Pet Death Prompts Recall of Evanger’s Dog Food Sold in Maryland

By Patch Editor Beth Dalbey

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food is recalling some of its Hunk of Beef Au Jus dog food after Pentobarbital, a drug used to anesthetize or euthanize pets, was found in a lot sold in 15 states, including Maryland, from June 6-13, 2016. Five dogs became ill and one died, according to the Wheeling, Illinois, company.

Pentobarbital can affect animals that eat it, and possibly cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, or nausea, or in extreme cases, possibly death.

Affected products were sold in retail stores and online, according to a notice on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

The drug was found in a single lot that is no longer being sold but customers may still have cans of the food, Evanger’s said. The company is recalling five lots of the dog food “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the recall notice.

Affected lot numbers start with 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB, and 1816E13HB, and have an expiration date of June 2020. The second half of the barcode reads 20109, which can be found on the back of the product label. The potentially affected dog food was sold in 12-ounce cans.

Evanger’s said suppliers of its meat products are USDA-approved, and beef chunks come from cows that are slaughtered at a USDA facility.“We continue to investigate how this substance entered our raw material supply,” the company said.

Evanger’s said the recall is the first 82 years of manufacturing.

Anyone who has some of the recalled food should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Questions may be directed to the company at (847) 537-0102 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday.

»Photo from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.