Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that as of September 2013, it had received reports of about 3,600 dogs sickened by jerky treats made in China, and nearly 600 who died from eating the treats, since 2007. By January, 2014 the number of reports of sickened animals had risen to 4,500. Two brands that were voluntarily recalled are back on the market. One, has stopped importing from China, but the other has not.
Chicken Jerky from China
Exactly what about the treats has been sickening and killing pets has not been determined. What we do know is that they were all chicken jerky treats made in China. The treats cause a type of kidney failure called Fanconi syndrome.
Milo’s Kitchen and Waggin’ Train brand chicken jerky treats were voluntarily recalled last year. Both are back in stores now. Milo’s Kitchen has chosen to use chicken from the U.S., although we do not know for sure if any other ingredients are being sourced from China. Waggin’ Train still contains chicken sourced from China.
Veterinarians advise against feeding your pets treats made in China, or with ingredients sourced from China, since we do not have any solid answers on why these treats are causing illness and death.
Symptoms
Seek immediate medical attention for your pet if he displays any of the following symptoms of kidney failure:
- Decreased appetite
- Decreased activity (lethargy)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea, with or without blood
- Increased water consumption
- Increased urination
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