Inquiry re chicken jerky (mostly for Karen)

[Trudy Harlow]

My local pet store owner is conscientious about stocking the best food and products possible.  She would like to stock only foods made in the USA but it is very difficult to find a complete assortment of products.  When the first alerts were issued on chicken jerky from China -- I think in 2009 -- she removed all of it from her shelves but has since returned one product (Vitality) to her store because of customer demand.

She says all she can find out about the chicken jerky is that is was mostly small dogs that were being fed the jerky as a primary food (rather than treats) who were affected back in 2009.  She says she has never seen evidence of larger dogs who were fed Chinese chicken jerky as treats having any serious problems, and the only problems she's seen reported have been from the treats sold at the big box stores like Walmart and Sam's Club, etc.  She's also mentioned that the government never has found out what caused the problem and that it seemed to be related to the jerky being fed as sole food rather than treats.

I have told her that some of the dogs in this group have been affected, but I can't find the posts.  What I'm looking for are actual cases where a dog became ill from receiving the jerky only as treats, not as primary food, and where the dog was not a tiny breed.  This pet store owner is very receptive to hearing more about this and wants something to show customers who insist on this one brand.  She is stocking one brand of US-made chicken jerky but the customers aren't buying it -- probably due to cost.

My dog adores the Vitality chicken and apple treats but I stopped giving them to him some time ago because of the China connection.  The doodle we were boarding over Christmas arrived with these treats in her bag.  Everyone, and specifically Karen, can you help me educate this great local pet store owner who wants to do the right thing?

Thanks so much.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Well, Taquito is a small breed, so I guess he is out of the case study.  I can assure I was feeding him maybe half a piece 2x per week and that is it. He has permanent kidney damage from this and I remember when I was nursing him back to health, our vet said "wow, I have had golden retrievers die from these chicken jerkeys and cannot believe your chihuahua has survived".

My vet's office continues to see numerous problems with their larger patients (I have asked) and have huge signs in the office "DO NOT BUY CHICKEN JERKY FROM CHINA" - not kidding. So if there is a connection with the Vitality chicken coming from China, I would seriously not risk it - at all!!!!!!!!!!!!  If it comes from China (ingredients even), do not buy. 

I also think WHO WOULD be feeding this as SOLE FOOD? They are expensive really and that is ridiculous.  But I don't know the answer to that!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Forgive me, I am passionate about this because I went through months of pure he** watching Tacky wither away, not knowing what to do.  If you can avoid my misery, please do :)

[Trudy Harlow]

Oh, I am not thinking about giving Paddy the jerky treats -- I just want stories to tell my pet store owner.  Would you be willing to PM me about your experience, including type of dog, weight, etc.?  Thanks so much, Allyson.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am sure that if you do some internet searches on dogs who were sickened or killed by Chinese chicken jerky, you will find many owners of larger dogs who will verify that this happened to their dogs. I believe the Seidmans here on DK have a dog who became very ill from it.

I am out of my mind with worry and confusion over Jack's illness and trying to figure out a diet plan for him, so I cannot do this research myself right now.

But I don't really understand the situation.

The store owner wants to carry a product which may be harmful to dogs. Well, that's her prerogative. I am sure that if I walked into her store, I could find other products that are also not things I would feel comfortable giving my dog. It sounds as if this is not a store that caters to a lot of customers who are educated on these issues and/or willing to spend more for better safer products. We have stores like that here, too. I have to go to other stores further away to get certain items, and of course I am free not to buy the made-in-China items at the stores that carry them. I don't see what the problem is, really.

Here is a link to a store in my area that will not carry any edible products that are made in China. It's privately owned by a husband and wife. Perhaps this lady could take a look at their information and products and email them with questions:

http://www.bentleyscb.com/

However, she is in denial about the Chinese chicken jerky. Her information is wrong, but even if it wasn't, who in their right mind would be willing to feed something to a big dog that isn't safe for a small dog? Think about it. If I told you, well peanut butter will kill a dog under 10 lbs but it's okay for your dog, would you feel comfortable with that? Who would feed something as a treat that isn't safe to eat in larger amounts? It's true that certain treats would not be nutritionally adequate as a sole diet, but even then, it would take a long time and the dog would develop nutritional deficiencies in that case, but not full-blown kidney failure and Fanconi's syndrome.

I think that in this case, you're just going to have to find another store to purchase the products this store won't carry, which most of us have to do sometimes. :)

 

 

 

[Trudy Harlow]

Karen, thanks for your response.  I am sorry about Jack, like everyone here, and hoping an answer is found soon.

