Vet Plus Inc. has recalled two popular Fi-brand dog supplements sold on Amazon and Chewy after a supplier ingredient tested as potentially contaminated with salmonella, a pathogen that can sicken pets and the people who handle their food.
The company announced the recall on September 3, pulling its Fi Calming supplement for Dogs and its Fi 8-in-1 Formula supplement for Dogs from circulation. Both products weigh 180 grams and were sold directly to consumers through Amazon and Chewy.com. Vet Plus said it was notifying all affected customers "out of an abundance of caution" and urged anyone who purchased either product to stop using it immediately.
The problem traces back to the supply chain. An unnamed manufacturer that produces the Fi supplements received a potentially contaminated ingredient from a supplier. Vet Plus has not publicly identified the manufacturer, the supplier, or the specific ingredient in question. Production of both supplements has been paused while the manufacturer investigates.
The FDA weighed in with blunt guidance for pet owners: keep the container tightly sealed and throw the recalled supplement in the trash. The agency did not, based on available details, classify the recall or confirm whether any illnesses, in animals or humans, have been reported.
Pet owners can check their shelves against two product identifiers. The Fi Calming supplement carries Lot 26118 and UPC 8 50064 80011 1. The Fi 8-in-1 Formula carries Lot 26159 and UPC 8 50055 11168 4. Both are 180-gram containers. The Daily Mail reported that the Calming supplement is marketed to promote relaxation and enhance brain function in dogs; the 8-in-1 Formula's specific purpose was not described in the recall details.
Customers with questions can reach Fi's support team by email at [email protected] or by phone, though the company did not publish a phone number in the notice.
Salmonella poses a real danger beyond upset stomachs. In dogs, it can cause lethargy, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Humans who handle contaminated pet products can contract the bacteria through cross-contamination, touching the product, then touching their mouths or food. Young children, elderly adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of serious illness.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, Indiana-based Albright's Raw Pet Food recalled its chicken recipe for dogs, with an expiration date of April 28, 2027, over its own salmonella contamination fears. That recall came in May.
The pattern extends well beyond one company or one ingredient. A frozen dog food brand was recalled across 11 states after the FDA found salmonella in a chicken recipe, and a separate recall hit Fi supplements sold through major online retailers as well.
Contamination problems have not been limited to salmonella or even to dogs. Thousands of cases of canned dog food were pulled after metal contamination complaints surfaced, and a kitten milk replacer faced a nationwide recall over nutrient deficiency.
Salmonella itself has triggered recalls far beyond the pet aisle. Broccoli sprouts were recalled across four Northwest states after the bacteria sickened more than 20 people.
Several basic facts remain undisclosed. Vet Plus has not named the manufacturer responsible for producing the supplements or the supplier that provided the suspect ingredient. The company has not said how many units shipped before the recall or how many customers are affected. And neither Vet Plus nor the FDA has said whether any dogs or humans fell ill.
The FDA's role also remains unclear. The agency issued disposal guidance, but the recall notice does not specify whether the FDA initiated the action or whether Vet Plus pulled the products voluntarily. No formal recall classification, the system the FDA uses to rank a recall's seriousness, has been publicly attached to this case.
Pet owners deserve straight answers about what went wrong in the supply chain and who is accountable. When companies sell health products for animals through major retailers, the bare minimum is knowing which ingredient was contaminated, who supplied it, and whether anyone got sick. Vague assurances and unnamed manufacturers do not clear that bar.