01/19/2013
If you have pets please read this. This is a personal experience from one of our friends..
This is not a repost. This is not a share. This is not a copy and paste.
This is from me.
My dog may be dying from dog treats. It's hit home.
I've talked before about why I personally feel buying dog treats and food manufactured in the United States and Canada is important. I've posted warnings from the FDA (http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm280586.htm) and anecdotes and reviews from consumer affairs on the companies (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/waggin_train.html).
If you have ignored me in the past, now is the time to listen.
As of January 9th, Nestlé Purina has shut down Canyon Creek Ranch & Waggin' Train operations due to their use of certain antibiotics not approved for use in the US. There is no evidence that it is these antibiotics that are killing dogs, but something has been off with these products for a very, very long time.
These Chinese treats have been verified to be unsafe by the FDA since 4/2012 and they have still been on the shelf until yesterday. Absolutely reprehensible on the part of the companies making them and the pet stores carrying them. My hope now is to create educated consumers, since the manufacturers and big box stores unfortunately cannot be trusted with the safety of our pets.
The products to avoid are Canyon Creek Ranch, Waggin' Train, and yes- Milo's Kitchen.
My family dog, Eleanor, was given these treats as a reward for a number of years. She is an incredibly finnicky eater, especially with any sort of treat, and one of these products was the only treat she was interested in. After the FDA's initial warning my mom stopped feeding and purchasing the products. It appears it may have been too little, too late. She has been in and out of the EH the last few days, and now for the last 24 hours has been hooked up to an IV, fed meds, and had a plasma transfusion to help fight an infection with a mystery source. The numbers we are seeing in her blood tests and the symptoms she exhibited in the days leading up to her hospitalization are eerily similar to reports under a simple search for "chinese jerky treat" - http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/chickenjerky.asp
Let me sum this all up for you. No one knows for sure IF these Chinese treats are killing dogs. Even if they determine it could be the Chinese treats it will be years before we know what exactly what caused it. We will probably never be able to say conclusively if these treats caused a toxic build up in Eleanor's body although her doctors feel this may be the case.
I urge you. If you have these products. Throw them away. Far away. If you have ever gifted these products to anyone- tell them to throw them away. It's entirely too easy to walk through Target, Wal-Mart, the grocery store or pet store and buy the giant shiny bag of cheap chicken treats. No one checks labels anymore. Please tell your parents. This is not a liberal over-exaggeration or unnecessary government overreach. This is about your family. Why take the risk?
To the pet stores and big box stores- Petco PetSmart One day once this all has died down, some marketing person from Nestle Purina or Delmonte is going to come knocking. They're going to say they've rebranded the treats, reformulated their standards, changed their sources in China. They've said it before. You have a social bar to rise above. Do it. There are dozens and dozens of American and Canadian treat manufacturers. Sure, their prices may be a bit higher, but won't you rest easier knowing you aren't pushing potentially dangerous treats to your customers?
If you're in York, I highly recommend Puppy Tails -A Puppy Boutique & Spa on Queen Street or Nature's Pet Place LLC in Hanover. Two independently owned shops featuring only North American food and treats.
If you can't break the chains- for a big box store Pet Valu has a great selection of American sourced and manufactured treats.
Thanks for listening. Please share if you care.
FDA Continues to Caution Dog Owners About Chicken Jerky Products
www.fda.gov
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is again cautioning consumers that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is again cautioning consumers that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs.
