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The FDA issued their first caution to consumers regarding chicken jerky treats imported from China in September of 2007. We have all heard the news reports and complaints of the Chinese chicken jerky treats – also referred to as strips, tenders, chunks, etc. But, four and a half years later, the treats are still being imported and dogs are still getting sick and dying.
Why?
Because researchers, scientists, and veterinarians can’t find anything wrong with them.
According to the Food and Drug Administration:
There is nothing preventing a company from conducting a voluntary recall. It is important to understand that unless a contaminant is detected and we have evidence that a product is adulterated, we are limited in what regulatory actions we can take. The regulations don’t allow for products to be removed based on complaints alone. This is an ongoing investigation and FDA will notify the public if a recall is initiated. Currently, FDA continues to urge pet owners to use caution with regard to chicken jerky products.
In their update, the FDA urges consumers to take caution with feeding their dogs these treats.
FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products:
- decreased appetite;
- decreased activity;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea, sometimes with blood;
- increased water consumption; and/or
- increased urination.
If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi-like syndrome (increased glucose).
Personally, we wouldn’t take the risk at all. If your dog can’t live without chicken jerky, find some that isn’t imported from China!
Do you feed your dog chicken jerky? Or, do you have any experience with chicken jerky making a dog sick? We want to hear your stories! Leave a comment below.
janet
Jan 13, 2015 at 9:45 pm
my 6yr schnauzer died from kidney failure and diabetes he loved the chicken treats from china and my vet told me when he tried to save him that treats and dog food from china should not be used .
i now have two other dogs a shih tzu and a toy yorkie and i do not give them anything from china and they are healthy . but the little yorkie choked on a rawhide strip curl thing that my other dog loved . made in the U>S. but he swallowed it and my husband pulled it out of his mouth it was stretched the limit of the strip and was all the way down into his stomach . we thought he would die . it was all one piece and at least 10 inches long . my husband just kept pulling and pulling on the end of it was a little blood and then the vomiting started . all water and phlem like .. he was sick and acting funny for several days . so no more raw hide of any kind in this house for either one of them ..
Tired Of China
Jan 24, 2013 at 10:26 pm
this past couple of weeks my german shepard has been having the runs. it lasts about a day but she’s had a few days of this. tonight I finally figured out it was the Kingdom Pets All Natural Ingredients Chicken Jerky treats from Costco. I do not overfeed my dog and only give her a couple pieces at a time and not every day. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what it was that was making her sick. she would get the treats at night and by the next morning she made at least a half dozen trips outside with diarrhea. I will be calling FDA tomorrow to give my report and I will NOT feed my dog another chinese product again.
Janise Spann
Dec 20, 2012 at 2:28 pm
I have been researching the Waggin Train treats. My baby boy will only eat them. He is very unsure of other treats because when he was smaller he was abused. I am also a science major. common sense is needed when feeding your dog these treats. Once you open them, keep them no longer than a month, because they can go bad, and feed them only according to their weight. Too many people over feed their pets treats. Use common sense and the treats will not make your pet sick.
Sheila Demus
Aug 1, 2012 at 9:06 am
I was feeding my Yorkie these chicken jerky treats by Waggin Train. She loved them as much as I love chocolate. Eventually, she began vomiting the treats up. Every time I gave her one, she would vomit. I say eventually because at first she was fine with them. But over time it was like her body could no longer tolerate them. I had no idea they were poisonous. I just assumed she could not tolerate the chicken fat, anymore. Anyways, so, I stopped all jerky treats and she now loves milk bone biscuits. A real good substitute for the jerky treats is Buddig lunch meats. You get them in the refrigerated lunch meat section. They relatively are very inexpensive. Like 48 cents a bag and my dog absolutely loves them! If your dog likes them sort of rubbery, you can heat them in the microwave and that changes the texture of the meat some what. You can enjoy them to since it is deli meat! Shame on you Walmart! Our pets are like our children. What are you going to do next allow products that are not safe for our human children to consume…
katrina torres
Jul 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
What dog treats are made in the US now i honestly cant find an chicken jerky made here in the US.. I trained my youngest dog on the chicken jerky made in china but i refuse to give them anything that will possibly hurt them.. So what do we have that is safe. So scary and sad at the same time, i can just pray China isn’t doing this on purpose to hurt innocent animals. the world is going to shit an its just a freaking shame..
