More dog food has been recalled because it may contain a deadly drug.

Evangers Dog and Cat Food announced Tuesday that it is expanding its recall of both Evangers and Against the Grain dog foods because the canned foods may be tainted with pentobarbital. The barbiturate is used to euthanize animals as well as in human executions and physician-assisted suicides.

The initial voluntary recall was announced earlier this month after five Washougal, Clark County, dogs became ill after eating Evangers Hunk of Beef products, and one died.

The expanded recall announced Tuesday includes:

Evangers Hunk of Beef; 12 ounce can; Item #776155

Evangers: Braised Beef; 12 ounce can; Item #776150

Against the Grain Pulled Beef; 12 ounce can; Item #776107

The three recalled products were made between December 2015 and January 2017, and have expiration dates of December 2019 through January 2021, according to Evangers. The products were distributed online and through independent pet stores nationwide.

How the deadly drug and horse meat got into the cans of dog food remains a mystery.

Evangers vice president has blamed his meat supplier for the problem. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the suppliers plant and found systems in place to keep euthanized animals out of the food stream, according to Food Safety News.

Evangers vice president Joel Sher told Petfoodindustry.com that along with pentobarbital, private laboratory results found horse DNA in samples of the Hunk of Beef dog food that were recalled Feb. 3. Against the Grain Pet Food recalled one lot of Against the Grain Pulled Beef with Gravy Dinner for Dogs on Feb. 14. Against the Grain is owned by members of the Sher family, according to Petfood Industry.

There is also an issue about the quality of meat Evangers used and the condition of its plants where the food is produced, according to the FDA.

FDA officials have said the Hunk of Beef meat did not come from a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved supplier of human-grade meat, something that Evangers has claimed since 2003, according to Food Safety News.

And Petfood Industry says FDA inspectors also noted food-safety problems at Evangers Wheeling, Ill., plant where the dog foods are produced. Some of these issues included peeling paint and mold on the walls, lack of raw meat refrigeration, and an open sewer within 25 feet of food storage trailers, Petfood Industry says.

Sher has said he has contested those notes in a response to the FDA.

Read more:

Evanger's expands recall because dog food may contain euthanasia drug - The Seattle Times