Dog owners who stock up on Pedigree might want to check their pantry shelves. Mars Petcare is recalling two lots of its Pedigree High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor wet food after cans that failed internal safety checks—and were supposed to be destroyed—somehow ended up on store shelves nationwide. Per the FDA release:
- "As part of the robust quality control process every single PEDIGREE product undergoes, these two lots had been sent to a third-party vendor for destruction. Mars later discovered that the product appears to have been fraudulently diverted and sold into the marketplace in the United States."
The 13.2-ounce cans in question carry lot codes 613C3KKCFC and 613C1KKCFC and may contain sharp bits of metal and plastic, which could injure dogs if swallowed, reports WGNTV. As of the Thursday announcement, Mars said it had received no reports of pets being sickened or hurt. The company says it's working with authorities to determine how the defective cans were distributed. Pet owners whose dogs have already eaten the recalled food are advised to watch for symptoms including vomiting, drooling, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, or loss of appetite. In addition, they can contact Pedigree for a replacement at 1-800-525-5273, notes USA Today.
