After years of
nationwide complaints that pets were getting sick and/or dying after eating treats made in China, in May 2014, Petco and PetSmart announced they would stop selling all dog and cat treats made in China.
Since 2007, the FDA has received about 4,800 reports of pet illnesses possibly related to the consumption of jerky treats, many made in China. Among the reports were 1,000 dog deaths, according to the FDA.
Most of the complaints involved chicken jerky, but others included duck, sweet potato and chicken or duck jerky wrapped around dried fruits, according to the FDA.
As of this week, Petco is now reporting all their stores are
100% Chinese treat-free. PetSmart says they'll complete removal of these products by March 2015.
The FDA investigation is ongoing:
Since 2007, FDA has become aware of an increasing number of illnesses in pets associated with the consumption of jerky pet treats. As of May 1, 2014, FDA has received approximately 4,800 reports of pet illnesses which may be related to consumption of the jerky treats (These include 1800 complaints received since FDA’s last update in October 2013). Most of the reports involve jerky products sourced from China. The majority of the complaints involve dogs, but cats also have been affected. The reports involve more than 5,600 dogs, 24 cats, three people and include more than 1,000 canine deaths. There does not appear to be a geographic pattern to the case reports.
FDA has received adverse event reports for many sizes and ages of dogs, and for multiple breeds. About 60 percent of the reports are for gastrointestinal illness (with or without elevated liver enzymes) and about 30 percent relate to kidney or urinary signs. The remaining 10 percent of cases involve a variety of other signs, including convulsions, tremors, hives, and skin irritation.
If you have any older rawhides or jerky, be sure to check the packaging and toss any products made in China.