How in the heck did a euthanasia drug get into dog food? As they try to figure that out, here's what we need to know about that massive dog food recall and how to protect our pets.

If your dogs are like mine, the minute I put the food in the bowl they start wolfing it down and they don't pause at all to inspect it.  Before you feed the dog tonight, make sure you know exactly what you're putting in the bowl! If you don't, some pretty awful things could happen.

CNN lays it out for us, and says pentobarbital is a drug that's used as a sedative, anesthetic or to euthanize animals. If our dogs eat dog food that contains this stuff, it can make them dizzy or drowsy at the very least, and if they eat enough of it they can lose balance, get nauseous, and fall down. Worst case scenario, consuming high levels of it can put them in a coma or kill them. Good grief!  Feeding the dogs seemed so routine until now, but apparently we've got to check the news before putting the kibbles into the bowl.

Kibbles and Bits is one of the brands affected by the recall. The J.M. Smucker Company initiated a voluntary recall of some packages of Gravy Train, Kibbles 'N Bits, Ol' Roy and Skippy canned dog food late last week after pentobarbital was found. The company traced the root to one ingredient supplier at one manufacturing facility, but they didn't say where that is.

For the complete list of foods affected by the recall - and it's pretty long - check the Smuckers website. If you have any of this dog food at your house you can call the company at 800-828-9980 for a refund or replacement product.

Places all around East Texas sell these brands of dog food, including Walmart, Target, Brookshire's, H-E-B, and Super 1 Foods.  The food in question should be off the shelves now, but you may have purchased the bad stuff at one of those places earlier.  If so, contact J.M. Smucker Company and get your money back and save yourself a trip to the vet.

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