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Author Topic: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source  (Read 12900 times)
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« on: October 22, 2013, 03:15:50 PM »


Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says


JoNel Aleccia, NBC News
 2 hours ago

Nearly 600 pets have died and more than 3,600 have been sickened in an ongoing, mysterious outbreak of illnesses tied to jerky treats made in China, federal animal health officials said Tuesday.

Most of the cases have been in dogs of all breeds, ages and sizes — although 10 cats have been sickened, too — after eating chicken, duck and sweet potato jerky treats. The pace of the reported illnesses appears to have slowed, but federal Food and Drug Administration officials are now seeking extra help from veterinarians and pet owners in solving the ongoing puzzle.

“To date, testing for contaminants in jerky treats has not revealed a cause for the illnesses,” Martine Hartogensis, a deputy director for the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said in the new report. “Despite these warnings, we have continued to receive reports of illnesses in both cats and dogs.”
 
FDA officials don’t think that antibiotic residue is the big problem that has stumped the agency since 2007, when pet owners started reporting their animals were suffering gastrointestinal and kidney problems after eating the popular jerky treats.

Instead, it’s likely that the recall of Nestle Purina PetCare Co.’s Waggin Train and Canyon Creek Ranch treats, plus Del Monte Corp.’s Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers home-style dog treats simply resulted in fewer treats being available. Three other smaller retailers also recalled the treats because of the problem.

In fact, FDA officials remain as uncertain as ever about the source of the problem that has led to reports of illnesses and warnings about the possibility of Fanconi syndrome and other kidney problems in animals that ate jerky treats.
 
"I think that what it tells us is that the intoxicant is something that we're not used to dealing with as a toxin in North America," she said.

Now, in an open letter to US veterinarians, FDA officials are asking the vets to track and send detailed information about any animals sickened by jerky treats, including results of blood and urine tests. In addition, the agency is asking vets to send urine samples from suspect pets for analysis.
 
"I am disgusted that our government continues to protect corporate American and China," she told NBC News. "They need to start protecting the American consumer so that this does not happen again. As soon as a product is in doubt, a warning label should be placed at the point of sale so that consumers can make an educated choice."

If a pet does become ill after eating the treats, FDA is asking owners to provide detailed information — up to and including results of a necropsy to test an animal’s tissues after death.

In the meantime, officials are trying to reach pet owners who might still have treats on hand to make sure they know about the potential problems.

“Right now, the focus for us is to make the public aware that these cases are still coming in,” she said.
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« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2013, 07:35:34 AM »

I've been watching reports about this for a long while now.     There's still a lot of treats out there from China, and I wonder if stores pulled the treats in the first place.  I stopped buying commercial treats like these a long time ago.  My vets have told me dogs don't really  need treats and can contribute to obesity.   If I want to give my dogs a treat, I give them a broccoli floret, a bit of carrot a bit of mozzarela cheese (the cheese sticks are easy to cut into thin slices) to give meds or if I'm working with them.  I do use treats for training my dogs, and so I make my own.  Try googling "home made dog treats" for some ideas, but I would keep in mind some things are better than others.     One of the dog trainers I've worked with takes chicken or turkey franks, slices them and microwaves them over and over and over until their dried, cuts them in tiny bits and uses those to train with.   The trainer told me to get a little baggie and put some of the dried hot dog bits, some little pieces of dried cereal,  cheese bits, bits of left over steak etc. 

I stopped buying rawhide chews too, and have gone to Nylabones and Kongs and I clean those often. 

I just don't know what to think about this mystery of dog treats.  I don't know if some dogs are more susceptible to something, if they may already have some unknown health issues and the treats make it worse or what.  But it's sad to know folks are buying treats for the pets they love in good faith and they're pets are being poisoned.  I think there may be some other articles in this thread about problems with treats. 

And it's all just imo.




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« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2013, 12:27:02 PM »

http://www.kbtx.com/news/national/headlines/FDA-Proposes-Rules-to-Make-Animal-Food-Safer-229379551.html
FDA Proposes Rules to Make Animal Food Safer
October 26, 2013

WASHINGTON - Amid incidents of pets dying from dog treats, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing long-awaited rules to make pet food and animal feed safer.

