The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued another caution about tainted pet food from China. This time, no specific brands are being recalled, but the government is letting pet owners know imported dog treats made with chicken jerky are suspected of making pets sick.
This is not the first time the government has warned dog owners some serious illnesses, including kidney failure, have been associated with treats sold in the pet food aisle under names like chicken tenders and chicken strips. A previous caution was issued in September 2007.
But according to Mike Herndon, press officer with the FDA, the problems with chicken jerky treats apparently are still being reported.
"This is an update," he said. "It's more of a public health notice because there have been so many complaints."
So far, the investigators have not found the ingredient causing contamination. The cause of illnesses may ultimately be identified as something other than chicken jerky from China, according to the FDA announcement.
But meanwhile, some dogs have died after eating chicken jerky products made in China.
Chicken jerky treats are still on supermarket shelves in New England chains such Hannaford, which has stores in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The Londonderry, N.H., store, for example, has not received any recall notices, a spokeswoman said.
"Chicken jerky is very popular," said Traci Denver, assistant manager at Londonderry's Pets Plus. Her store sells a line of "all natural, holistic" treats, which are not from China and not included in the FDA warning. But Denver has had to pull low-end chicken jerky products off the shelf in the past.
"We do that as soon as we get any kind of notice," she said.
Veterinarian Gene Handel, owner of Handel with Care in Derry, said the supermarket aisles are stocked with all kinds of treats, and it's hard for consumers to guess which chicken jerky treats are safe.
"Consumers are not aware of all the multiple food products that go into a treat," he said. "Some ingredients come from many parts of the world." Given the different safety standards internationally, Handel said, it would be almost impossible for dog owners to figure out which products have been checked thoroughly for safety.
People give their dogs jerky for "a variety of reasons," Handel said. "People love their dogs. It's a way of showing affection and letting their dog enjoy something they can provide. It's like a little gift."
The FDA advises dog owners to watch their pets carefully if they feed them chicken jerky treats, and call a veterinarian if symptoms, including loss of appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, thirst or increased urination, persist 24 hours.
Otherwise, dog owners should not substitute jerky treats for a balanced diet and should use these products "only occasionally" and in small quantities.
Small-dog owners should take special precautions to limit their pet's consumption of chicken jerky treats.
The FDA caution also notifies dog owners the Australian government is recalling some chicken jerky products made in China.
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