Treats From China Linked To 1000’s of Dog & Cat Deaths

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by Diane Burket                                                                        


An absurd amount of cat & dog treats are made in China…so don’t be surprised that these Chinese products are killing and/or making our pets sick.

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. Since 2007, the FDA has become aware of increasing numbers of illnesses in pets associated with the consumption of jerky pet treats. The majority of complaints involve chicken jerky, but others include duck, sweet potato, and treats where chicken or duck jerky is wrapped around dried fruits, sweet potatoes, or yams. In the last 12 months, the 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 the FDA by dog owners and veterinarians. 

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 your pet 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.

The FDA has received approximately 2,200 reports of pet illnesses which may be related to consumption of the jerky treats. The majority of the complaints involve dogs, but cats also have been affected. Over the past 18 months the reports have contained information on 360 canine deaths and one feline death. Cases have been reported from all 50 states and 6 Canadian provinces in the past 18 months.


What can you do?  Buy treats that are made in America….and sign the petition, below.

There’s a petition for you to sign to ban all poisonous chicken jerky treats from China.  Please read and sign the petition here:     http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/901/169/744/

  


Best & Worst Dry Dog Foods

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by Diane Burket

Do you feed your dogs any of these dry foods?  I sure hope not!

  • Beneful (recently making dogs sick and even causing death)

  • Purina Dog Chow

  • ‘Ol Roy

  • Hills Prescription

  • Alpo

  • Pedigree

  • Kibbles ‘n Bits

  • Science Diet Adult Advanced Fitness Original

  • A lot more inferior foods in the market

Did you know these foods have the lowest rating for dry dog food?
The first and main ingredient in most of these dog foods is corn—a cheap, controversial,  low nutrition ingredient that often causes allergies—and makes dogs poop too much.
Feeding your dog these foods is like feeding your kids a diet of unhealthy fast foods.
The only ones benefiting from these cheap foods is the manufacturer….and sometimes, your veterinarian.  

Another main ingredient in these cheaper foods is meat and bone meal, a dry rendered product (more about rendering coming up) from mammal tissues, including bone, blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure and stomach contents.  Yikes!  Manure.  OMG!

OK…let’s talk about rendering.  A rendering plant is a processing operation where dead animals are recycled into products such as human food, pet food and industrial materials.  Where do they get these dead animals?  Fasten your seat belt—Animals condemned at slaughterhouses, diseased or dying livestock or poultry, road kill, euthanized cats and dogs, horses, dead animals from farmers, dead zoo animals, rats, mice, spoiled and unsold grocery store meat…do I need to go on?!)   If the ingredients on the label do not specify the source of meat (like beef, chicken, pork), don’t feed it to your beloved pet. I don’t even want that stuff in my house!

It pisses me off that the manufacturers lie to the public.  They spend lots of money on commercials & beautiful packaging, then lead so many good folks into believing they’re feeding their dogs nutrient rich food. It’s a big lie—and the dogs and humans pay a big price for this deception.

FYI—I am transitioning my dogs and cats away from all dry foods.  Please read my article:  http://www.infoaboutcatsanddogs.com/2013/12/are-you-killing-your-pets-with-dry-food.html

However, if you insist on giving your dog dry food….read on…

Do you know why your vet might recommend low quality food like Science Diet and Hills Diet?  Besides having little or no training in nutrition, veterinary schools receive reading materials, grants and other resources from manufacturers of these low grade foods in hopes that future vets will sell and recommend their food to the unwary public.


Sooo…what to do?!  Switch to a good brand.  Spend more money on food and less money at the vets office.  I’ll go into more detail in another post later.  For now, run out and buy one of these highly rated dog foods.  It’s best to purchase the canned food as dry food is not as healthy for your dog. I’ll list these foods in order of quality.  #1 being the best:

  1. Orijen Adult Formula – The Best!  Not cheap.  

  2. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Duck Recipe

  3. Taste of the Wild High Prairie

  4. Wellness Core

  5. Castor & Pollux Organix Adult Dog Food

  6. Innova Evo Turkey & Chicken

  7. Natural Balance Original Ultra

Dogs love Orijen and Blue Buffalo and don’t require as much food as when they eat crappy food.
Another important benefit of feeding high quality food is—dogs don’t poop so much!  
Why?  The food is full of nutrition and not packed with fillers, like corn and cheap grains.