I’ve posted on this before, but the FDA has issued another caution on the subject.
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. In the last 12 months, FDA has seen an increase in the number of complaints it received of dog illnesses associated with consumption of chicken jerky products imported from China. These complaints have been reported to FDA by dog owners and veterinarians……..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.
If you feed a jerky treat to your dog, specifically chicken, but with treats in general. You need to find out WHERE the food in that treat comes from. Just because the package says “Made in USA” does NOT mean the MEAT came from the USA.
Sorry for the Wikipedia link, but they laid it out simplest without having to wade through a ton of legalese, but as far as I can tell (and I’m not a lawyer) that is the definition as laid out. What this means is that the raw meat product can be imported from where-ever, then processed into the final form in the USA and still claim the “Made in USA” label. Considering the various problems that keep occurring with products from China, thats kinda scary.