Adequan Recall: Glass Fibers Found in Dog and Horse Joint Injections
The Adequan recall is one pet owners and horse owners should not brush off. American Regent, Inc. Animal Health has recalled four lots of Adequan injections — two lots of the canine formula and two lots of the equine formula — after testing found visible glass fiber material in the product. The recall is nationwide, and it covers vials distributed to veterinarians, wholesalers, and online pharmacies across the United States.
Adequan is one of the most widely used prescription joint treatments for animals. Dogs with arthritis and horses with degenerative joint disease receive it by intramuscular injection, often on a regular schedule. That is what makes this recall unsettling: the contamination was not found because an animal got sick, but because the company’s own testing of retained samples turned up glass fibers in the vials.
Which Adequan Lots Are Recalled
The recall covers four lots in total. Check any Adequan vial in your barn, clinic, or home refrigerator against this list before it is used:
Adequan Canine Injection (for dogs) — 100 mg/mL, 5 mL multi-dose vials
- Lot 25011
- Lot 3369
Adequan i.m. Injection (for horses) — 500 mg/5 mL, single-dose 5 mL vials
- Lot 24416
- Lot 25265P
The affected lots were distributed from May 2024 through January 2026. The canine lots went out on May 22, 2024 and April 14, 2025; the equine lots on May 8, 2025 and January 22, 2026. If you are unsure whether a vial you hold is part of the recall, check the lot number printed on the vial and carton — and when in doubt, do not use it until your veterinarian or the distributor confirms it is clear.
Why Glass Fibers in an Injection Are Dangerous
An injectable product is supposed to be free of particulate matter. When glass fibers get into a vial, they go straight into muscle tissue with the dose. According to the FDA notice, administering an intramuscular injectable product containing particulate matter such as glass fibers may result in local irritation, swelling, inflammation, injection site pain, infection, or abscesses.
For horses, the risk deserves extra attention. A horse that develops a sore, swollen injection site may show it only as a subtle change in gait or a reluctance to move freely — easy to mistake for the joint problem the drug was meant to treat. For dogs, watch the injection site in the days after a shot for heat, swelling, tenderness, or discharge, and watch for limping, lethargy, or loss of appetite.
As of the recall announcement, American Regent said it had not received any reports of adverse events related to the recalled lots. That is reassuring, but it is not a guarantee: injection site problems can develop slowly, and owners whose animals received Adequan from the affected lots during the distribution window should stay alert and tell their veterinarian if anything seems off.
What To Do If You Have a Recalled Lot
- Stop using the affected vials immediately. Do not administer them, and do not pass them on to another owner or clinic.
- Quarantine the product. Set recalled vials aside, clearly marked, so they cannot be picked up by mistake.
- Return or dispose of them as directed. Veterinarians, clinics, distributors, and retailers were instructed to stop distributing the recalled lots and either return remaining inventory to the manufacturer or discard it. Contact American Regent or your distributor for return instructions.
- Check your treatment records. If your dog or horse received Adequan between May 2024 and January 2026, ask your veterinarian whether the doses came from a recalled lot, and keep an eye out for delayed injection site reactions.
- Report any problem. Adverse events can be reported to the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal or to your veterinarian, who can file on your behalf.
A Recall Worth Taking Seriously
This is not the first time a widely used animal drug has been pulled over a safety concern, and it is a reminder that even established, trusted prescription products can have a bad manufacturing run — much like the neurologic side effects now documented in our Simparica Trio safety coverage.
The system worked here — the company’s own retained-sample testing caught the problem before adverse event reports piled up — but only if the recalled vials actually stop moving. That last step depends on clinics checking their shelves and owners checking their fridges.
If you keep Adequan at home for your dog, or your stable stocks it for your horses, take five minutes today and check the lot numbers. It is a small job, and it is exactly the kind of check that keeps a routine joint injection from becoming a veterinary emergency.
Source: FDA company announcement, July 31, 2026
