Waggin Train Treats – a Purina Pet Food brand – has a dedicated website in defense of their jerky treats imported from China. This new website – www.chickenjerkyfacts.com – offers consumers a ‘Myths vs. Facts’ page. Here’s what ‘they’ say, and here is our facts.
The Purina website states there “are several misperceptions related to chicken jerky dog treats. We know you want to be able to distinguish fact from fiction.” Yes, we do want to know the facts, however it doesn’t appear ChickenJerkyFacts.com provides all the facts.
From Purina…
“Fact: The FDA has not requested a chicken jerky dog treat recall related to these reported illnesses. The FDA does caution pet owners that dog treats should be fed as part of a healthy and balanced diet and should not be fed as a replacement for main meals.”
Our Fact: Purina (Waggin Train), DelMonte (Milo’s Kitchen), Dogswell, and others could issue a recall or product pull out of precaution – but none have bothered to do so. Hundreds of thousands of signatures on petitions from consumers have asked them to do something – but not one has. The FDA states: “There is nothing preventing a company from conducting a voluntary recall. It is important to understand that unless a contaminant is detected and we have evidence that a product is adulterated, we are limited in what regulatory actions we can take. The regulations don’t allow for products to be removed based on complaints alone.”
The FDA has specifically stated these treats are a risk. “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.”
From Purina…
“Fact: The FDA has said that chicken jerky products are still safe dog treats and should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed occasionally in small quantities and as part of their healthy diet.”
Our Fact: I could find no mention – anywhere on the FDA website – of Purina’s claim “the FDA has said that chicken jerky products are still safe dog treats”. To the contrary, the FDA has stated “The signs (of illness) that may be associated with jerky pet treat products include decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. These signs may occur within hours to days of feeding the products.” And “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.” Again, there is no mention on the FDA website of Purina’s Waggin Train claim the FDA has said that chicken jerky products are still safe dog treats – none.
From Purina…
“Fact: There has been extensive testing done by the FDA and others over several years. The FDA has used a wide variety of experts at the FDA including toxicologists, epidemiologists, veterinary researchers, forensic chemists, microbiologists, field investigators and senior agency officials. To date, the FDA has not been able to find a definitive cause for reported illnesses.”
Our Fact: The FDA has stated they have “been actively investigating the cause of illness in pets reported in association with the consumption of chicken jerky products.” As well, the FDA states “samples have been tested by FDA laboratories, by the Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (Vet-LRM), and by other animal health diagnostic laboratories in the U.S. for multiple chemical and microbiological contaminants.” I could find no mention on the FDA website of Purina’s claim that “toxicologists, epidemiologists, veterinary researchers, forensic chemists, microbiologists” have been involved in the investigation. Perhaps the FDA has privately informed Purina of these experts involved, the public has not been privy to this information.
From Purina…
“Fact: Irradiation is a common process used for many human and pet food products to eliminate various naturally occurring microbes. Many chicken jerky products for dogs are irradiated through a process approved for pet food by the FDA. There is no link between the irradiation process and the reported illnesses in pets. A similar irradiation process is used in sterilizing many food items for humans, such as spices, apples and tomatoes.”
Our Fact: What Purina neglected to share is human foods that are treated with irradiation receive far lower levels. Per the Code of Federal Regulations, animal food, animal treats and chews are allowed levels up to 50 kiloGrays.
Human foods on the other hand are treated with much lower levels; “3 kiloGrays for fresh shell eggs to eliminate salmonella, for instance.”
Our Fact: FDA’s Dr. Dan McChesney stated to industry in October 2012 “On average, about 40 complaints regarding chicken jerky are filed every week when there is little to no press coverage occurring,” he said. “The number of reports per week raises drastically whenever the media turns it’s attention to the issue, however.” Dr. McChesney also stated “there’s clearly an apparent issue with chicken jerky treats.”
Purina and all other importers of pet treats from China: Do the right thing – remove the treats until they are proven safe.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com
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Rob
November 23, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Thanks. A couple of months ago I was at the store and always get the dogs a treat when I buy grocerys and I remembered your warnings. The next thing they will do is repackage them in the US so people can’t avoid them.
