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Waggin' Train Wholesome Chicken Jerky Tenders were among 13 Nestle Purina brand treats listed among 22 complaints being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration. The treats, made in China, have been tied to reports of illnesses and deaths in dogs.
Stumped by mysterious illnesses in at least 600 dogs in the U.S., federal health officials have turned to consumers for help investigating problems possibly tied to chicken jerky pet treats made in China.
A log of complaints collected from pet owners and veterinarians contains references to at least three popular brands of jerky treats that may be associated with kidney failure and other serious ailments, according to internal Food and Drug Administration documents obtained by msnbc.com.
Of 22 “Priority 1” cases listed by the FDA late last year, 13 cited Waggin’ Train or Canyon Creek Ranch jerky treats or tenders, both produced by Nestle Purina PetCare Co., the records show.
Another three listed Milo’s Kitchen Home-style Dog Treats, produced by the Del Monte Corp. The rest listed single brands or no brand.
Priority 1 cases are those in which the animal is aged 11 or younger and medical records that document illness are available, an FDA spokeswoman said. In many cases, samples of the suspect treats also are collected.
The report, obtained through a public records request, is the first agency indication of any brands linked to illnesses that have climbed since the FDA warned pet owners about jerky treats in November. That was the FDA's third caution about the pet products since 2007.
Nestle Purina and Del Monte officials said their treats are safe and FDA regulators said repeated tests have shown no absolute tie to any brand or manufacturer.
“No specific products have been recalled because a definitive cause has not been determined,” FDA officials said in a statement.
The internal report, overseen by the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak and Response Evaluation, or CORE, group, is one of several ongoing assignments in which FDA regulators are seeking jerky treat samples and medical records of dogs that may have developed kidney failure, liver disease or Fanconi syndrome, which can lead to serious illness and death.
The recent complaints were filed from October through December by people in cities from California to New York, but the agency will continue to accept them.
“We still invite owners and veterinarians to submit complaints and samples,” said Siobhan DeLancey, an FDA spokeswoman. “The more information we have, the more likely we can find a link.”
The move comes as the FDA is under growing pressure from consumers and lawmakers to address rising numbers of illnesses blamed on the China-made treats. Before the warning was issued in November, the agency had logged 70 reports of illnesses tied to the treats last year. Since then, more than 530 additional complaints of illnesses and some deaths have been filed, officials said.
Courtesy Robin Pierre
Bella, a 2-year-old pug, died last fall after her owner, Robin Pierre, said she ate Waggin' Train chicken jerky treats.
Consumers who say their dogs were sickened or killed have launched at least three petitions demanding recalls of jerky pet treats made in China, including one begun in December that has more than 3,400 signatures from the U.S. and around the world.
“At the slightest doubt, these products should have been recalled, especially knowing there was a link or at the very least a caution/warning label put on the packaging warning the consumers,” said Robin Pierre, a co-founder of “Animal Parents Against Pet Treats Made in China.”
Pierre, 49, of Pine Bush, N.Y., believes Waggin’ Train chicken jerky treats were responsible for the sudden death last fall of her previously healthy 2-year-old pug, Bella, who developed kidney failure.
“The last week of her life was nothing but misery and pain, separated from her family, she died all alone, in a cage, despite the fact that she had a family who loved her,” Pierre wrote in an email to msnbc.com. “She meant the world to me and my family.”
Courtesy Susan Rhodes
Ginger, a 14-year-old family dog, sparked one of three petitions after she developed kidney failure possibly tied to chicken jerky pet treats. Her owner, Susan Rhodes, 51, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., wants the treats pulled from the market.
More than 375 people have signed a petition launched last week by Susan Rhodes, 51, of Port St. Lucie, Fla. She believes her 14-year-old dog, Ginger, may have developed life-threatening kidney failure after eating chicken jerky treats. She was stunned to hear that consumer complaints alone can’t force the FDA -- or a company -- to recall potentially tainted products.
“That is just unreal. I am not happy with that,” Rhodes said.
For their part, FDA officials said the companies are free to enact a voluntary recall at any time.
Lawmakers call for action
Lawmakers, however, are demanding stronger FDA action. Ohio Democrats Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Dennis Kucinich in February called on the FDA to step up investigation of tainted pet treats.
In a response sent late last week, an FDA official told Brown the agency “continues to actively investigate” the reports and to pursue testing for chemical and microbiological contaminants.
On Monday, Brown called the agency’s response “inadequate” and urged prompt release of results of 153 pending tests on the Chinese-made treats.
“I will continue to press the FDA on this issue because Ohio consumers shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their pet’s food,” he said in a statement.
Since 2007, FDA scientists have analyzed jerky treats for evidence of dangerous toxins, including heavy metals, melamine, melamine analogs and diethylene glycol, chemicals used in plastics and resins.
So far, they’ve found nothing convincing, a point emphasized by Keith Schopp, director of communications for Nestle Purina. He noted that FDA officials also suggest that illnesses may be a result of causes other than eating jerky treats.
“Our chicken jerky treats are safe to feed as directed,” said Schopp. “The safety of our products -- and the pets who consume them -- are our top priorities.”
The company has a comprehensive food safety program in place, he said, including at manufacturing plants in China.
Pierre, who lost her dog, has little faith in pet food manufacturers -- or in the FDA.
“Actions speak louder than words and there has been no action from them up until now,” Pierre said. “Waggin’ Train has hid behind the technicality that the FDA cannot find the link and the FDA has let them.”
Consumers can report illnesses to the FDA's pet food complaint site.
Related stories:
Chicken jerky treats linked to mysterious illness, deaths in dogs
More dogs sick as FDA steps up scrutiny of chicken jerky pet treats
Leave a Comment:
No more tainted food (for pets or humans) from China. Why import food when we could have better quality, better tested, USA worker made/processed food from home? It's a no brainer.
For the profits margin dear, pure profit. I don't give my dog any treats.
Totally agree with you! Sadly, I have become leary of buying anything from China these days, in fear "hidden substances"..... all the way down to dishes....in fear of lead paint! I couldn't have said it better r81801
It's been happening so much lately I have to wonder if it's on purpose. And I don't mean on purpose i.e trying to be cheap.
The short answer is: because processing food in China, where workers are paid way less, makes food less expensive. That's true even when you factor in the fact that much of that food is first raised/harvested in the US and shipped back and forth on cargo ships.
But the lower price - along with possible worker abuses and food contamination issues - is just too tempting for businesses. Unless we outlaw the practice of shipping our food overseas to be processed, stop eating processed food, or pay much closer attention to where food originates, these companies aren't going to have the incentive to change their practices.
Here's the biggest kicker, though: it's not just the price. American companies have found that Americans don't like working food processing jobs. And why would they? They're messy, repetitive, often take a big toll on one's health, and are just physically hard. Why would Americans take these jobs if someone in some poor country will do it instead? It's a difficult issue to confront.
Free market my @$$.
The only way this will change is if we vote with our wallets. Force a demand for USA made goods.
Don't buy products from China, especially food items!
It's just common sense people. YOU need to look at the label, YOU need to turn over and look at the bottom of the cup or plate. Don't go to the stores that sell only this c___p made in China, 'Pottery' this or 'Barn' that.
You don't need that stupid nick nak... Really... No really. Also if you really like your pet... Don't go cheap.
WAKE UP!
