For almost five years, the Food and Drug Administration has warned pet owners and veterinarians about concerns with ìjerky treatsî for dogs. Over this time, reports of pets with kidney failure, diarrhea and other illnesses have started to pour into the FDAís offices, and the situation has even garnered Congressional concern. Whatís the whole story and how will you keep your pets safe?Using treats as a means of reward or distraction for our pets is pretty normal. ìRoxie,î a great 5-year-old Yorkie, is one of our patients and owned by a wonderful lady who has long suffered from severe hip arthritis; and, therefore simply canít get to the store very often. She relies on friends to buy her groceries and even food and treats for her beloved canine companion.So, house calls are perfect for her. During our last call for an exam and vaccinations, she showed us a bag of treats for Roxie. To all of our surprise, she held a newly opened bag of dog treats that have been associated with numerous complaints to the FDA. Thankfully, I stopped her from giving the treats and explained this serious situation.Jerky treats have been an extremely popular treat for pets because of their high protein, low-fat composition ñ and dogs love them. Also, the fact that the ingredient list is generally very short (chicken and some flavorings) allows people to feel good about giving their dogs something ìnaturalî.But somewhere along the way, something has gone terribly wrong. Since 2007, the Food and Drug Administration has issued numerous warnings about pet illnesses and even deaths associated with these jerky treats. The most recent figures show more than 2,200 reports on file, and these include more than 360 deaths thought to be linked to these treats! In many cases, kidney failure was the primary reason for the sickness, death or euthanasia of the pet. Almost without exception, the country of origin of these products is China. Remember when thousands of pets became very sick and even died in 2007 from this serious problem? I even reported for CNN on this urgent national problem.Unfortunately, despite rigorous and continued testing and FDA inspections of manufacturers in China, the source of the problem is still unidentified. Without knowing what the exact problem is, the FDA is powerless to compel any sort of recall. Manufacturers of the treats are all reluctant to pull their products from shelves, and this has led to a strong backlash from consumers and has social media buzzing. Even now, several lawsuits are in progress.So, what can you do to make sure your pets are not affected?First, avoid buying any sort of jerky treat that is made in China. Although that sounds easy, it is often difficult to determine exactly where a product is made. Even products that are ìMade in the USAî may source ingredients from China. If you are not sure, call the manufacturer and ask them if the treats are wholly made in the U.S. from U.S. sourced ingredients. If you donít get a definitive answer, donít buy the product!Next, consider alternatives for the jerky treats. Many dogs will happily accept baby carrots or green beans as a snack or reward. Reputable companies, like Hillís, Iams and others, also offer a variety of safe treats we can trust. Other pet owners have found homemade recipes like the ones at DogTreatKitchen.com for making their own special home cooked goodies.I actually think the best treats are a few bits of their normal food. My dogs think itís really something special! This also solves the problem if your dog or cat is on a special diet and treats often donít fit the requirements of that diet.Remember, treats should only make up a small portion of the calories your pet receives each day. While this sounds like common sense, in many of the complaints on file with the FDA, owners were feeding too many jerky snacks far too often.Finally, itís important to see a veterinarian if your pet shows any odd symptoms or has persistent vomiting and diarrhea. In a review of the complaints to the FDA, a fair percentage of pet owners never saw a veterinarian or had any blood analysis done. Without that information, it is almost impossible to know how to treat these serious cases. Your pets rely on you to make sure their food and treats are safe, and they need your help.
