NIXA, Mo -- If you reward your dog with treats on a regular basis, you may want to avoid a certain type coming from China. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning surrounding chicken jerky.
This is the third time the FDA has warned dog owners about chicken jerky since 2007. Each time the product came from China. One local dog kennel caught wind of the warning and is making sure its customers are keeping their dogs safe.
"I think I was put on this earth for the dogs, I really do," said Cathie Lovell.
Cathie Lovell loves dogs.
"I never had kids. My dogs are it. There's a lot of people that way even if they have kids their dogs are it." In fact, Cathie has made a living loving dogs. She's owned A Bit of Country K9 Kennel in Nixa for 11 years.
"A lot of these dogs come here all the time and it's the same ones. I get really attached to them. They are like my own," she said.
When she heard about an issue surrounding certain types of dog treats, she began to worry. "Oh my gosh," she said, "these things are causing kidney damage and death."
The treats causing all the controversy--chicken jerky. "The FDA issued a warning about chicken jerky products back in September 2007 and again in December 2008. In 2009 and 2010, those cases started to drop off. Right now the FDA is once again seeing a spike in cases.
According to the FDA more than 350 reports this year of illnesses tied to imported chicken jerky products. Many of the products came from China. Some cases proved fatal.
"I had no idea they were made in China. On the back of the bag they say it's an American owned company but then you look and the stuff is actually made in China," Lovell said.
So far, the FDA hasn't been able to pinpoint exactly what is making the dogs so ill in the treats. Cathie isn't taking any chances.
"I don't want them to get sick. I don't want them to die from a goopy treat," she said.
The FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product.
Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose).
Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.
Consumers can report illnesses to the FDA's Pet Food Complaint Site.
