Poison jerky treats?
HERE'S ANOTHER of those Internet stories that just won’t go away. This time, there is more to it than gossip. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has received more than 3,000 complaints since early 2007 about pets becoming ill after eating chicken, duck, or sweet potato jerky treats, nearly always imported from China. Though overwhelmingly involving dogs, there were also ten cases involving cats, and a total of 580 deaths.
The reports have dropped sharply in the last year, after several well-known brands were finally removed from the market (after low levels of antibiotic residue were found). The FDA believes the drop in complaints reflects reduced availability of the treats, rather than reduced exposure.
The Australians have been looking at this issue longer than we have, and sent out product recalls some time ago. The FDA has issued warnings, and continues to identify cases of illness in tests of animal tissue and product samples. But while the agency says it is working with manufacturers in China to investigate potential sources of contamination, it has not yet issued any formal bans because, from what I can tell, they haven’t actually found the contaminant that is causing pets to get sick and die—as if 580 deaths were not reason enough!
Symptoms reported to the FDA include lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea, with and without blood, and a Fanconi-like syndrome, which is an inherited disease that occurs in some dogs without explanation. It may include abnormal drinking and urinating, increased sugar in the urine, and other problems seen in blood or urine samples.
Since Fanconi syndrome also occurs with gentamicin antibiotic kidney disease, it is presumed that the cases related to jerky treats are the result of kidney injury from some unidentified nephrotoxin or bacterial contaminant. In many cases, kidney function returns to normal after the treats are stopped— but many animals have gone on to die. In most cases, necropsies were not done, so much important information has been lost.
The FDA is asking the public to help by testing any pets that get sick after eating these treats, and having the veterinarian send the test results to them. There is a reporting portal online at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov. Besides routine blood and urine testing, the FDA recommends saving a 10 mL urine sample for Fanconi testing, even if the dog does not show Fanconi symptoms. The agency also asks that detailed information be included about any jerky treats used—the full product name, UPC code, lot number, expiration date, net weight, and type of packaging.
Meanwhile, the University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories is performing free tests and autopsies on any dog or cat that dies after eating jerky treats, in collaboration with the FDA. Check the agency’s informative site.
Concerned pet owners should remember that jerky treats are not part of a balanced diet and don’t need to be fed at all. Don’t feed products made in China, of any type—period. We have plenty of chickens and ducks in North America, why risk our pets’ health by importing them anyway?
Daniel Levenson operates the Southwest Veterinary Medical Center at the south end of Corrales Road.