The rules stem from a sweeping food safety law passed by Congress almost three years ago. Like rules proposed earlier this year for human food, they would focus on preventing contamination before it begins.
 

The proposed rules would require those who sell pet food and animal feed in the United States - including importers - to follow certain sanitation practices and have detailed food safety plans. All of the manufacturers would have to put individual procedures in place to prevent their food from becoming contaminated.

The rules would also help human health by aiming to prevent foodborne illnesses in pet food that can be transferred to humans. People can become sick by handling contaminated pet food or animal feed.

Michael Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods, said the rules fit together with regulations proposed in July to create better oversight over imported food, including pet foods and animal feed. The idea behind all of the food safety rules is to make businesses more responsible for the safety of the food they are selling by proving they are using good food safety practices. They might do that by documenting basic information about their suppliers' cleanliness, testing foods or acquiring food safety audits. If they fail to verify the food is safe, the FDA could stop shipments of their food.

Currently, the government does little to ensure that companies are trying to prevent food safety problems but generally waits and responds to outbreaks after they happen.

Taylor said the new rules, once they are in place, could be helpful in investigating the jerky treat deaths if those illnesses are still happening. But they still may not be able to solve the mystery because the FDA has not yet been able to determine what ingredients are causing sickness. The rules generally ask manufacturers to focus on certain hazards and do their best to prevent them.

"We are really still trying to find out what the hazard is" in the jerky illnesses, Taylor said.

The FDA said the rule could cost industry $130 million annually to comply. Smaller businesses would have more time to put the rule in place.

The agency will take comments for four months before issuing a final rule and will hold a series of public meetings to explain the proposal.
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« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2013, 10:15:03 AM »

I've been watching reports about this for a long while now.     There's still a lot of treats out there from China, and I wonder if stores pulled the treats in the first place.  I stopped buying commercial treats like these a long time ago.  My vets have told me dogs don't really  need treats and can contribute to obesity.   If I want to give my dogs a treat, I give them a broccoli floret, a bit of carrot a bit of mozzarela cheese (the cheese sticks are easy to cut into thin slices) to give meds or if I'm working with them.  I do use treats for training my dogs, and so I make my own.  Try googling "home made dog treats" for some ideas, but I would keep in mind some things are better than others.     One of the dog trainers I've worked with takes chicken or turkey franks, slices them and microwaves them over and over and over until their dried, cuts them in tiny bits and uses those to train with.   The trainer told me to get a little baggie and put some of the dried hot dog bits, some little pieces of dried cereal,  cheese bits, bits of left over steak etc. 

I stopped buying rawhide chews too, and have gone to Nylabones and Kongs and I clean those often. 

I just don't know what to think about this mystery of dog treats.  I don't know if some dogs are more susceptible to something, if they may already have some unknown health issues and the treats make it worse or what.  But it's sad to know folks are buying treats for the pets they love in good faith and they're pets are being poisoned.  I think there may be some other articles in this thread about problems with treats. 

And it's all just imo.

Hey Muffy -I try not to buy any food - people or animal - from china. Period.

Occasionally, I buy some dog biscuits from science diet but I use carrots for a treat and they simply love them.

This is so sad that this many animals have been sickened and the cause has not been narrowed.  One of my dogs was poisoned with rat poison and it was horrendous what she went through.  She survived but it was an awful recouperation.  I feel for these owners who lost their pet in this way.





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« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2013, 10:15:40 AM »

Argh- got in your box - sorry!
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« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2013, 05:03:56 PM »

Argh- got in your box - sorry!

