Pentobarbital is a drug that is used to euthanize our pets after sharing a hopefully happy life together. As the dog food you are feeding probably contains meat like beef, duck, pork or fish you would not expect pentobarbital to be present in your doggie’s dinner. However, pentobarbital continues to be found in pet food which leads to the hypothesis that our once beloved dogs and cats are in pet food. The pentobarbital-concern started off with anecdotal reports from veterinarians in the 1990s saying pentobarbital was losing its effectiveness as an anesthetizing agent in dogs.

The FDA’s explanation of pentobarbital residues in pet food:

• Source of these residues is euthanized, rendered cattle and horses.
• The amount of pentobarbital in pet food is very small and doesn’t cause problems. Studies show that the drug metabolism is not altered at these levels and therefore the presence of pentobarbital in dog food is not an explanation for the apparent loss of effectiveness as an anesthetizing agent.

Regarding the first bullet: Horse DNA is not detected in pet food (as said by the American Journal of Veterinary Research). Also, cattle are only occasionally euthanized with pentobarbital.

Regarding the second bullet: Pentobarbital is not approved for use in pet food so it should not be present at all. In addition, some veterinarians disagree with the statement that a small amount of pentobarbital is harmless. They say traces of pentobarbital can speed up progression of chronic degenerative diseases.

Thus far conclusive evidence of euthanized cats and dogs being used as dog food is lacking.

One study (conducted by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine) used a very sensitive PCR-based test capable of detecting canine and feline DNA at a level of 0.0007% (w/w). None of the pentobarbital-positive dog food samples was tested positive. Having found only one study so far, the conclusion for now is as follows: IF there is dog meat present in commercial dog food, then the level is less than 7 lb. per 500 tons. Those levels cannot explain the detected pentobarbital… so the source of this drug remains a mystery to be elucidated.

For more information about pentobarbital in dog food visit Best Dog Food Guide. Have you ever written the manufacturer of your dog food brand and asked about the origin of the ingredients? Share your story online at Best Dog Food Guide.