FDA Digging Deeper into Jerky Treats

this pic was grabbed from
the net. It is not indicative
of the products that were tested.

It has been long known to some dog owners that chicken, pork, & beef Jerky Treats for dogs has been a problem and caused much illness and death. Though it would be remiss of me to think

that there are not still a few new dog owners out there that are not aware of the harm these products  can cause.  Right now Jerky Treats are being investigated even deeper  by the FDA and the FDA could use your help.

 If by chance you gave your pooch some jerky treats,  keep the package! If your pooch gets sick within a day or two of eating the treats take the dog to the vet for testing.  Mention to your Vet the jerky treats during your visit and ask  your Vet if  he/she would want to take some samples  of either blood , tissue, or urine to be tested  by the FDA.  It's free, the FDA is willing to cover the cost.  It could help get this product off the market!

Though Bully Sticks are not mentioned in this FDA investigation they too cause illness and this person would not recommend you give them to your dog. They are nothing more than dried uncooked penises  from slaughtered bulls and  steer. Since they are uncooked I can only imagine the bacteria attached to them.  Of 26 bully sticks that were tested from 26 different manufacturers at  least 8  contained bacterial contamination some showed E Coli and others came back as methicillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).   These contaminants can also cause illness to the humans handling them. There are safer ways to entertain your dog and use it's mind over giving bully sticks or jerky treats.  

We are a country of imports folks and the countries we are importing from do not have the same standards and regulations  that the US has.  And no offense but dogs are treated by the law as property so a lot of things harmful to them get tossed by the wayside because of that.  The biggest problems come from China, but I suspect problems can come from anywhere in which  rules and regulations are not put in place  and the goods are cheap!

At this link you can read the new FDA report.  Jump on board and lets wipe out treats coming from other countries. Countries I  might add that sometimes  kill dogs for human consumption!

Also this came in after I posted this article. Click Link here      This portal will take you directly to where you need to be to report an illness

Recall! Joeys Jerky treats

"Here you come again" as Dolly Pardon sang out in her 1977  hit song! Some of you may be too young to remember that one.

Well Salmonella is back in Joey's Chicken Jerky treats. Many of you have by now learned your lesson with all the recalls over the years on all jerky treats, but there are still some unsuspecting victims out there who are first time dog owners that need to know the hazards about the jerky treats, not just Joey's but all jerky  treats as year after year there are recalls due to salmonella, and the same goes for pig ears and snouts.

In dogs salmonella can cause diarrhea (sometimes bloody) vomiting, lack of appetite, lethargy , abdominal pain/cramping, and fever. And of course let me repeat that if you have a multiple dog home some dogs can be carriers and not show symptoms of this at all while other dogs in the home will be showing illness.

As for humans many of the same symptoms apply, I have had this and you do get flu like symptoms , vomiting , diarrhea, cramping and for the elderly and very young it is essential that you see your doctor as it hits this population pretty hard.

 Humans can get salmonella from touching the treats and not washing their hands afterward.

      Here is the link to report a pet food/treat  complaint

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm

save any receipts or bar code of the product for a refund and then toss the bag in the trash!

This recall is voluntary , however 21 people in Merrimack and Hills Borough Counties in NH have been identified as having the same strain of salmonella, but no deaths have occurred. 

Here is the information from the New Hampshire Dept of health. you can find contact numbers at the bottom of the page

http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/media/pr/2013/09-sept/09102013recall.htm