If its made in China don't buy it. $360 Billion dollar tap on the US economy versus $30 billion in exports, we don't need China. just don't buy their junk.
more crap that kills from China. i guess now i have to read all my pets food labels and just now tossed out a sack a dog food i bought at WALMART that came with the tails waggin chicken. too late, she already went thru the treats, but when is our government going to get off its collective money sucker, and start regulation the poison China has been feeding our kids, and pets when ever it can sneak @!$%# in. how many babies were sick and died from intentionally contaminated baby formula? and again, dog food, and treats? keep going to walmart, KEEP GOING! the dump is nothing more than a cheap electronics rip off anyway, and safe food? maybe in the can from the US, but i wouldnt go any farther than that.
Nestle Purina and Del Monte officials said their treats are safe....
Then show proof that their Corporate family dogs are fed their brand of treats!
Best solution: Find good home recipes(see posts in #4) and make them yourselves - IN AMERICA!
I tried boycotting China. It is almost impossible. The IBM keyboard I am typing on is made in guess where. China. So is the plastic on the computer tower. But I read about this in November and do not feed any kind of food stuffs to my dog and hopefully not to me.
The FDA is NOT looking out for us or our pets. They put so many restrictions on companies in the U.S. where the safety guidelines we must follow are very strict. The U.S. can't even go to China and inspect their facilities, we just have to take China's word for it that their factories are safe.
We are becoming more and more dependant on foreign countries for everything. Especially our food sources which is a huge mistake. Our agencies are putting our farmers out of business because of needless regulatons and fines. Is our government really looking out for us???
More reasons, it is best to pay a tad bit more for made in the good ol' USA. Maybe if we boycott buying stuff from China and only buy things/FOOD made here, the greedy corporations will realized that they are going to be stuck with the bad stuff, and bring back manufacturing jobs here.
It's all about supply and demand - the basic principles of economics. We wouldn't be in this mess if we didn't demand the lower prices. And that's because American workers were demanding higher pays to make this stuff or they didn't want to do factory work.
We have to show these businesses that we will not be manipulated because of a dollar. I bought the Canyon Ranch treats from Petco and my greyhound started to get diarrhea and cramps. I will never buy another item from Petco again just because they sold this crap to me and my dog.
we need to ban the importation of all pet food from China.
after that, we should consider banning anything from China that has been processed for human consumption
I was browsing through one of those "dollar-type" stores recently and noticed bags of wrapped candy that looked suspicious to me. "Bags of candy for a dollar? I thought to myself. I perused the colorful packaging and in very tiny print - so small you almost needed a magnifying glass to see it - they said: "made in ROC"
LOL...I guess they are afraid to spell "Republic of China" out of fear that NO ONE WLL BUY IT
In addition to all the reasons listed not to buy chinese products, here's another...58,000 Americans died fighting communism in vietnam. Buying products from vietnam or china supports a communistic government.
The part of the article that state there are in-house health and safety mechanism in place made me snort coffee up my nose.
How do we know they're lying? Their lips are moving. I NEVER buy anything for my companion animals that isn't made in the USA. Yes, I pay more but they last longer and I don't have to worry that they are painted or mfged with heavy metals in them.
I'd rather buy a big bucket of cheese balls from Target for treats than take my dogs lives in my hand feeding them something made in China.
If the only information on a package of treats is...Dist by Walmart, Target etc, you know it's made in China. And that goes for everything else. This consumer goes out of her way never to buy, especially food items, from China. Hell, they even poison their own children's milk.
@Mossdog - The government already has regulations on goods that are imported from other countries to the USA. I can't speak to the regulations on dog or baby food because I'm not an expert on that. Clearly the regulations are not good enough, but that's beside the point. The simple answer is to stop buying foreign manufactured goods and start buying things made in the USA.
At the same time, let's not forget that contamination can happen anywhere, regardless of country of origin. Remember the contaminated peanut butter from a few years back? That was produced in the Us.
@Against Union Thievery - I'm not sure whwere you get your informaton from, but a great deal of our foods are not coming from China. It takes about a month for anything to be shipped to the USA. Our foods are coming from South and Central America, where the lead time is only 10-15 days, and warm parts of the USA. Also, goods are held up to the exact same regulations no matter where they are made. The difference in Chinese and American factories is how the workers are compensated, which accounts for the cost difference. We should buy more products made in the USA but your facts and reasoning are not accurate.
@Allison-467021
BULL SH!T!!! There are more expensive, made in the USA, treats available now. So why aren't these people choosing them? Because they don't want to pay the price, they want something cheaper. As long as there is a demand someone will create the supply.
Please don't blame corporate greed when the problem is caused by consumer stinginess.
Boycotting food from China will NOT solve this problem. Many US manufacturers import additives from China and put it in pet foods manufactured elsewhere. That is what happened years ago with the last tainted food scandal.
The best thing you can do for your pet is make the food at home, yourself. It will be much more nutritious and you will KNOW EXACTLY what is in it.
I haven't feed my pets commercial food in years. Better safe than sorry.
I love this. It's the governments fault! It's the evil corporations fault! It's China's fault! It's everyone's fault but mine! As @Backcountry164 said, there are plenty of treats and whole dog foods made in America. The consumers complaining about treats made in China have no one to blame but themselves. If you truly loved your dog you wouldn't be buying dog food at the grocery store and surly would not be feeding them something made in China. Shut up, grow up and take responsibility for your own actions.
My husband works for Nestle Purina and I can tell you that all of our animals (8 year old lab, 2 year old terrier, 3 month old kitten) eat Nestle Purina food and treats. We are able to buy these at cost at the on site store for employees. I can also tell you that anyone who works at these companies feeds their pets the food and treats also. There are brag boards to put up pictures of your pets. Seriously people, what are you feeding your pets? If you think the treats are making them sick, then maybe you should feed them as what they are labeled for, TREATS not food. My animals eat the same food and treats and are all very healthy. They go to the vet once a year and have normal bloodwork. And sorry to say but, 14 year old dogs do get sick. My mother had two dogs die from kidney failure and that had nothing to do with the food. It had to do with not having dentle care done and the breed. Some breeds are prone to kidney issues. Also if a dog does not have regular dentle care (just like humans) it does cause other issues with their health. My advise is spend the money on the dental care for your pets and stop feeding your dog treats as its main diet. That would be the only way your dogs can get so sick from treats. They are meant to be given occassionally. So you know, I am a nurse and have medical knowledge and my mother works for a vet.
Rather than drying the jerky the traditional way, these chicken jerky treats are preserved by IRRADIATION! Some pkgs. show this and some don't. The FDA can stop looking for "toxins" and start looking for radiation injuries. I can't imagine eating anything that was IRRADIATED in CHINA. Blech! People just assume that if they find it in a local store, it's safe. So sorry for those folks who have learned the hard way.
Robin Pirkel - Sorry Robin, but Purina is cheap dog food made with "brewers rice".
Warning!!! Once you start to read what's actually in dog food you will have a hard time continuing to feed it to your pet. Read at your own risk.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/purina-one-dog-food-dry/
I thought the lesson might have been learned when the chinese made drywall was found to be full of mold and cancer causing stuff? Businesses folded because of this dryway and contractors used it because it was cheaper than US made drywall. Homes were damaged and more money invested to remove the drywall and replace with US made drywall. it is obvious that China does not have the same safety regulations that we would have on products and materials. So, as many have said on this thread, lets buy AMerican and start investing in our own futures instead of beating each other up buying the cheaper, foriegn made items?