Hi Caddi   I agree with you about not trying to buy food (human or animal) from China.     Carrots are a good treat for dogs, I agree and mine like them too, as well as broccoli  florets (no sauce  )

I'm glad to hear your dog survived rat poisoning, and I truly can't imagine what you both went through.  That's some bad, bad stuff for a pet to get hold of. My heart goes out to you and your girl, Caddi.  I hope she hasn't had lasting damage to her organs. 
I'm at a quandry about when and if we are going to find what is causing the illness and deaths in pets from treats.  I'm concerned because even if folks read the label, sometimes there's repackaging of food and goods and etc.  From what I've read, there's no way to follow the chain of the handling of the foods and treats.  I'm appalled at how badly it is for foods for human consumption, let alone our pets foods.  We should be able to know the source of our foods and the chain before we bring it home, same for our pets.  JMHO 
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« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2014, 08:55:44 AM »

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/25545565/fda-over-1000-dog-deaths-linked-to-toxic-jerky-treats
1,000 dog deaths linked to ‘toxic jerky treats’
Posted May 17, 2014, Updated May 19, 2014

NEW YORK (MYFOXNY) -
More than 1,000 dog deaths may now be linked to toxic jerky treats according to the Food and Drug Administration.

And the agency says since 2007, there have been almost 5,000 complaints of pet illnesses related to the treats.

The majority of those illnesses were of gastrointestinal or liver disease and about a third were linked to kidney and urinary disease.
 
In fact, not even the FDA is sure of what exactly is sickening the pets...

They say a common thread in the reported illnesses is that the pets ate a chicken or duck jerky treat, or a jerky-wrapped treat.

And most of the questionable treats came from China.

Several brands voluntarily pulled their jerkys last year but complaints have persisted.

Dr. Jonathan Levine, an associate veterinarian at Blue Pearl says owners should always check the labels of whatever they feed their pets.

“Always be aware of what you're buying and where it's coming from,” Dr. Levine says.

But even that is not foolproof.

The FDA says products that are stamped 'Made in the USA' could still contain ingredients sourced from China or other countries.

Dogs may have specific signs of sickness including vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.

Levine says if your dog has any of those symptoms contact your vet right way.
 

Video
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« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2014, 11:11:34 PM »

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/petco-pulls-all-tainted-pet-jerky-treats-shelves-n110191
Petco Pulls All Tainted Pet Jerky Treats From Shelves
May 20, 2014

Petco became the first national pet retail chain to remove all China-made dog and cat treats today when it announced that it would stop selling the products in its more than 1,300 locations by the end of the year.

The move by one of the nation's top two pet retailers comes just days after the FDA announced that jerky treats, mostly imported from China, have now been linked with more than 1,000 dog deaths and nearly 5,000 illnesses in dogs, cats and, for the first time, even people.
“We know some pet parents are wary of dog and cat treats made in China, especially Chicken Jerky products, and we’ve heard their concerns,” said Petco CEO Jim Myers in a statement. “As a leader in the industry and the trusted partner for our pet parents, we’re eager to make this transition and to expand our assortment of safe and healthy treats, the majority of which are made right here in the U.S. Very simply, we feel this decision is in the best interest of the pets we all love and, ultimately, for our business.”

For seven years, the FDA has been investigating possible links between Chinese jerky pet treats and maladies in dogs that include gastrointestinal illness, kidney failure and a disease called Fanconi syndrome. It has warned consumers about a possible risk associated with the products, but has never pinpointed a specific ingredient in the treats that would cause illnesses, or released a recall of the products.

Petco said today that it doesn’t want its customers to take any chances. “We know the FDA hasn’t yet identified a direct cause for the reported illnesses, but we decided the uncertainty of the situation outweighs the lack of actual proof,” said Myers.
 
Petco will also stop carrying the treats in its Petco stores, its Unleashed by Petco locations, and online at Petco.com. The retailer will replace them treats made in the U.S., New Zealand, Australia and South America.

Brands like Milo’s Kitchen, owned by Del Monte Foods, have already stopped production of their treats in China and now proudly boast a “Made in the USA” label on their pet food and website.




This is a nice start, but what about the treats that may have "Made in USA) on the package, but may have some ingredients from China or other places? 

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/25545565/fda-over-1000-dog-deaths-linked-to-toxic-jerky-treats
1,000 dog deaths linked to ‘toxic jerky treats’
 
Dr. Jonathan Levine, an associate veterinarian at Blue Pearl says owners should always check the labels of whatever they feed their pets.
“Always be aware of what you're buying and where it's coming from,” Dr. Levine says.
But even that is not foolproof.
The FDA says products that are stamped 'Made in the USA' could still contain ingredients sourced from China or other countries.
 