Ava
Mar 29, 2012 at 5:19 pm
I had been buying chicken jerky chips for my baby; he loved them! But then I read an article about making sure your chicken jerky wasn’t made in China… and of course, the ones I had were made in China. Well they killed my little boy Cooper 3-1/2 years ago with their contaminated food; I’ll be d@&$ed if they’re going to kill my little Crosby! So I threw away all the bags I had left of that crap and started making MY OWN chicken jerky pieces. It’s very easy to do:
Buy FRESH chicken breasts (not frozen ones; there’s too much water and other junk added to the frozen ones) and freeze them SLIGHTLY… just to make cutting them a little easier. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Slice the chicken into very thin pieces (like 1/4″ thick). Place the pieces on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for at least an hour. Turn them over, and bake for at least another hour. Sometimes they need a little longer, but they’ve always needed 2 hours minimum. I’ve used both my convection oven and my regular oven, and they do fine in both… so use whichever one you prefer.
Once they’re cooked, I scoop them all into a plastic baggie and toss them in the ‘fridge.
Try it! Your precious baby will thank you for the wonderful treats… and for not giving them poison!!
Geneveive
Mar 15, 2012 at 4:29 pm
This is so horrible. I never, ever feed my furbaby anything from China. She only gets all natural gourmet dog treats from Foppers Pet Treat Bakery. There treats are made in the USA and are made with human grade ingredients. If you are looking for another treat company, they are the way to go.
foppers.com
Check them out. I go through Meijer.com to get mine
Linda Rogers
Mar 14, 2012 at 9:33 pm
I fed my dog Milo’s Chicken Jerky treats per the instructions on the package, and he would not eat his own food and became very lethargic. When I contacted the makers of this product they admitted that they came from China and I was feeding within the guidelines, but my dog should not be getting sick. When I stopped feeding my dog any type of Milo’s treats, he returned to his normal eating habits and I had his blood work run at the Vet’s and he was perfectly normal. Please dog owners, do not feed these treats to your dogs. They will hurt them.
Rick Otto
Mar 12, 2012 at 9:43 pm
FDA
If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi-like syndrome (increased glucose).
FDA do something about this every day dogs are getting sick and dying
seems you have no common sense or afraid of the Chinese or the US government you are the biggest joke lately with the dog problem and the presciption test centers is India killing people
Lynne, Troutdale, OR
Mar 12, 2012 at 8:34 pm
I’ve fed my dog(s)chicken jerky as well as eaten it myself. This product is pure dehydrated chicken, no fillers. Just a couple slices is the equivalent of a whole chicken breast — way more meat than most dogs need at any one time. Even in small quantities it makes for some foul smelling poo. So I think that the problem with this product is that an overload of pure protein can make any dog sick, especially a little dog, and not that it originated in China.
Jean Ennis
Mar 13, 2012 at 10:44 am
Hi Lynne,
Dogs haven’t just gotten sick from foods imported from China, they have died. As a licensed veterinarian I can tell you that dog treats and dog foods made in the US are not required to list every chemical in them, when those chemicals are used for holding, shipping or processing the food. The chemicals are there, in the food, but not listed. And that is not good. But it is even worse in China, and most everything “edible” coming into the US from China is also irradiated- so there is a double whammy. My dogs eat “pure protien” all the time. That will never make a dog sick- unless they have poorly functioning kidneys. High fat content can make small dogs very sick- I think you are maybe thinking of this. But since we are talking chicken breast, there is very little fat. China is notorious for not worrying about what toxic chemicals they use in children’s toys, pet toys, and pet food. We have too many examples, too many pets have already died, too many children have already died. If you want to feed yourself and your dog dehydrated chicken breast that is very fine. But I would strongly advise against buying it if it comes from China. You are playing Russian roulette when you buy “food” from China.
Jean Ennis
Mar 13, 2012 at 10:51 am
One final comment, eating protein- such as chicken will not give a dog “foul smelling poo”. Your assumption that this is normal from a dog eating chicken is incorrect. Foul feces should be a red flag that there is something wrong with the what the dog is eating. To prove or disprove my words, please take your dog off the China chicken and wait 1 week. Then cook your dog a USDA grade A cooked chicken breast. If your dog does not have foul poo, then my advice is correct, and the stuff made in china should be replaced.
Brenda Soldan
Mar 18, 2012 at 1:04 am
We had my dog on Waggin Tails chicken jerky treats on a regular basis. My female german shepherd who was 5 yrs old at the time, starting dripping urine and then when she laid down there would be a puddle and it was getting worse. We switched treats and after a few weeks, she returned to normal. I am convinced it was those treats. I got so fed up with after researching what is in a lot of dog food that now I home cook. I just don’t trust any of it right now.