It may all be falling on deaf ears but if we do all buy American, we will be supporting ourselves and start to get our economy back on its feet...somewhat......maybe! At least it would be a start.
thank you congress, for giving all the tax breaks ,so company's can move their factory's to China, and we can import poison in food, lead and mercury in children's toy's, and screws and bolts and nails that are so far below what we made here , so our corporations can make huge profits from their foreign intermediary company and not pay any U.S. taxes, Congress the best money can buy!
read the labels don't buy made in china food, toys, chemicals, textiles. the chineses people need jobs but anyone who thinks the only difference between us and them is the labor is just regurgitating corporate lies about quality control
Don't limit your self-imposed restrictions to pet foods/treats. My wife works in the health and beauty aides industry. You would not believe what's permissibly imported in soaps and shampoos from overseas. You'd never use imported products if you knew. Read the labels, and buy USA made products!
@saxon
WTF are you talking about? The US has the highest corporate tax rate in the world. THAT is the reason companies are moving out, because they can get a better deal somewhere else. If you could cut your taxes in half by moving across the street you'd do the same thing.
It's not just the treats that have come under fire,, some,
dog food has also been found to be tainted. All the articles i have read are related to treats and foods made in China. As a note to ponder,,wht does the Republican party continue to fight for less scrutiny,,money maybe?
"The US has the highest corporate tax rate in the world."
Sure, on paper; but not in reality due to all the loopholes that are available. Fittingly for this article and as to companies off-shoring due to taxes - that dog don't hunt. Off-shoring is strictly for the benefit of corporate profit margins and Wall Street.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-industry-exposed/dog-food-chin/
Backcountry- no, the US does NOT have the highest corp rate in the world, when you take out the TAX BREAKS that they receive.
US citizens also pay one of the LOWEST personal tax rates in the WORLD. Who's lower? Mexico. How nice for us - you get what you pay for.
These companies have known about this problem FOR YEARS and have refused to take responsibility. How much $$$ would it take for you to knowingly sell a product that would kill someones pet?
Unfortunately it's not always so cut and dry when it comes to pet food. For instance, I started feeding my dog a very expensive raw dehydrated dog food that you add water to and refrigerate (Sojos) because it has ingred. that my dog is not allergic to. Well, he started getting sick. I did some research on this food, and discovered the ingredients come from China!! However, on the bag, it clearly says, "Made in Minnesota". They import the ingredients, then simply just mix it together in the U.S. and get to say it's made in the US. How can they get away with this !??
Robin is drinking the Purina Kool-aid. "You must be feeding them too many treats." There are plenty of reports that peoples pets got sick after eating well below the recommended amount.
Robin says poor dental care is the only way a pet can get sick from a treat That doesn't even make sense.
There is no way Purina has total control over what goes on in China. We still don't know if the problem is the feed given to the chickens or something in the processing. It is not uncommon for drugs and chemicals that are illegal in the US to be used in China. China has a history of adulterating products to increase profits.
We check everything we buy for our pets. If its made in China we do not buy it. My pets are worth more than the extra cost to give them good treats made here at home....
dogs treats from china are still on the shelves of our many 99 cent stores. live in san diego-----read the labels ---personally i buy only purina. have healthy and happy pets -----the better product is worth the money.
back country 164: saxon is not arguing with u! he is talking about the tax breaks congress gave corporations for moving out!!!
And this is exactly why I only buy products made in America for my pets; for dog treats, Merrick is my favorite brand.
Mr. Pierre, We are very sorry for your pug, Bella. We have six pugs (two of them rescues) and my wife and I are very careful what we feed them. If it's from China, it stays on the self in the store! If everyone wants to give out treats, baby carrots are the best!
r81801, there are better quality, better tested, USA made treats. We know because we make them!
We have been concerned about chicken jerky from China for quite some time. We even have an article up on our website about it. Chicken jerky is a delicious, protein-rich treat that's great for dogs. However, where the treat is made and where the ingredients come from is very important.
We wouldn't be a proper company if we didn't want you to purchase our product. Still, it is more important to us that you have the facts you need to make an informed decision on what pet treats are right for your dog. You can find our article at . You can also contact us with questions through Facebook.
U.S.A.s tariffs on Chinese imports is 2.5%..
Chinese tariffs on U.S.A. imports is 25%..
Is this fair trade??
SAXON we have the best government money can buy..
If you want treats for your pets either find recipes for them online (it's easy) and make them yourself or if you're lucky enough to live near a pet treat bakery, you can support a local business and treat your pet at the same time.
What's wrong with carrots, apples, peanut butter, and cheese, or bite of chicken for dog snacks? I never buy "treats" for our dog. She eats what we eat except her healthy dog food.
Thank you Mrs. Pirkel! Everything you said is true. I know members of the Waggin Train team and each one takes pride in their brand and product. I'm glad you're standing up for this company when so many people don't care to look past the sensational approach this writer took in presenting these cases. How many people actually noticed this part of the article:
Since 2007, FDA scientists have analyzed jerky treats for evidence of dangerous toxins, including heavy metals, melamine, melamine analogs and diethylene glycol, chemicals used in plastics and resins.
So far, they’ve found nothing convincing, a point emphasized by Keith Schopp, director of communications for Nestle Purina. He noted that FDA officials also suggest that illnesses may be a result of causes other than eating jerky treats.
I know they take the utmost care in making sure their product is safe for animals. The product goes through thorough government standardized inspection when it enters the US. Also, they have a great inspection team in China which imposes its own quality control standards which go above and beyond the standards set by the FDA and China, because they know more about their product and how ensure its quality better than any government. That is why they have never had a recall. They've never had a reason for one.
Dogs eat a lot of stuff that we would never consider putting in our mouths. They can get sick from a wide variety of plants as well as foods and medicines that are benign to people. The treats in question are pretty popular meaning a huge number of people are feeding these. If the treats were the cause, I'm thinking a lot more dogs would be sick and testing would show something.
We've used both the Wagon Train and Milos kitchen chicken jerkey treats for our two toy poodles with no problems. We've used them for about two years. I stopped giving them the chicken jerky treats for a while when the reports first came out but have started back. Again, no problems. I'm as cautious as is reasonable but some of this seems to be a false blame issue. Also treats don't last forever. People need to check for expiration and sniff for spoilage.
Many of these companies, unknown names, Nestles and the other name brands, too, do not list where the product is made on their packages. Many times you will only find where the item is distributed from.
These are both fallacies.
The US only inspects 2% of the food coming into this country. And that's mostly a visual inspection for evidence of spoilage and rodent contamination - there's NO lab testing involved.
The GOP has GUTTED the FDA - there are fewer food inspectors today than there were in 2000, yet our imported food has increased four-fold.
The answer: More inspectors. More enforcement. AND consumers can help by not buying imported items (if they can find American-made alternatives).
If the drywall or children toys aren't bad enough for ya !
Welcome to walmart america you buncha GOP, no regulation, child labor, gut the FDA hypocrites.
Eat it and weep.
Do you even see the irony and fallacy in this statement?!?! This wouldn't even be a topic if the Chinese had these "needless regulatons and fines". And the Republicans have been the leaders in lessening these protections which are so direly needed, yet claim they are on the side of Americans.
Nearly all politicians are two-faced liars, but the Republicans take the (tainted ) cake. And then insist it is for your good. Avoid China-made products whenever possible, and do not believe those crying for deregulation. These Pols have something to gain and nothing to lose.
Watch your 6. We are not being told the truth about nearly ANYTHING we eat in this day and age...