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« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2014, 07:08:45 AM »

http://www.kvue.com/news/editors-pick/Austin-man-says-a-pet-treat-killed-his-dog--260206281.html?google_editors_picks=true
Austin man says a pet treat killed his dog
May 21, 2014

 
Schlueter gave his dogs a Pur Luv bacon-flavored chew. But he says within a day of eating it, Sadie started getting sick.
"Spent all day throwing up on a Monday after we gave it to them on a Sunday.”
Sadie was rushed to the emergency clinic where an ultrasound revealed Sadie had a mass in her upper intestine blocking anything from getting passed it.
However by the time they scheduled surgery, he says it was too late.
"She was in toxic shock and wasn't going to survive the surgery, so we unhappily decided that she'd be better put down instead of dying in surgery,” said Schlueter.
When the veterinarian at Emergency Animal Hospital of Northwest Austin opened Sadie’s intestines during the necropsy, the vet tells KVUE they were surprised at what they found.
"They thought it was a piece of rubber but no, it's the center of this chew bone. It's the same color, same thing; it's exactly what it is,” said Schlueter, referring to the Pur Luv dog treat.
In 2013 a man in Chicago filed a class-action lawsuit against the makers of Pur Luv treats claiming the chews can leave indigestible “rock-hard chunks” inside a dog, injuring or killing it.
The chews are sold at most pet food retailers.
"It requires a lot of chewing to break it up, and if you have a dog that doesn't chew, then it becomes a foreign body like a pecan,” said Austin veterinarian Dr. Richard Mouser.
Mouser says he sees this problem a lot with all kind of dog treats, and suggests rolled rawhides not made in China.
"I only buy products that are made from American or Brazilian beef.”

On Wednesday, retailers Petco and PetSmart announced that by the end of the year it will no longer sell any treat made in China.
“The sourcing and supply chain issues are still very much real for a lot of these companies,” said Austin Biomedical Engineer and entrepreneur Michael Landa.
Landa created the line of dog food called Nulo, also sold at PetSmart, made of organic ingredients.
"We have the highest meat content of any dog or cat food on the market in the United States,” said Landa. "We take a lot of pride and a lot of care looking at the sourcing all the way down to the source."
 
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« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2014, 12:30:18 PM »

(Bolded by me)  Explanation:  $$$$$


http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/pets/260250001.html
PetSmart joins Petco, stops selling pet treats from China
May 22, 2014

NEW YORK — PetSmart said it will join rival Petco and stop selling dog and cat treats made in China because of ongoing fears that the treats are making pets sick.
Investigators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration haven't been able to prove that treats made in China are making pets ill. But since 2007, the agency has received more than 4,800 complaints of pet illnesses and more than 1,000 reports of dog deaths after eating Chinese-made chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats.
PetSmart Inc., which runs more than 1,300 stores, plans to have the treats off of its shelves by March 2015.
Spokeswoman Michelle Friedman said Wednesday that the "vast majority" of treats sold in its stores are not made in China. She said some customers like the treats that are made in China and the company is looking to replace them with something similar.
Asked why the products couldn't be taken off the shelves sooner, she said "We don't want to leave pet parents high and dry."

Rival Petco is removing them sooner. It said Tuesday that it plans to stop selling them from its 1,300 stores by the end of this year. It began cutting down on the amount of Chinese-made treats it sold three years ago.
"We know the FDA hasn't yet identified a direct cause for the reported illnesses, but we decided the uncertainty of the situation outweighs the lack of actual proof," said Petco CEO Jim Myers.
In an update to its investigation last week, the FDA said it found that antiviral drug amantadine in some samples of imported chicken jerky treats sold a year or more ago, but doesn't think it caused the illnesses. The FDA said it will continue to investigate.
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« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2014, 05:21:04 PM »



http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/pet-jerky-treat-deal-six-things-you-need-know-n120576
Pet Jerky Treat Deal: Six Things You Need to Know
June 2, 2014

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