Where's the Beef...from?

  The most recent pet food recall to rock the pet industry is Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food.  This news article is a little disturbing when you consider the usual suspects for a recall like salmonella or e. coli aren’t to blame.  While these nasty bugs are concerning, most dogs without a compromised immune system can handle these bugs without showing any ill effects.  The reason for the recall is due to contamination with a drug called pentobarbital.  This Detroit Free Press Article does a good job of explaining the nature of the recall.   http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2017/02/06/drug-dog-food-recall-evangers/97552080/ 

  Pentobarbital is used to euthanize animals and the most likely source is beef from their supplier – a supplier that is USDA approved.  While Evanger’s is taking steps to make it right they have certainly been let down by their meat supplier.  This just highlights that there is nothing stopping a 4D – dead, diseased, dying, or disabled animal from entering the pet food chain. 

  When looking through some of Evanger’s reviews on consumeraffairs.com I wouldn’t be surprised if this issue has been going on for a long time.  A review from Sept 27th, 2015 indicates a person with a small dog that began vomiting and having seizures after feeding Evanger’s.  Often, our small dogs and cats are the ones that are the most greatly affected by trace drug residues as larger animals may be able to metabolize the drug without outwardly showing any ill effects. 

  Careful observation or our animals normal behaviors can help identify an emergency as quickly as possible and administer aid if necessary.  Any time an animal starts to exhibit strange symptoms after eating – drowsiness, dizziness, prolonged vomiting, or seizures you should consider making a trip to your emergency vet.  In the meantime, rapid administration of activated charcoal could help reduce the amount of drug or toxin that is absorbed into the body and allow it to be excreted.