Peace
BackCountry - you mentioned that people buy these treats because they are inexpensive. I have 5 large dogs whom I cook for, I usually make my own treats BUT I was at the Whole Foods and saw chicken strips by DogsWell - for $7.49. All over the package it said, "no by products, no hormones, all natural, FREE RANGE etc." I looked at the ingredients - there were only a few, and the treats seemed OK to me, and I am very picky. I did give one to the dog in the picture, he was fine, but the dogs don't get a ton of treats, so when MSNBC first broke this story on 11/21/11, I wasn't even going to check my chicken strips, but I did - MADE IN CHINA...
I called the company, I was pretty blunt - i.e. Do you really expect me to believe that you have people on the ground in China? Where is the FREE Range? On top of a toxic area? I got pretty bitchy - not at the person I talked too, it's not her fault, but for all the claims on the package, and the price for maybe 8 strips, I was mad.
This is what I was told - no joke....when I asked why they didn't use chickens from the US or Canada. "Chinese people don't like the white meat of a chicken, they only eat the dark meat and THROW AWAY the white, so we are helping to stop this waste." I'm not making this up! ... I took my bag back with the article (70 dogs were affected by last November) and got a full refund, I told them that they should post the article OR PULL the chicken strips off the shelves - they did nether.
I'll make my own treats - if anyone wants a recipe, just send me a message.
my dog eats solid gold dog food and treats--- they make all of the food in the united states and all the food comes form the united states except for the lamb (new zealand better lamb--potato protien from europe and tuna from thiland because of lack of processing plants in the US) all the ingredients are natural and human grade food you can read everything on the ingredient list there are maybe 6-10 ingredients on the label (minus added vit and minerals) I and my dog like this food because even or own US manufactures use by products and junk in there food they may say its healthy but really if you were a dog would you want to eat corn meal then chicken by products or Chicken, Chicken Meal, Tapioca, Peasl, Quinoa, Potatoes, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Sweet Potato, Chia Seed, Natural Flavor, Dried Eggs, Flaxseed, Dried Cranberries, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Carrots, Dried Apples,
@Viktor Spinotti
That are available to those who are connected politically. It's called crony capitalism. You think it's a co-incidence that GE paid zero US taxes and their CEO is Obama's good buddy? Those who don't have the inside connections pay the full rate and are much better off heading else where. Lower the corporate tax rate and remove all of the loopholes and then you'll have to come up with some other excuse to hate on the corporations that provide you with all of the necessities of life.
It almost makes you wonder if products like dog food and treats are the disposal vehicle for some of the toxic waste from manufacturing.
We read the label. If it was made or processed in China, we pass it by.
Anybody blaming the consumer for this is delusional. Are you supposed to analyze all your food before you eat it? It is a job of the government to set the safety standards, and industry must follow them. If they don't - they are liable, plain and simple.
I've seen dogs eat the most horrible things with good appetite. I really wouldn't object to chicken by products as much as corn or wheat. Taking a hunting dog out and trying to catch up with them, you can find out what nature provides for dogs, and it isn't pretty. Ugh. I buy very few treats. usually make sweet potato slices, dog cookies without sugar, etc. the only ones to buy that my dog really likes is the Bacon flavored crap. As I cook with very little salt, and very little fat, He does get some table scraps, of veggies, chicken without the skin or fat, or potatoes, he loves potatoes.
It's a no brainer for the consumers, unfortunately, the corporations only care about profits, not the safety of our pets, let alone humans. We've been feeding our dog Milo's chicken jerky treats, and now I don't know whether we should continue to do so. In fact, I don't know if we can rely on any corporation for his food. I'm thinking of putting him on the "raw diet." I'm going to start talking to the butchers and produce personnel at our local grocery stores about buying scraps of meat and vegetables to feed my dog. Considering my dog is part wolf, and that all dogs have descended from wolves, I should feed him what he would eat if he were living in nature, instead of CHEAP CHINESE CRAP!
@Backcountry....You have no idea wtf you are talking about. One of the brands listed is MILO'S. A small bag of their chicken jerky treats we just bought were $10, the larger bag that we got at Costco is $15. These are NOT cheap treats. One would expect when buying what are considered PREMIUM dog treats, that one would receive premium ingredients. If we were buying dog treats from the dollar tree, then we'd expect to be getting cheap chinese crap, but not from Milo's which TELLS their consumers that their products are all natural, healthy, etc. The corporations are to blame for this latest outbreak of tainted dog treats. They want bigger profits, so they outsource their plants overseas, especially to China, where the corporations can't constantly keep an eye on what is actually going on in these plants. Greedy corporations are solely to blame, not the consumers, who expect that feeding their dogs treats of ANY price, will not make their dogs sick or die. However, the consumers need to call these corporations and tell them they are boycotting their products. I know I'll no longer be feeding my dog the Milo's Chicken Jerky treats, and calling Milo's and telling them why I refuse to buy their cheap Chinese crap.
I feel terrible for the owner's of these dogs. I cannot imagine buying anything my family or my pets would at that is made in China. Haven't we heard enough horror stories about products made in China? I do not work for Blue Buffalo and I am not afiliated with them in any way. However, I would like to recommend their products. They are all natural and made exclusively in the USA. I buy mine from the local PetSmart but if they haven't reached your area, i imagine you can order them or ask your pet food store to order them at BlueBuffalo.com or call 800-919-2833. These products are very expensive. Especially for those of us with larger breeds/mixes. I am tryin to find something more afordable but safe and healthy to recommend to people who simply cannot afford to pay $50.00 for a large bag of dog food or over $2.00 for a can. The treats are almost 20.00 for large breeds and you don't get very many so I rarely give my dog treats. I'm sure there are other brands equally good but also expensive. I will say that this is my 3rd German Shepherd Dog. I fed the first Science Diet and the second Iams. They both lived to be 10 yearsv old and both died of cancer. This is not unusual for this breed. However, my third and current Shepherd is almost 2 years old and I have been feeding him Blue Buffalo since he was about 5 months old. He is not the largest Shepherd I have owned but he is by far the strongest. I attribute this to Blue Buffalo as I can find no other reason for his unusual strength, even for this normally very strong breed. I encourage you to look into Blue products for your dogs and cats. If you cannot afford these products, ask your vet to recommend something more affordable. A good vet is always happy to have a discussion about diet. I used to think treats were so important but I no longer feel that way. A safe chew toy, loving attention, a good long walk, etc. is really a treat in itself for your dog. Buy American! Refuse to buy anything else and the quantity of American made choices will rise and prices will fall. WE MUST STAND TOGETHER IN THIS! My sincere condolences to those who have lost their beloved pets to treats or food that should be safe or shouldn't be on the shelves. I would recommend a class action lawsuit against these companies.
It is really sad and pathetic that we live in a 'let the buyer beware' world now, but we do. I am really careful of what I buy for our dog, even his regular dog food. All ingredients must come from the USA. One really safe treat that my vet put me onto--frozen green beans! Dogs love the crunchy, many won't touch it if given defrosted, so you have to give the froz greenbeans one or 2 at a time.
I am striving to become as independent as I can from big conglomerates/corporations that don't care about anything but their bottom line--let them go find a different sucker, I'm done!!!!
NESTLE...PURINA...All other companies trying to save a BUCK...
the only thing they will understand is a CONSUMER BOYCOTT!!!
Write letters, make calls, start and sign petitions, Facebook, Twitter etc.
BOYCOTT!!! BOYCOTT!!! BOYCOTT!!!
