Please make us your Animal Photo favorite

-HB

I hope pet parents will think twice and not buy these things!
Carrots, homemade jerky, organic treats, etc. are so much safer.

Katie

http://www.vmgequity.com/portfolio.html

http://www.epinions.com/msg/sh.....um_id_~247

http://www.amazon.com/review/p.....addOneStar

Do a search on “waggin’ train sick dog” (or something similar) and you’ll find many examples.

No explanation has been given for the illnesses which prompted the warning from AVMA and FDA, and now a treat company has new ownership. What a coincidence!

There’s no way to know what’s in them, and they could be laden with toxins and chemicals that are harmful.

Instead, cook up some chicken and store the sliced meat in the fridge for a few days.

For now, convenient processed foods are very risky for pets and people, IMHO.

http://www.fda.gov/consumer/up.....92807.html

“FDA is cautioning people about feeding their dogs chicken jerky products, also described as chicken tenders, strips, or treats. There is a potential association between illness in dogs and these products. ”

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/ja.....70917a.asp

AVMA September 17, 2007

Jerky treats from China could be causing illness in pets

“The AVMA staff has been in communication with veterinarians who believe certain brands of jerky treats from China could be causing illness in pets. Signs of illness have included vomiting, lethargy, and anorexia.

“Dr. Richard Goldstein, an associate professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, has been collecting data on cases of pets that became ill after ingesting jerky treats from China.”

http://www.avma.org/aa/petfood.....ts/faq.asp

“Q: What brands are affected by this?
“A: At this time, we do not know what brands are affected by this situation.

“Q: When will you know what brands are affected?
A: At this time, we do not know when the brand names will be made available by the FDA.”

We have a thread for Jerky Treats on our Forums containing a lot of information on them:

http://itchmoforums.com/your-p.....693.0.html

http://itchmoforums.com/your-p.....4#msg27274

If you look at the link directly above, you will see one woman’s experience with these treats–complete with photos she took of the mold found in the bag.

The Forums thread will also direct you to links at Epinions and Topix message boards where people have been reporting illnesses and deaths from these treats for months. We also have a thread listing jerky treats which are made in the US:

http://itchmoforums.com/dog-to.....330.0.html

You might ask how it is that everyone’s saying their products have been tested and are free from contaminants, yet the illness and death reports continue. The USA Today story link might tell you how this could be possible, because there’s presently no law which says any importer need report any failed testing to FDA.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/.....fety_N.htm

USA Today November 19, 2007

“The FDA gets the favorable test results, but failing ones aren’t sent to the FDA if importers tell labs not to send them, five lab operators told USA TODAY.

“This is not news to the FDA, which regulates most of the imported foods consumers eat. There is no regulation requiring labs to send all tests to the agency. The FDA proposed that in 2004 but never followed through.

“Rolando Perez, technical director of Florida’s Adpen Laboratories, says his lab has been recently threatened with lawsuits by Chinese seafood producers who didn’t want bad results submitted to the FDA. He also says he’s had importers take product that his lab found in violation to another lab for retesting.”

The complaints about jerky treats found here and elsewhere have one thing in common–they are all made in China. Some brands have been removed from store shelves but have been re-stocked after no one could seem to find what causes dogs to become ill and some to die. The treats appear to cause a type of Fanconi’s Syndrome which affects the kidneys.

You’d be far better off buying US-made jerky treats, than any of the made in China brands.

If anyone could shed any light on this I would appreciate it (as would Ellie our dog who just loves chicken jerky!)

Thanks,
HB