Pet food recalls: harmful drug found in dog food
According to associate professor Tim Evans at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine no amount of pentobarbital, the harmful drug used to euthanize animals, should be in any animal products.
Evans went on to say all pet owners must do their part regarding any recalls or updates.
The J.M. Smucker Co. has withdrawn shipments of Gravy Train ®, Kibbles ‘N Bits ®, Ol’ Roy ®, and Skippy ® canned/wet dog food because of the fear of pentobarbital.
According to the Smucker’s website, the products do not meet its quality specifications even with it’s extreme low levels of pentobarbital.
“We take this very seriously and are extremely disappointed that pentobarbital was introduced to our supply chain. We will continue to work closely with our suppliers and veterinarians to ensure the ingredients used in our products meet or exceed regulatory safety standards and our high-quality standards,” said Barry Dunaway, Smucker’s president for Pet Food and Pet Snacks. “Above all, we are a company that loves pets and understand the responsibility we have in providing high quality food for the pets our consumers love.”
Evans stated the Federal Food and Drug Administration plays a vital role in preventing these types of situations from occurring. For the past few years, he has been doing his part in spreading awareness about the importance of veterinarians and their pet owners knowing what they can do in the event something like this happens.
“I firmly believe that the nutritional and health benefits of commercially manufactured pet foods, especially those manufactured by companies with a long history of dedication to pet nutrition and health, continue to greatly outweigh the low risks of contamination in these products,” Evans said.
For the list of impacted J.M. Smucker Co. products, click here.