If only more companies cared about their customers rather than making a quick buck off poisoning them. I know a lot of folks think they don't have time, but it is SO easy to whip up a batch of homemade dog treats. If you can make cookies, you can make doggie treats! SHAME on Purina for continuing to work with manufacturers who have such a bad track record.
Nannyogg, would you like to give reference to a recipe or just give us your recipe...
Would love to have it...
You don't really need a recipe...my dog loves frozen peas, especially during the summer months, she also likes cauliflower, ice cream (not chocolate, of course). I give her a taste of different foods to find out what she likes and dislikes...she doesn't dislike much.
I guess my point is, it is not good for us or our dogs to eat processed foods.
Jean, I have a recipe, several rather, that I got on line years ago. Just watch using garlic especially with small dogs as it can lead to some weird disease that I can't remember the name, but garlic and onions in a large amount is deadly.
I bought 5 bags of the Waggin Train Chicken Snacks at Dollar General by me. I was not aware of this issue until today. I tried to inform the Corporate Offices and send information to them.. all I got in return was the answer.. return your products to the store for a refund. I said how about pulling the damn snacks off the shelf so a dog does not die.
Dollar General was not helpful. Most of the @!$%# there is made in China anyway that is why it is 1$
I will not be buying dog snacks there. I will make my own dried chicken jerky.
Just type dog treat recipes and hit search. same for dog food recipes there are hundreds of them take your pick. just make sure you don't use ingredients from China. If our government wont stop the imports we can stop the purchasing. this is a no brainer. why pay $5.00 for a small bag of treats when a $6.00 roast will make a bushel, just thin slice and dehydrate in your oven.
There are a lot of dog recipes out there, actually. I make my dog cupcakes and cakes for treats out of carrots, flour, a little honey, a little oil, and top it with some fried turkey bacon. She LOVES them. Just avoid sugar, chocolate (use carob instead), no onions and, no garlic. In the summer I freeze chunks of apples and blueberries in a popcicle tray, and those are her treats. Cheap and way easy.
She does love those jerkey treats, though. I buy an organic duck jerkey from the local store. Made in USA.
Please undrestand, the Waggin Train brand is an extremely dependable name. I have known many of the people involved in running this company for years. They are proud of their product and have a right to be so. They have the best quality control teams watching over manufacturing in China constantly. Their president made multiple trips to personaly meet and talk with their manufacturers in China every year and to walk through each of their factories.
I have heard about these cases before as well, and guess what. Just about everyone of these cases were the ault of the owner. You know the chart on the back of the package which shows the how many treats should be consumed a day? It's there for a reason. This product if high quality, packed with protien and great for dogs in moderation. Most of the owners sending in complaints about their dogs becoming sick or dieing are because their pets were small or old and they insisted on feed their pets nothing but chicken jerky. Of course that is going to cause a problem! Its a great treat not everyday dog food.
@nannyogg
They do care about their customers. When their customers pick up a bag of wholesome, made in the US, dog treats and then scoff and say "There's no way in hell I'm paying this much for a bag of dog treats" the company goes and finds a cheaper alternative to satisfy the desire of the consumer. Don't want dog treats made in China? Well then don't bitch about having to pay the price for the ones made here. When these companies start to force consumers to buy the cheap crap then you'll have a legitimate bitch. Until then it's all about the choice made by the consumer.
If only more people cared about their pets. If you don't care enough about your pet to feed them quality food please don't complain when the cheap stuff you buy for them kills them.
I've been making my own dog treats for years. There's a lot of recipes on-line, I even have a dog bone cookie cutter. They're even quite tasty and the dogs love um too....
The simple solution to this issue, pertaining to the Nestle/Purina brand and the Del Monte brand of treats is to VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET. Simply don't buy the brands identified. If the stores aren't selling the brands, they will stop carrying them. China has pretty much a foot on our neck in regards to the many brands/products they are contracted to produce. The only way to change things is to actively search for items we want that are made in the USA. Buy them, and avoid those made in China. It is often difficult, since so many items are made in China, but try anyway, and do your best to avoid brands made in China. If enough people do so, we take the profitability out of the equation, and things might change.
@Leprechaun1230
That's what people do now. It's the reason the cheap sh!t is on the shelf to begin with.
Had a cocker spaniel that liked gooseberries. Of course she like most anything, except blueberries she wouldn't touch them.
Amen nannyogg.
I started reading dog food labels and completely changed all their food. I have healthier happier pets now - and I'm not worrying about what it is they're eating.
And it is very easy to make home-made treats. Just google it and you'll get dozens of sites with recipes.
Gail, you are going to be very disappointed when you find out Waggin Train/Purina knowingly let this problem continue. There is an inherent problem with producing products in China. And if you actually read the complaints, plenty of them come from young healthy dogs fed well below the recommended amount.
Saying the problem is due to overfeeding of the treat is a bogus excuse created by the manufacturers. It's more like they are trying to limit the amount of poison you give your pet when you feed Chinese chicken jerky.
Gail Higdon, you must be a paid voice for Waggin Train. Yes, Waggin Train is extremely dependable - IN KILLING DOGS. Waggin Train and Canyon Creek are the ones with the highest rate of DEATHS in dogs that ate one or two of these chicken jerky treats. They will assure you over and over again that their product is safe and their facilities in China are inspected and tightly run. THEY LIE. Look at Waggin Train's facebook page. It is riddled with people grieving over the deaths of their dogs.
(Note: Waggin Train and Canyon Creek are the same company - Waggin Train is changing their name because people avoid Waggin Train these days.)
People, do not buy these products. Over 600 dogs have been sickened or killed by them. If you want more information, join our group on facebook:
facebook.com/groups/342467355771185/
It's funny that these products are still in production. When there was an issue with IAMS dog food in the U.S., a Procter and Gamble plant was permanently shut down over it.
JohnSkaggs, regardless of who we were fighting in Vietnam, we must remember that Chinese and Vietnamese people are now our friends. they are slowly losing Communism in China, step by step, and vietnam does a lot of business with the US.
Funny story, I was online talking to friends of mine from Canada. they were talking about buying chocolates or salami packages for christmas online, and one commented, "You have to be really careful tho, because these items were made in the US, so its not very carefully regulated." And the other agree. Living in the US, I always thought OUR stuff was safer than everywhere else, but I guess not if Canadians are reminded to be careful about what they buy from here. LOL
How about if we quit importing crap from this country and start making the products here....even though it may cost more, if the Chinese option is not there, people would buy American made stuff
if you want a good alternative you can slice your own chicken breasts and bake them in your oven and make your own dog treats. i started when i heard about this in december. if you're not concerned about adding flavor(dogs love the taste of them without any flavoring anyway) then this is all you need to do. preheat your oven to 180 degrees, slice your chicken into 1/4 inch slices and lay them flat on a cooking sheet. cook for 1 hour, turn over, and cook for another hour. refrigerate after they cool. yahoo has a bunch of recipes using seasoning if you really want them to be seasoned. this process only takes a few minutes of actual work and saves you a lot of worry and you can make the treats for around the same price you would have spent on the store bought ones.
Thanks for the recipe. I stopped giving the Milo's Kitchen chicken jerky to my dog the same day I originally read about this problem back in December. Like you said, it's easy and safe to give your beloved pets homemade treats. Why purchase products from companies who continue to purchase from China and other countries with a proven track record of inferior and sometimes toxic products?
