- Go Raw LLC's Full Recall of Quest Pet Food: The company has stopped selling all Quest pet food products nationwide due to a thiamine deficiency issue, expanding from an initial single lot recall to all products to investigate the problem.
- Thiamine Deficiency Risks for Cats: Cats require vitamin B1 (thiamine) from food, and a deficiency can cause symptoms like vomiting, neurological problems, and even death if untreated; the recall was triggered after a sick cat was tested.
- Advice for Pet Owners with Quest Products: Pet owners should stop feeding Quest products immediately, check the FDA recall list for specific lots, and consult a vet if their cat shows symptoms of deficiency.
- Recall of Elite Treats Chicken Chips for Dogs: A separate recall involved Elite Treats LLC pulling a batch of dog treats contaminated with Salmonella, mainly sold in southern states, with no reported illnesses so far.
- Importance of Handling Recalled Pet Food Safely and Financial Impact**: Treat recalls can be hazardous and costly; pet owners should dispose of contaminated food properly, monitor potential symptoms, and consider pet insurance to manage vet bills from such emergencies.
Go Raw LLC has halted the sale of its entire Quest pet food line at all U.S. retailers after expanding a recall that started with a single lot of freeze-dried cat nuggets earlier this month. The Utah-based company announced the expansion on February 26, adding two lots of Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Frozen products to a recall it first issued on February 17. Simultaneously, it placed a full stop-sale on every Quest product across all retailers while it investigates the scope of the thiamine deficiency that triggered the initial action.
Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, is an essential nutrient that cats cannot produce on their own. They rely entirely on their food to get it. A deficiency develops over weeks of feeding a low-thiamine diet and can begin with vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss before escalating to neurological damage, seizures, and, in severe, untreated cases, death. The initial recall on February 17 was triggered after a veterinarian treated a sick cat and submitted the food for testing, which showed thiamine levels below the minimum required for a complete feline diet. That cat recovered. Go Raw says it has not received additional illness reports as of the expansion announcement, but is replacing all existing Quest inventory with the newly formulated product.
The stop-sale is the more consequential piece of this. It isn’t limited to specific lot codes — it covers the entire Quest line across all product forms until the company resolves what went wrong with its thiamine content. For cat owners who feed any Quest product and aren’t sure which lot codes are affected, the company’s decision to clear the shelves removes the guesswork. Stop feeding it, check the FDA recall page for the full lot code list, and return it for a refund. If your cat has been eating Quest products and is showing any signs of decreased appetite, unusual vomiting, or neurological symptoms like wobbly walking or neck drooping, call your veterinarian. Caught early, thiamine deficiency responds well to treatment.
Separate from the Go Raw situation, the FDA also posted a recall on February 25 for Elite Treats Chicken Chips for Dogs. Elite Treats LLC recalled a single lot of 6-ounce bags after third-party testing found Salmonella contamination in a related, commercially unreleased lot of the same product. The affected bags, marked with lot number 24045 and an expiration date of April 2027, were sold through feed stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. No illnesses have been reported. Pet owners who purchased these treats should stop using them, dispose of them where children and wildlife cannot access them, and wash any bowls or containers that may have come in contact with the treats.
Salmonella contamination in pet treats is one of the most common reasons for recalls in the category. The bacteria can survive for months in sealed packaging and pose risks to both pets and the people handling the food, particularly anyone who doesn’t wash their hands after contact. The FDA recommends treating any recalled pet food or treat as a potential biohazard until it’s properly disposed of.
Both recalls happening within 24 hours of each other are a reminder of something most pet owners don’t think about until it’s too late: the financial cost of an unexpected veterinary visit. Treatment for thiamine deficiency requires thiamine supplementation and possibly hospitalization for neurological cases. Salmonella infections in dogs can lead to dehydration, fever, and extended illness requiring IV fluids and antibiotics. Those bills add up fast. Policies from the best pet insurance providers typically cover illness treatment triggered by contaminated food, depending on the plan.
If your pet has already eaten a recalled product and requires care, contact your veterinarian and ask them to file a report with the FDA. The agency tracks illness patterns from these reports, and they inform future enforcement and manufacturing standards. The pet insurance cost for a policy covering illness and accidents has risen in recent years as vet costs have climbed, but the math looks different after an unexpected emergency that runs into four figures. Coverage purchased after an illness is diagnosed won’t cover that condition, which is why timing matters.
Pet owners should also check the FDA’s current recall database regularly, not just when a recall makes the news. Many recalls are issued quietly, without significant media coverage, and the agency’s website is updated as new information becomes available. The Go Raw situation in particular warrants attention: the fact that the company moved from a single lot recall to a full stop-sale across its entire product line in nine days suggests the initial investigation turned up a more systemic problem than a one-batch error.
