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What You Need to Know about Jerky Treats & Your Pets’ Health

Sick DogIf you’ve been following the news this week, you probably have heard about the FDA’s update on jerky treats. To many pet owners, the fact that dogs are getting sick and dying, from unknown causes, have been linked to common jerky treats that are manufactured in China.

The FDA has been researching the illnesses and deaths for months with no new leads about the cause of the mysterious illness. At the time of the update, over 580 pets have died as a result of tainted treats and over 3,600 pets have become ill since 2007.

The FDA needs more information to continue their research, so they’re asking pet owners and veterinarians to report illnesses and deaths that may be related to jerky pet treats. The FDA’s website goes over, in detail, the information that should be included in your report. If your pet has become ill after ingesting jerky treats that were manufactured in China, we urge you to report as much as you can so that the FDA can solve this mystery.

What Are Some Symptoms of This Mysterious Illness

If you pet experiences any of the following symptoms within a few hours of eating a jerky treat made from chicken, duck, sweet potatoes or dried fruits, consult your veterinarian immediately and save the remaining treats and packaging for testing.

  • Decreased appetite
  • Decreased activity
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased water consumption
  • Increased urination

Severe cases have also displayed:

  • Kidney failure
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Collapse/convulsions

What Can You Do To Avoid Tainted Treats?

USA made jerky treatsMost of the jerky treats implicated in this illness have been manufactured in China.  For the safety of your pets, That Pet Place has removed any jerky treats that have been made in China from our shelves and website.

Find a manufacturer of jerky treats that uses ingredients from the USA. At thatpetplace.com we’ve made it easy to find jerky treats made in the USA with our navigation panel. You might consider feeding a different type of treat to your pet. If you’d like to be more proactive about the types of treat you are feeding to your pets, you can invest in a food dehydrator and make your own jerky treats from any kind of meat or fruit/vegetable.

The best thing you can do is to be vigilant and to read the labels of the products that your pet is eating. Pet food manufacturers are not required to list the origins of all the ingredients on their packaging by law, at least not yet. We sincerely hope that this mysterious outbreak of illness can be stopped soon.

 

About hcrotsley

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Currently an owner of 3 dogs and 2 cats, I’ve gained a plethora of pet-related experience over the years. I strive to provide the best home I can for my little terrors, and you’ll read all about our trials and tribulations as I continue down the rewarding yet rocky road of pet parenthood.
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