I make my own dog food too: Chicken thighs, hamburger, carrots, green beans, corn, and brown rice. Put the thighs in a large pot, cover with water, simmer until the meat falls off the bone. Throw in the carrots for the last 30 minutes, save the water to cook the rice. Cook the hamburger separate, drain the fat and mix it all together. I use my food processor to mush up the chicken and carrots. Put it containers that I freeze. I then add to a salmon and sweet potato high quality dry food. She has a beautiful coat, is healthy and loves her food. Even the vet commented on how shiny and healthy she was. Total time to mix and pack up 10 days worth of food after everything is cooked: about a half hour.
I started making my own too. My dogs loved the Waggon Train treats but after one became ill, my vet told me to make my own if I really wanted to give her treats.They are easy to make, just make sure your oven is at least 180 degrees. There are recipes all over the internet, and some veggies make good treats. It's really hard, but I try not to buy anything from China, they've proven they're not trustworthy (melamine in pet food) and spending a few extra dollars at the grocery is worth it.
Way to go. The business of big business is the bottom line. If your dog dies who cares. If it's a pure breed and they end up in a class actionsuit you might get $500. It's a cost analysis thing. As long as everyone keeps throwing money at them they win. We buy high quality dog food made in America. It isn't Ole Roy!
We are now going to start making treats. My Rotteweiler is like my own child. If it got sick and died because some ass sitting in a corporate office decided it was worth a few dead animals to make a bigger profit, I'd probably start acting stupid! If they don't care about your ffamily, why should we care about theirs. This is why we have government. They should be protecting us. Apparently, someone is getting kickbacks or are being ordered to turn a blind eye. Of course, what's good for Walmarts is good for America. Sam is probably rolling over in his grave! The FDA, or whatever government agency that is in oversight of these issues needs to be eliminated. If they aren't doing their jobs they are a waste of resources. If Osama Obama wants to start cutting waste here's a good place to start!
@lawful1
Because those companies are just giving people what they want, cheap sh!t. That's pretty much the way it works. If you want to stay in business you need to provide the consumer with what they're asking for. If no one will pay 6 bucks for a little bag of dog treats the company would be foolish to even stock them. Instead they'll stock the product that falls into the price range the customer is looking for. Often times that means cheap and cheap usually means China. As always, you get what you pay for; cheap price means cheap product.
bigdaddy - too bad you had to go there and take a swipe at the Demos. You think they are "bad", just wait to see what happens if Romney "the businessman" takes over and outsources more jobs. Good luck with that.
As far as my family is concern we don't eat anything from China and no way would I feed our loved pets anything from there also. And I try very hard not to buy anything made from China. If we can't make it in the USA---we don't need it.
I normally feed diamond natural, no soy, wheat or corn dog food to my dog. But I also do things like bake sweet potatoes and slice them, he loves them, and they are good for them if they have diarrhea too. I like to boil hamburger to get the fat off, then mix the hamburger with rice. Every night before we go to bed, he whines in the kitchen for his Activia Yogurt (don't laugh, I buy it for myself, and HE only gets a tablespoon). However, when I started giving him Activia yogurt at bedtime, I called my daughter to say, "I have become my Mother." When she asked why, "I started giving Max Yogurt at bedtime." My Mom was giving two pieces of ham every afternoon at 3:oo . And if she didn't provide, her dog reminded her. LOL
I've had dogs for 30 years now and lost two to cancer. No more can dog food! After being told how bad people food is for dogs I finally got a receipe from my vet which takes me 20 minutes to make twice a week. My 12 year old terrier is like a new dog. Also, be careful where you walk them. People in my neighborhood are spraying their lawns constantly; even the sidewalk cracks. Holy crap! Heaven forbid you have a weed. Thank you to everyone for the treat receipes.
The only way to change anything is through the pocketbook. Boycott their products and you will see change. It is the only thing these big corporations understand. Affect their bottom line and the will react. Just be sure to check the fine print to make sure they are not the parent company...Nestle, del monte....and who is the third one?
Purina is the other one, but it's a Nestle Company.
Use the internet. Bad mouth the brands on social media, such as Facebook, etc. Go to the company websites/blogs and write negative comments. I assure you, THAT gets their attention. Nothing worse than negativity on the internet.
When you buy a pack of treats how do you know if it comes from China? Will it say on the label? Most will proably say packaged in some US state. I have given these to my dogs before but never again. Just want to be sure that the other treats I buy are not from China
'Made in China' should be listed on the bags somewhere, usually in small print on the back (sometimes near the UPC). And I don't give my dogs anything that says that. Anything that only says where it is packaged is suspect. We are down to exactly two treats from the grocery store they can have (we also have to look at the sugar content, one of my dogs is diabetic), and even all the products within a given brand aren't all made in the USA. So my girls get Pedigree Hip and Joint and Nutrident Naturals. And that's all. All of the 'jerky' type are made in China.
watch out though, the waggin trails brand had another distributor address on there but also said made in china. check them out really well.
When I first started buying the waggin train brand, it said that it was manufactured in the USA. I checked. The my dogs started getting sick periodically, with poor renal function. One dog has a heart murmur so he is at higher risk, he had renal problems. My 12 year old husky also became ill. This happened on several occasions and the Vet could not determine the cause. I read about the issue and looked at the bag again. It now says made in china, USA manufacturer. I stopped using the treats, no more problems since last year. It was happening every few months and required vet intervention each time. The label has changed and still skirts the issue. The manufacturer may be an American Company, but if made in Chine, to Chinese standards (none), then who cares who owns the company. had I continued to feed the treats, my dog would have died. I was fortunate that I paid attention, have big dogs, and fed them minimal treats ( 1 per day only)
First they made toy's with lead paint on them, and sent them over in their trade agreement with us.(which we stopped doing a long time ago) Now the dog treats are making our dog sick an killing others. a few years ago. So why are we trading with China? This is the same country that had an outbreak of rabies, Their solution was to kill over500,000 dogs. So do you really think they care if our pet are getting sick? AH NO! And the FDA could care less as well. How many issues are we going to have after this?? I bet this is not the end. I have notice that there are some of the dog treats here in Canada have been pulled from the stores.
Just a thought I wonder if those chicken tenders(as I call them) are made from the chickens that had bird flu virus. Like I said just a thought to consider. I wouldn't put it past them.
I look at the treat bags, if has china on it don't buy. I had trusted Purina, but not anymore. on the package they have a Purina address in this country, don't say made in China.Now I find out it is made in China, by Purina factory there, and sold under their USA address. Who can we trust.Guess Ill start making my own treats. They have a site on the Internet how to do it and will get a dehydrator and make my own chicken tenders. My older dog has developed a lot of new problems, I am taking her to the vet this week. Unless they put the made in china and it is a company you have trusted since a child , now they are having it made in factories in China and sold in this country under their name and address in this country. bad.
I am dealing with something similar to this right now... I have two small dogs and a few months ago I bought some rawhide chews wrapped with chicken jerky at Walmart, (of course made in China). One of my dogs got sick after eating these, but I just assumed it was coincidence. I didn't feed them the treats for quite a while, then I gave them each a treat about two weeks ago and the other (smaller) dog started acting similar (but quite a bit worse). After a couple of (costly) vet visits, she seems to be doing better, and the vet said her kidney functions were okay. HOWEVER, I will NEVER feed them chicken jerky or ANY treat that is made in China EVER AGAIN!
On another note.... it is acceptable to feed our kids school lunches made of PINK SLIME, which is just as bad or WORSE, because people are actually eating it!
