• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

FDA warns consumers to take caution when feeding pets chicken jerky products imported from China

July 18, 2012

Cause of illness is still unknown, but complaints range from decreased appetite to possible kidney failure.

Laboratory tests on chicken jerky products imported from China by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are ongoing as complaints of dog illnesses associated with the product continue to rise. The FDA issued a cautionary warning in regard to chicken jerky products Nov. 18, 2011. Since then, the FDA has continued to receive numerous complaints.

The FDA first issued a cautionary warning about the products in September 2007 and a Preliminary Animal Health Notification in December 2008. Complaints dropped off during the latter part of 2009 and most of 2010, the FDA says, but in 2011 they began to rise again, prompting a release detailing the FDA’s warnings. By the end of May 2012 the number of reported cases linked to chicken jerkey treats had surpassed 900. On July 18, the FDA updated its warning, giving more details of its testing processes, signs associated with consumption of the treats and results of its analyses.

According to the FDA, clinical signs that may be associated with the dried chicken jerky products--also sold as tenders, strips and treats--include decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood), increased water consumption and increased urination. Signs may manifest within hours to days of ingestion. Laboratory tests may indicate kidney problems, including increased urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, and urine tests may reveal high glucose levels. Although many dogs appear to recover, the FDA says, some reports have involved dogs that died.

The FDA has been investigating the cause of illness possibly associated with the product since 2007. A cause of illness has yet to be found despite extensive evaluation at the FDA and private labs for Salmonella, metals, pesticides, antibiotics, mycotoxins, rodenticides, nephrotoxins and other chemical and poisonous compounds. Researchers have performed DNA verification tests on samples to confirm the presence of poultry in the treats and analysis to determine nutritional composition, vitamin D levels and the presence of any enterotoxins. More samples are being collected for testing.

Advertisement

In response to the question of why the FDA has not recalled the products, the agency states, “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.”

The FDA advises that chicken jerky products not be substituted for a balanced diet and should only be fed occasionally in small quantities. It advises consumers who continue to feed the treats to pets to watch them closely for symptoms. If symptoms are severe or persist for more than 24 hours, pet owners should consult a veterinarian.

For information on how to report a complaint, go to dwww.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

Related Content:

MedicalRecallsBreaking News
An update on copper concerns in pet foods
An update on copper concerns in pet foods
Traditional and holistic treatments for giardia
Traditional and holistic treatments for giardia
3 Must-reads for National Poison Prevention Week
3 Must-reads for National Poison Prevention Week

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement