More Dog Food Recalled For Possible Euthanasia Drug Contamination

Another Illinois pet food company has issued a dog food recall amid fears of contamination with the drug pentobarbital, a sedative often used to euthanize animals.

Wheeling-based Against the Grain is voluntarily recalling one lot of its Pulled Beef with Gravy Dinner for Dogs due to "the potential presence of pentobarbital," the FDA said. The product was sold in Washington and Maryland.

Last week, Evanger's, also based in Wheeling, pulled five lots of its Hunk of Beef Au Jus dog food for the same reason. Against the Grain and Evanger's are run by members of the same family.

According to its Facebook page, Against the Grain was founded in 2012 by twins Chelsea and Brett Sher. Evanger's is owned by parents Holly and Joel Sher. Brett, who serves as Evanger's corporate secretary, and sister Chelsea posted a video concerning the Hunk of Beef Au Just recall last week:

The new recall affects Against the Grain canned food manufactured and distributed in 2015. The food has an expiration date of December 2019, a lot number of 2415E01ATB12 and the UPC code (found on the back of the label) 80001.

So far, Against the Grain has not received complaints from customers about illness related to the food. But five dogs reportedly became ill and one died after eating the now-recalled Evanger's Hunk of Beef Au Jus.

According to the FDA, orally ingesting pentobarbital "can cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, nausea nystagmus (eyes moving back and forth in a jerky manner), inability to stand and coma."

On its website, Against the Grain noted, "There have been ZERO reports of any illness to our company and the FDA, but this has been issued out of an overabundance of caution ... This affects no other lot numbers, and no other flavors."

Consumers may return cans of the recalled food to their place of purchase and receive a full case of Against the Grain food for the inconvenience, the FDA said. For any questions, customers may contact the company at 708-566-4410 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.

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Image via FDA