There is something very wrong with PROFIT being the deciding factor in what is 'ACCEPTABLE"
Enough-2735007 FYI One of the Pedigree plants is in Columbia SC. Would seem like a good brand to select. The dry food is made there, not sure about the treats and wet food. Might want to check to be sure.
Colorado - same treat, but Target, my dogs loved those jerkey twists at first. Then, periodically they would seem "off", and then the one dog that is never "picky" about food turned her nose up at a new batch. I waited a few weeks, they had another - and again they seemed ill, so threw out that "batch" and will NEVER buy them again.
The first incident, the big one, where melamine was found in dog treats was bad enough. I should have wised up earlier, though, when they had a manufacturer that pulled the same trick on their Chinese baby formula, injuring and killing babies - their own country's. The 2 top corporate guys were executed for that baby formula crime, per the news, but that mentality - well, I should have known.
I only give them treats here made near where I live, in SoCal - they are in Alpine:
http://pamperedpetsusa.com/
@Leprechaun, yes, Pedigree is the joint related treat that I do buy, however other Pedigree products are made in China, you just have to check each variety. Don't assume that because one thing a company makes is manufactured here that they all are.
p.s. But thanks to some posters here today, I'm going to give it a try making my own for our 3 pooches.
Make your own jerky - it's easy and less expensive.
Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts thin. It's easier to slice when frozen or partially thawed.
Put slices on skewers, hang on oven rack in top position*.
Put a pan below for drips.
Turn oven on 200, bake for 4-8 hours, depending on how thick your slices are.
*You can also use broiler pans or pans with cooling racks on them, but the hanging method really works well.
Store in a ziplock in the freezer.
Colorado, In 1992, I bought my two dogs rawhide from Petsmart for a Christmas gift. They both got very sick immediately and I had to rush them to the vet. He was able to save them, but it took a lot of medical intervention. He asked if I had given them any rawhide. When I told him yes, he asked where it was manufactured. I didn't know a it was from the "bins" at Petsmart. He did tests and found out that they had arsenic in them. He had been to a conference where they had discussed Chinese manufactured rawhide and how arsenic had been used as a preservative. I brought in the rawhide and he sent it off for testing. The treats came back positive. NEVER give treats or food manufactured anywhere in Asia.
Why is ANYONE still feeding foods (to their human or canine family members) from China? I mean didn't even animals die in the past to stop people from using these products? We saw what the Chinese did to their own baby formula yet because its cheap, we continue taking chances with our family members' health. BUY LOCAL.
You don't have to be able to read Chinese to read that it was made in China. If it says made in China or does not say where it was made then don't buy it.
I'm surprised Purina is getting any food items from China. I actually had a pretty good amount of faith in that company. I thought it was like Wal Mart brands that stooped to importing from China. And then to defend it - whoa, bad PR mistake. Customer for years, my parents of course (who didn't feed Purina back then). Reconsidering that. What is in my dog food that I feed if this is the case for the treats. Sorry, but I don't trust China, guys.
I would never in a million years feed my dog anything by Purina, Eukanuba, Iams, or any of those big brand pet food companies. This was before all the contaminated food, after the whole contamination thing a few years ago I won't even my dog down that aisle to sniff.
Purina's dog & cat foods are nothing but crap, so don't be surprised. They spend tons of money on advertising and line their CEO's pocket with cash. What little might be left is spent on GMO corn, crappy by-products, cheap grains dogs and cats were never meant to eat, food coloring, and chemical preservatives. Purina is crap!!! My 1st cat died from kidney failure after eating a diet of Purina. I learned my lesson the hard way, and will never feed anything other than a species-appropriate RAW DIET to every pet that becomes part of my family.
Three big brands...
One big Country... CHINA!
How many treats does it take before the dogs are experiencing issues? A friend gave me a couple of treats, and I gave them to my dogs for the first time last night (one each). Obviously I won't be giving them any more, but are symptoms showing after one treat or is it multiple treats?
My blind, elderly dog loved those Waggin Tail chicken jerky treats. We got them from the Costco, a store that we trust. Also, secondly, it does not say imported from China on the bag - it says nothing (mistake, I know). Perhaps when it says nothing, it means China. I'm told though that even if it says something like 'Spain' they still got the chicken from China.
Anyway, she has been blind for 4 years now and one of the activities that she likes is having you toss treats (in this case, cut up chicken jerky treats) out onto the lawn for her to hunt for them using her sense of smell. If she doesn't have her hunting treats time, there is a lot of barking, so this happened every day and involved 2-3 chicken jerky treats/day.
For her, it took months to have a problem. Probably it was that one bag was a bad batch, whereas the other ones were not? So, who knows how long it really took. However, she started having episodes of restlessness. Her changes in behavior were very subtle at first, but by the time I took her to vet it just seemed like something was wrong. She was restless and pacing for no reason.
The vet gave her a clean bill of health and chalked it up to old age - until the blood test results came in the next day. Her liver and kidney values were off the charts horrible. By the next day she had a 107 degree fever and was not eating or drinking or getting up (never happened) and did not know where she was. I brought her to the emergency vet. They said that she had severe pancreatitis which caused an assault on her liver which then caused her kidneys to start shutting down as well - in short, she was in multiple organ failure and close to dying. I said, okay, do what you can and she if she responds - so they gave her intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
Amazingly, she revived. She was up and eating by the next day but she was still wiped out and disoriented. By the following day, she was up and barking. This was a year ago and I'm surprised that she is still with us, but she is fine. She is not in liver or kidney failure anymore - so you really can't say that this was just old age. This was an acute 'assault on the liver' as the emergency vet said.
So, that's how it played out for us. Apparently she isn't included in the FDA data because she is over the age of 11, but we did fill out an on-line complaint form in very detailed fashion.
Jason,
It depends on the dog. Some have gotten sick on as little as half a piece. Some have eaten it every day for a long time before they got sick.
Symptoms include lethargy, vomitting, diarrhea, increased thirst, increased urination. Blood tests show signs of kidney failure and urine tests show signs of Fancconi-like syndrome.
Please don't hesitate to call your vet if you see any symptoms or have any worries or questions.
Then forward this story to your friend who needs to stop feeding the treats to his or her pets.
Unfortunately it all starts with in whom we are suppose to trust - the FDA! They do not have the best interest in consumer/pet consumption-regulations like this association was established to do!
The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, medical devices, electromagnetic radiation emitting devices (ERED), veterinary products, and cosmetics.
The FDA also enforces other laws, notably Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act and associated regulations, many of which are not directly related to food or drugs. These include sanitation requirements on interstate travel and control of disease on products ranging from certain household pets to sperm donation for assisted reproduction.
The FDA is led by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Commissioner reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The 21st and current Commissioner is Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. She has served as Commissioner since February 2009.
There are lots of agencies that control & regulate human values and quality of life but personally, I don't see any accountability for our domestic pets here in the U.S. except from the FDA. That has proven not to be reliable anymore!
Gee, I wonder if the current commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, anybody in the Senate or the President feed their pets any tainted chicken treats imported from CHINA? (of course not - because of their status they all were made aware of the dangers long before the common citizens knew of the dangers and had to witness their best friends suffer and die...)
Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. Sounds like a good place to send an E-mail. Let's start a campaign. I'll send one. Everyones else send one. Get as many of us that care to send one. It probably won't help but if we can make her life a litlle more tense it might make us feel better!
bigdaddysdawg - Yes, I agree! We need to start at the source/person in charge of these regulations! Dr. Margaret Hamburg is first in line to be responsible to the import to "control of disease on products ranging from certain household pets..."
