Pedigree Canned Dog Food Recall (July 2026): Affected Lot Codes & What To Do

If you feed your dog Pedigree canned food, there is a recall you need to check right now. On July 2, 2026, Mars Petcare US, Inc. voluntarily recalled two lots of PEDIGREE® High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor wet dog food after discovering the cans may contain pieces of sharp metal and plastic.

What makes this recall unusual is how the food reached stores at all: the two lots had failed Mars’s own quality standards and were sent to a third-party vendor to be destroyed — but they appear to have been fraudulently diverted and sold into the U.S. market instead. This guide explains exactly which cans are affected, what the contamination could do to your dog, and the steps to take today.

If your dog has eaten from an affected can and is choking, vomiting, drooling excessively, showing signs of abdominal pain, or refusing food, call your veterinarian now. For urgent poison and food-safety questions, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) is available 24/7, and you can search related hazards in our Pet Toxin Lookup tool.

What Happened: The Recall, In Plain Terms

On July 2, 2026, Mars Petcare US, Inc. (Franklin, Tennessee) announced a voluntary recall of two lots of PEDIGREE® Can High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor wet dog food, 13.2 oz cans, due to potential contamination with sharp metal and plastic foreign material.

A voluntary recall means the company initiated the action itself and posted it through the FDA’s recall system — it is not an FDA-mandated seizure. As of the announcement, no pet illnesses or injuries have been reported in connection with the affected lots.

The unusual part: these cans were supposed to be destroyed

According to the company’s announcement, the two affected lots failed Mars’s internal quality standards and were sent to a third-party vendor for destruction. Mars later discovered that the product appears to have been fraudulently diverted and sold into the U.S. marketplace through unauthorized channels, and stated it is working with authorities to determine how the products entered the market.

That matters for you as a buyer for two reasons:

1. The cans may not have come through normal retail channels. Even if you bought Pedigree from a source you trust, it is worth checking the lot code — diverted product can surface in discount stores, online marketplaces, or independent shops.
2. Checking is the only way to know. Because distribution was unauthorized, there is no clean list of “stores that received it.” The lot code on your can is the definitive check.

Which Products Are Affected

The recall is narrow and specific. Only the following product and lots are affected:

Two things worth emphasizing:

• Only these two lot codes are affected. If the code on the bottom of your can is not 613C3KKCFC or 613C1KKCFC, your can is not part of this recall.
• No other Pedigree or Mars Petcare products are affected. Dry kibble, other canned flavors, and other Mars brands are not included in this action.

Good to know: Do not rely on the flavor name alone. The lot code on the bottom of the can is the only reliable identifier. If you threw away cans recently or buy in bulk, check every can in your pantry — it takes seconds per can.

Why Metal and Plastic Fragments Are Dangerous

Foreign material in food is not a minor quality issue — hard, sharp fragments can injure a dog at multiple points from mouth to gut:

• Choking. A fragment can lodge in the throat, especially in small dogs or dogs that gulp food without chewing.
• Lacerations. Sharp edges can cut the mouth, esophagus, stomach, or intestinal lining, causing pain, bleeding, and infection.
• Gastrointestinal blockage. A piece that passes the stomach can obstruct the intestines — a surgical emergency.

Unlike bacterial contamination, which often causes illness within a day or two, a foreign-body injury can be immediate (choking, cuts) or delayed (a blockage that develops as a fragment moves through the gut). That is why “my dog already ate some and seems fine” is not a reason to keep feeding the can — and why a vet call is warranted even without symptoms if your dog ate from an affected lot.

Symptoms to Watch For

If your dog has eaten from one of the affected cans, monitor closely for:

• Choking or gagging — pawing at the mouth, retching, distress while swallowing
• Excessive drooling — can signal mouth or throat injury, or nausea
• Vomiting — repeated vomiting, or vomit containing blood
• Abdominal pain — a hunched posture, restlessness, or guarding the belly
• Loss of appetite — refusing meals or eating much less than usual
• Changes in stool — straining, blood, or no bowel movements (a possible blockage sign)

When to call the vet: Choking, repeated vomiting, bloody vomit or stool, or signs of abdominal pain are same-day vet issues. If your dog ate from an affected can but shows no symptoms, a call to your vet for monitoring advice is still the right move — bring the lot code information with you.

What to Do If You Have an Affected Can

The company’s guidance is straightforward:

1. Stop feeding the product immediately. Do not finish the can, and do not mix it into other food.
2. Check the lot code on the bottom of the can against the two affected codes: 613C3KKCFC and 613C1KKCFC.
3. Contact Pedigree Consumer Care for a replacement. Call 1-800-525-5273 (Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. CDT, Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. CDT) or visit pedigree.com/update.
4. Dispose of the food safely. Put it where your dog and other animals cannot reach it — sealed in the trash, not loose in an open bin.
5. Call your veterinarian if your dog has eaten from an affected can, even if it seems fine. Describe what was eaten and when, and follow your vet’s monitoring advice.

This is also a good moment to tighten up everyday feeding habits — our New Puppy Essentials Checklist includes a food-storage and feeding-safety section that applies to dogs of any age.

How to Stay Ahead of Pet Food Recalls

This recall is a useful case study in why recall-watching needs more than one source. Several popular recall trackers did not list this action immediately, while the FDA’s own page and the company’s notice carried it on day one. A few habits that keep you covered:

• Bookmark the primary source. The FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts page is where recalls are posted first. Aggregators like the Petful recall tracker are helpful supplements — but as this recall shows, no single tracker catches everything instantly.
• Keep the packaging — or photograph it. You cannot check a lot code you no longer have. Snap a photo of the lot code and best-by date when you open a new case of food.
• Act on lot codes, not brand names. Recalls are almost always lot-specific. “Pedigree recall” does not mean all Pedigree is unsafe — and “my brand wasn’t recalled” does not mean your specific can is fine if the code matches.
• Know the symptom pattern. Sudden gastrointestinal distress after a food change or a new case of food is a signal to check for recalls immediately.

We saw a similar pattern with the FDA’s warning on raw pet food earlier this year — our Answers Pet Food FDA warning guide walks through that case and the hygiene practices that protect both pets and people.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Two lots of Pedigree canned dog food — lot codes 613C3KKCFC and 613C1KKCFC — may contain sharp metal and plastic, and they reached the market through fraudulent diversion of product that was supposed to be destroyed. The check takes seconds: flip the can, read the code on the bottom. If it matches, stop feeding it, contact Pedigree Consumer Care at 1-800-525-5273 or pedigree.com/update for a replacement, and call your vet if your dog already ate from the can. No illnesses have been reported so far — checking your pantry today is how it stays that way.

For more on pet food safety and household hazards, browse our Pet Toxin Lookup tool and our problem-solving articles.

References

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Voluntary Recall of Two Lots of PEDIGREE® Can High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor Wet Dog Food Due to Potential Fraudulent Distribution of Product Which May Contain Foreign Material.” July 2, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/voluntary-recall-two-lots-pedigreer-can-high-protein-chopped-chicken-duck-flavor-wet-dog-food-due
• Mars Petcare / PEDIGREE®. “Update.” https://www.pedigree.com/update
• Fox Business. “Popular pet food recalled over possible sharp metal and plastic contamination.” July 2026. https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/popular-pet-food-recalled-over-possible-sharp-metal-plastic-contamination
• Dog Food Advisor. “Pedigree Dog Food Recall.” https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recalls/pedigree-dog-food-recall/
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Recalls & Withdrawals.” https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/recalls-withdrawals
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control