Evanger's pet food recall (pentobarbital)

It would be nice to know how it happened so they can prevent future contamination.

BCSnob wrote:
A couple of websites are claiming that an FDA spokesperson confirmed to eFoodAlert that FDA testing performed at Vet-LIRN labs detected pentobarbital in the deceased dog's stomach contents, the open can of food from the owner, unopened cans of food collected from the owner, and cans from the retailer where the owner purchased the food. I would prefer to see this information directly from the FDA not as hearsay.

If correct, the manufacturer more likely has an issue within their processing plant not at the USDA inspected processor. In order for there to be a lethal dose of pentobarbital for a dog in the beef chunks the cow would have had to be dead when it was brought past the USDA inspector at the processing plant who is onsite checking the status of the animals prior to slaughter.

By "issue within their processing plant" . . . you mean someone deliberately tainted the food?

A couple of websites are claiming that an FDA spokesperson confirmed to eFoodAlert that FDA testing performed at Vet-LIRN labs detected pentobarbital in the deceased dog's stomach contents, the open can of food from the owner, unopened cans of food collected from the owner, and cans from the retailer where the owner purchased the food. I would prefer to see this information directly from the FDA not as hearsay.

If correct, the manufacturer more likely has an issue within their processing plant not at the USDA inspected processor. In order for there to be a lethal dose of pentobarbital for a dog in the beef chunks the cow would have had to be dead when it was brought past the USDA inspector at the processing plant who is onsite checking the status of the animals prior to slaughter.

darsben1 wrote:


Except the government recall website states all beef the company uses is FDA approved. SO if true it was in the human supply chain and went unnoticed or it is something else.
Also notice it was a VOLUNTARY recall not an ordered recall

The FDA didn't have any authority to issue mandatory recalls of pet foods until the Food Safety Modernization Act was signed into law in 2011. Since then the FDA has issued only one mandatory pet food recall (for salmonella tainted treats), and that was several months after the manufacturer had issued a voluntary recall for some, but not all, of the treats.

I wouldn't put any faith at all in mandatory recalls of pet foods or treats.

I wonder if the only affected household of dogs has been targeted by a sick individual.

Aside from the facts that Mark gives, it would be amazingly expensive to euthanize a cow with pentobarbital, I can't imagine any farmer or processor doing that. I wonder about some warped person acting to adulterate the source.

If you read what the company stated, dogs in only one household feeding the affected lots got sick. Phenobarbital was found in the stomach contents of one of these dogs. No test results are in from the testing of canned food collected from these lots. At this point there is no way to know how these dogs consumed the phenobarbital.

It is highly unlikely phenobarbital came from cuts of beef from a usda processor; the cows must walk into the plant on their own feet which is not possible after being injected with phenobarbital.

There is missing information about how phenobarbital ended up in the canned food.

I receive these notices as well. Only one recipe of their canned dog food was suspect. It was their chunks of beef recipe. They make many types of food. These alerts are always frightening, but very few dog food makers have not had a recall at one time or another. Except for cooking for your dog, and I have done this for long periods, there seems to always be a risk in feeding commercial dog food.

darsben1 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

colliehauler wrote:
How would pentobarbital get into pet food?

my question also. evidently came from their meat sources. I am sure that this firm, and no firm, analyzes their raw material for every potential cross contaminant out there. however if as speculated the critters harvested are put down by doses of pentobarb one would think testing would be in order.
bumpy

Except the government recall website states all beef the company uses is FDA approved. SO if true it was in the human supply chain and went unnoticed or it is something else.
Also notice it was a VOLUNTARY recall not an ordered recall

USDA approves beef, not FDA.
bumpy