In my opinion, boycotting the purchase of pet treats imported from China will not make as big an impact as would contacting the FDA and state Congressmen who have the power to make a difference when the voice of pet owners can make a positive change.
The solution is very simple; refuse to buy these products if they are made in China. It's quite possible that corporations will accept the fact that the health, safety and welfare of American consumers and American pets are more important than money if people stop buying their products.
Here's the way Western corporations operate: If Western corporations can make a 20% profit on goods manufactured in their own countries and a 21% profit if made in China they will have the product manufactured in China, regardless of the quality of the Chinese manufactured product.
actually the bottom line to these corporations is more important, so if we refuse to purchase products made in other countries then they lose money which forces them to return to manufacturing in the USA. The money always talks loudest to these companies.
Sichuan, you're close. The markup is lots bigger. You should be thinking 300% profit. Maybe even larger depending on the product. If a company marks down a product by 50% they are still making a huge profit.
After that incident at the Apple factory in China, where people were being worked so hard they were starting to commit suicide - I'm about done buying anything from China if I can help it. How much cheap crap do I need?? My dad saw kids as young as 6 knotting rugs in Egypt. This kind of stuff really puts me off materialism - I used to love those hand made rugs, can cost thousands, so was on a wish list for some day - no more.
I am now boycotting anything made in China. It is hard to find things that are not, and they are more expensive, usually, but well worth it.
Then get off your Chinese keyboard connected to your Chinese computer and go read a book since you won't be talking on your Chinese cell phone. Make sure you check where that book was printed. Since you won't be ordering your non-Chinese books on-line, make sure you remove all the Chinese parts from your car before heading to the book store. TV is out and make sure you are not using any of those nasty CFL lights. Candles will need to suffice since there are no more incandescent bulbs. Don't worry about spending "a bit more" since you will need to build your own factories here.
Depressing, isn't it?
I am with you brother, it's time the whole country got some guts. I can't stand to see Americans by the hundreds going in to Michaels store (Calif) and I have looked in there---found no made in U.S.A products, just cheap crap from the Red Star country.
I never buy treats from China after hearing stories of contaminated products from there. I realize it can happen with U.S. made products also of course. I sent for free samples of these jerky treats several weeks ago. The day I received them I read a story about these tainted treats, and also noticed the package stating they were made in China. Threw them out.
Should have sent them to a lab. Here in Illinois we have a state ran lab called the Animal disease laboratory.
If you look up in the state directory for your home state I'd bet that you have an equivalent lab.
Seems there are more and more problems with products made in China, time to pull the plug on purchasing anything made in China. Why are we buying food products made there? We are the breadbasket of the world so everyone needs to start demanding "Made in USA" products and boycott those that are being shipped in from inferior suppliers.. Isn't the heath of your family and pets worth it?
Instead of demanding this or that..how about pet owners use common sense and STOP giving their pets treats made in CHINA! If you continually do this , YOU are to blame for your pets poor health and/or death. Get a grip and start paying attention people.
as soon as I saw the headline, I said to myself "Made in China". Surprise surprise. Myself, I would not eat anything made in China nor would I feed it ot my dog.
I hate stuff made in China, it is all junk or worse. Any company that imports their stuff from China does care about their customers and don't deserve any loyality.
Then stay away from idiot store owners that won't support the USA, yes I know it is very difficult but we need to try.
It is simple and easy to avoid..
DO NOT BUY CRAP FROM CHINA!
Doesn't stop at pet food either.
Easy to avoid?
Really, do you have any idea how much of what we buy is manufactured in China? That's not to mention all the countries we buy from who actually have worse track records.
I agree Paul..and on your way OUT the door make SURE you tell the store manager WHY you're walking out of his store empty handed!
Where do you think your Ipad is made? Where is your computer that you are using made? I like my brand new HP Touchsmart 610. I would pay more for it if it was made in Indiana. I would gladly pay more. Ask Apple how much profit they made last year. They don't care what the unemployment rate is. They're working, and getting a big bonus at the end of the year.
Toys, candy, clothing, shoes & now dog treats.....almost seems as though the chinese just don't give a flip about what they send to this Country.....or maybe they do..........
What I don't understand is WHY ARE WE BUYING CHINA'S PRODUCTS? I cannot for the life of me understand why we buy meat, peaches, etc., from China. About a year ago, they found ground cardboard in their meat. We have meat in America!!! Give me a break! I read labels. Although it is EXTREMELY hard to find items made in America, I buy American products over Chinese products. Chicken jerky made in China? Suck it up, manufacturers, and bring jobs back to the USA. Food products? There is absolutely NO REASON to buy Chinese food products...especially when we find they are tainted. Please bring these jobs back to America where we know our products are not tainted.
We have only ourselves to blame. If we stop buying from China and start buying from America, maybe jobs would pickup and your dog will be healthier. Common sense solution to common sense question.
andrew401, how dare you point out the obvious!
Our politicians in D.C. gave China the coveted "most favored nation" trading status. There is no need to look elsewhere for the purpose of assigning blame for what we are now experiencing.
It good to see a American company looking out for our pets!!!
I stopped buying these about 2 months ago. I did give them to my dogs without any ill effects, but stopped the minute I heard about this and started looking at the back of these bags. Milo's, Waggin Trail, etc...all made in China. But what's weird is the other treats that Milo's makes (sausage, meatballs) are not made in China. Just the chicken jerky. I am looking much closer at everything I buy for my dogs. Better safe than sorry.
Everything that comes from China should be labeled TOXIC
I agree 100% Sooner or later Americans will wake up to the FACT that slop (and ALL of it IS slop) made in China makes children (and adults) ill, and is killing our pets. There is a Pet Supermarket near me that has recently STOPPED stocking Chinese made pet toys. Why? Because customers are coming in and demanding AMERICAN made toys for their pets. We can control this because we can put it back on the shelf and refuse to but it unless it's made in the USA.
Yep! Remember the dry-wall issues?
Be Aware that even if the product is Made in the USA, it may still contain ingredients from China. That is how so many pets were poisoned several years ago with melamine.
Best solution is to make food & treats at home using human grade ingredients. It is cheaper & the peace of mind is priceless!
Just because the FDA has not pinpointed a problem with these products does NOT mean there is nothing wrong with the products. FDA just has NOT found the offending component.
As JB-871381 pointed out, just because it says Made In USA, the treats and or food could still have INGREDIENTS made in China.
I think the FDA needs to be very specific about what MUST be on a label. Also, here's a novel idea- how about we put those currently pretty much worthless code scanner apps we have on most of our smartphones to use. If everything we need to know can't fit on a label it should have a scannable code where we can get that info and periodic tests need to be done by the FDA to make sure the ingredients are all listed and are safe. Actually, the best thing would be to stop ALL imports from China at least the FOOD and get back something WE NEED as well as safe products for ourselves, children and fur kids; the US JOBS. At this point, granted, that would be a massive undertaking but it could be done over time. Is anyone else fed up with today's politics as relates to things like this??? Our entire government system is so out of whack and has so much red tape is has ceased to function. It is mentally exhausting trying to think about it!
I was happy to see that so many people posted that seem to love and care for their pets as family. They really are blessings. I walk again thanks to my big, and now very spoiled, stray and a well cared for pet is better than any antidepressant!
Also, Where are the links to sign the petitions mentioned in the article?
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