I do believe my shop owner is genuinely interested in doing the right thing, and she is not in denial about chicken jerky from China.  She simply wants to understand what's happening, and why.  Her impression was that it was a nutritional thing in the smaller dogs.  She carries all of the foods on your recommended list and none of the foods you don't approve of, so you would be comfortable shopping in her store.  I am simply trying to educate her more, that's all.

Thanks for your help - Trudy

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Trudy, I didn't think you were feeding it - I kind of went off into a tangent, lol!  I will put everything about T. in this post. Have no problem divulging this information.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I was very disheartened to find out our store carries dogwell chicken and duck  jerky. When I addressed them on it they said it was not a particular brand of jerky that is why they didn't pull it. I am so livid with them I can't even begin to tell you.

Karen, I am praying that you find a new diet plan for Jack D.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here are some links you can give her:

http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-fda-warns-chicken-jerky-dog-treats-asso...

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/28/9747728-chicken-jerky-...

 

And there are lots more of the same kind of thing.

You might also mention to her that back in 2007, when hundreds of pet foods were recalled due to the deaths and illnesses of thousands of pets, it took a very long time for the government (or anyone) to determine the cause. It eventually became clear that it was linked to melamine being sold as rice gluten, (from China), but it took months and months of research and lab testing to figure it out. Meanwhile, the stuff continued to be sold, even in Rx foods sold by vets, while more dogs got sick and died.

I would strongly urge her to read Pet Food Politics: The Chihuahua in the Coal Mine by Marion Nestle, who has a PhD in human nutrition and is widely regarded as one of the foremost authorities on food for both pets and people. It explains in detail what happened in 2007 and why it was so hard to figure out what was making these pets sick. Once she (or anyone else has read it), they will have a different viewpoint about any product that contains any ingredients imported from China. It's a slim, easy to read book, available in paperback and at libraries. You might consider giving her a copy.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Taquito is NOW a 7 pound chihuahua, thanks to his momma home cooking for him :)  So according to the store owner, he is a tiny breed and shouldn't be included (I think he should for the reasons Karen stated).

Early July 2007:  Taquito has starting weight of approximately 7 pounds.  I brought home a package of Waggin' Train chicken jerky from Costco. Said "MADE IN USA" - didn't go to website and fully research, but they imported ingredients (and still do) from China.  I gave him 1/2 a piece 1-2 times per week.

July 2007:  Taquito starts throwing up for no reason - bloody/runny poos, cannot hold down food, etc... I take him to vet, vet gives him water pack, nausea meds, and sends me home.

July - August 2007: Vomiting continues, bloody poo continues, take him to vet again for xrays and all sorts of test - no findings of any blockage in the intestines, etc...but his white blood cell count was very elevated and he continued to lose weight.  I could go through vet records and give you each date I took him in and weight, but that would be silly.  Bottom line is I was in and out of vet every other day for 2 months.  Each time consisted of water packs for dehydration, nausea meds and me going home, sitting on floor eating dog food, human food, etc...trying to coax him to eat.  Nothing.  No diagnosis. Nothing.

August 2007:  I switch vets to get another opinion. Holistic doc says she thinks it's from the tendons (I had stopped givng ALL treats, but he wouldn't eat anyway).  She gets him on bland diet, tells me now coaxing with human food, etc...and for some reason, he pulls out of it.  His weight after about 7-8 weeks of fasting (but getting supplements at vet and water packs, etc..) was 4.5 pounds.  That is like a 150 pound person going to 96 pounds in 2 months.  He looked like a skelaton.

August 2009: Take him in for teeth cleaning; order blood test and vet finds permanent kidney damage.  Should have known he wouldn't have survived that unscarred. 

August 2009 - May 2011:  Tried senior kidney diets, etc...nothing kept BUN levels under control (i.e. kidneys still deteriorating).

May 2011: i started a kidney diet and think I may have his disease under control. For now.  But I curse the day I bought those jerkies.  If I could have a re-do, I would.  I don't care about the $5,000+ I have spent. I care about my 7 year old chihuahua, who should live to be 18.  He probably won't live that long.

There is my melodramatic story, but I can assure you, I am a lucky one, who's dog survived.

[Margaret & Pebbles]

I live in northeast Ohio and I just finished watching the local news. A family just lost their dog from eating Waggin' Tails chicken jerky, and their other dog is on life support.  Both went into kidney failure like Allyson's dog.  How awful. 

I feel like such a lucky person to have a site like this where I have learned to read labels, and look for the tiny printing "Made In China".

[Margaret & Pebbles]

OOPS, I meant to say Waggin Train chicken jerky, just seen it again on the morning news.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

They still sell it at Costco. I have talked to management about it. I have been in line with people and they are buying it.  I am tempted to tell complete strangers to put it back, but I don't know how that would be taken....