WANDA BREWER
November 23, 2012 at 7:22 pm
OUR LITTLE DOG WAS EATING THE WAGGIN TRAIN JERKY TREATS AND THE COWBOY STEAKS. I COULD NOT KEEP PIDDLE PADS, SHE WAS DRINKING WATER AND THIRSTY ALL THE TIME. AS SOON AS I FOUND YOUR SITE AND READ ABOUT THE TREATS WE STOPPED BUYING AND GIVING THEM TO HER. NOW SHE IS DRINKING NORMALLY AND THE PIDDLE PADS ARE LASTING. I EVEN WOULD SEE STREAKS OF BLOOD IN HER URINE BEFORE WHEN SHE WAS EATING THEM. THANK U ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WARNINGS. YOU HAVE HELPED US SAVE OUR BABY GIRL! WE LOVE HER SO MUCH AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO IF SOMETHING TRAGIC WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO HER BECAUSE OF THE TREATS. U ARE A GOD SEND AND A LIFE-SAVER! SO GRACIOUS, WANDA AND MIKE
Peter
November 24, 2012 at 4:47 am
Purina wouldn’t undertake the task to build a site, unless they had fears about public knowledge moving against them. This company has contempt for its customers and makes its fortune based on maintaining ignorance those consumers. They have likely come to the conclusion that the FDA will fail to identify a toxin, or would not risk the appearance of foolishness by publishing “facts.”
In the end, we are all responsible, because as consumers, we have generally failed to ask questions, and deferred responsibility for ensuring the foods we buy for our pets are wholesome and safe. our grocery store shelves are crammed with nothing but rubbish. But year after year consumers continue to patronize companies that poison our beloved pets. The veterinary community, as a whole, also bears responsibility, because on balance, they take no effort to educate their clients on the basics of nutrition.
Mya
November 24, 2012 at 6:07 am
Keep up the good work Susan, you are a modern day saint and ever since finding your site it has encouraged me to research all pet food before even considering giving it to my little epeleptic kitty. Problem is that i live in Italy and there is very little awareness here, i had to change pet shops recently as i got tired of the owner trying to push purina products on me every time i went in, even after telling him i would never touch the stuff. i now feed a human grade food called sushi cat, part of the fitness trainer group, and while the site claims made in italy, the can states made in thailand. I mailed them about this and they said the production plant is too small in italy so only the dry food is made here. It grinds me that they cant state these facts on websites however. my extremely fussy kitty loves the food, but has anyone heard of any issues in these products or within the seemingly huge industry in thailand?
Thank you again, Mya
steve
October 23, 2013 at 1:16 pm
I do not believe that these treats cause any more harm than any other treat available. The symptoms listed could be attributed low percentage side effects of any dog food on the market. I have fed my dogs these treats in moderation since 2007, eating them on a daily basis. The death of one dog was due to cancer and old age(16 years of age) and the other to Ostosarcoma(bone cancer) at age 13. My present dogs also do not have issues. I believe FIRMLY that this is a case of internet warnings being spread without facts. One person has a dog who is ill or sick which may have been for any reason, but they relate it to the Jerkey treat. Someone else sees this and attributes it to theirs. Jerkey treats are very high in protein a much higher concentration than any dog food on the market. Renal failure is often undetected(outside of bloodwork) until you’ve lose over 80% of all kindey function. It’s quite possible that consuming large amounts of these treats in an animal with pre existing kidney failure will put extra stress on the Kidneys and cause damage and escelate the failure. Is this the fault of the Jerkey? Then when you study the reports, it seems that the illnesses and deaths are not quite the same. The only reason the FDA put out the warning was because of the large number of complaints. Please people, don’t go nuts over this. My dog’s miss their jerkey treats. There is no.. absolutely zero solid evidence that Jerkey treats have killed their dog, it’s all circumstantial and in some cases it can clearly be shown the problems were related to other issues entirely. People grab on to what they want to believe depsite evidence to the contrary. We don’t live off fast food do we? and if we do, we can expect health problems. We eat a high sugar diet it makes us prone to diabetes. You eat high protein when you’re kidneys are weak and it can cause damage. It’s not that you ate cake that led to diabetes, it’s that you ate too much cake. Please people, stop this unfair war. Call it facts if you want, but it’s all emotion.
Susan Thixton
October 23, 2013 at 1:22 pm
No Steve – there is significant evidence that the Chinese imported treats are a danger. For one, New York Department of Agriculture found illegal sulfa drugs in the treats. Just how some people are allergic to sulfa drugs, so are some dogs (which explains why one dog is not effected while another is). The symptoms of a sulfa drug hypersensitivity in dogs is Fanconni Syndrome – exactly what dogs have been diagnosed with that consumed these treats. And the huge risk is there is no warning – no pet owner will know if their dog is sensitive to the sulfa drugs – plus, a sensitivity can occur with repeated consumption.
Steve
October 23, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Wanda: Get you dog checked for kidney failure now! if her kidneys are bad, you need to change her diet to extend her life!