notice an outward sign of sickness. It’s simply never worth the risk to keep using a recalled product. Your dog's health comes first.

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At Joyfull, we believe your peace of mind is just as important as your dog's health. It’s why every recipe we make is backed by rigorous safety standards and a commitment to quality you can trust. We're pet parents, too, and we know our best friends deserve nothing less. You can learn more about our safety promise right here: https://joyfullpet.com.