Many consumers are unaware that there are some dangerous treats being sold for our pets. I want to share an article I just read about a study in Australia that found 108 dogs had developed kidney disease after consuming chicken jerky treats from China. For several years there has been a link between these treats and sick dogs in the US.
Some companies have voluntarily pulled products for contamination with antibiotic residue that is unrelated to the concern over kidney disease. There have been no regulations or bans on the products being sold for our pets consumption because they do not know the causative factor making the pets ill. Would this happen if kids were getting sick?
According to the article: researchers note that the risk isn't confined to pets. Rather, pets may just be more vulnerable because of the less-varied nature of their diets. They write: “Pets may act as sentinel populations for identification of ingredients toxic to humans, because individual foods tend to comprise a greater proportion of the diets of dogs and cats than is typical for human diets.”
For what the FDA has to say about this visit their website.
To read about the dogs in Australia visit this link.
Be very careful what you feed your pet. If you are uncertain-don't buy it and ask your veterinarian.
Dr. Ginger Garlie
www.rivertownanimalhospital.com
