The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recently notified us that several veterinarians in Canada have reported dogs with Fanconi syndrome-like disease that may be associated with the consumption of chicken jerky treats manufactured in China. This mirrors the incidents reported in the United States in 2007 that were investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Once we heard about the reports, we immediately informed more than 19,000 AVMA members who have opted in to receive email alerts about animal and public health issues. We consider this type of outreach a valuable member service. If you would like to receive similar notifications, we urge you to sign up for our newsletters and alerts by going to My AVMA and clicking on the “Subscribe to receive veterinary newsletters and updates” link. While you’re there, you will also see a full list of the other member newsletters and AVMA alerts that may be of interest to you.
The AVMA has not received any recent reports from U.S. veterinarians about potential toxicities from chicken jerky treats, and we cannot determine at this time whether this problem has recurred or is ongoing in the U.S., or if it is isolated to Canada. There have been no recalls of any chicken jerky treat products associated with the Canadian complaints, and we are unaware of the brand names of the products involved. We are staying on top the issue, however, and are posting updates as information emerges.
Please remain vigilant and report to the FDA any cases of Fanconi syndrome-like disease that may be associated with the consumption of chicken jerky treats. And be sure to check our website and our blog on a regular basis to stay informed about veterinary news and what’s happening at your AVMA.
We just had our dog put down due to illness. She had vomiting, weight loss and increased urine glucose levels. She loved the Wagon Train Jerky chicken and we were not aware of the problem with it until the removed them off the shelves at stores. We will miss our little dog very much and she may have lived longer if we had known sooner.
Just lost my 10 yr springer. She lost her app for 3 days then vomited bile this am 4. Thought she just had a bug. 8 am realized she was jaundice very yellow gums and whites of her eyes . Went immediately to vet. Said kidney failure after blood work and X-rays we had to put her out of her pain very sad day in this home . Let’s go FDA my dog deserved better
Does the chicken sickness come from just the jerky treats? I give my pet the waggin train chx wrapped bones. Are these included? They are called waggin train fiddle sticks, Hope to hear if these are also included.
We had been giving these Waggin’ Train treats to our huskies for nearly a year (because they LOVED ‘em).
We have just lost one 12yr old to massive seizures and kidney failure. Second husky developed pancreatitis
and could not be saved with treatment. She had stopped eating altogether and we took her to the vet.; neither dog showed any early signs of health problems……..we are heartsick that this happened
to our dogs and believe that these treats were the cause. We will NEVER give anything from China to our remaining
dog!!!! Vets need to post warnings about these treats in their offices.
I lost my best friend in May of this year to two Waggin’ Train Jerky Tenders. I had not heard about any of the warnings issued by the FDA until after my dog died. These treats are still on the store shelves while the FDA continues to investigate and the manufacturers refuse to take responsibility. In the meantime, the dangerous treats remain on store shelves putting other pets at risk.
Help me save other dogs from Heidi’s fate. I have begun a campaign to get the dangerous treats off store shelves. Please consider joining the 65,000 supporters who have signed the petition. Thank you.
http://www.change.org/dangerousdogtreats
We stopped giving our dog these treats about three weeks ago and she has been fine until now. She just started vomiting and is lethargic and isn’t eating. We are taking her to the vet in the morning. Can this illness be the result of the chicken jerky even after this much time?
Donna, it’s not likely, but make sure you provide your vet with a good dietary history and include the jerky treats mention. Based on the info we’ve received, the illness usually occurs within hours to days of eating the treats. https://www.avma.org/News/Issues/recalls-alerts/Pages/Safety-Alert-on-Jerky-Treats-for-Pets.aspx
I would encourage you to take her to the vet sooner if you can. Any pet that isn’t eating and is vomiting frequently can rapidly become very ill, and some of the things that can cause those problems can be life-threatening. The sooner you can get her to the vet, the better. I hope it’s something that can easily be treated, but I don’t recommend waiting based on what you’ve described.
My shitsu barney died in may just before his second birthday of kidney failure. Three weeks before his death he was active, in love with the maltese up the street, playful and a joy to be with. He started to vomit a bit of bile once in a while especially after drinking water but then nothing for a few days but he did lose interest in his food. I tried different brands thinking this was the problem but it didn’t help. So I took him in to the vet. telling them that I felt something was very wrong with him as he was sleeping more and just wasn’t himself. The vet. couldn’t find anything irregular about him. Then a week before he died he began throwing up more, but no bloody stools or anything. They did a urine test and the next morning my vet called for me to bring him in immediately as he was in kidney failure. He stayed in hopital four days. His kidneys were flushed and antibiotics given intravenously ……….very little improvement. 75% kidney was already destroyed. After much research on the internet and consulting a specialist in Toronto he was given a death sentence from the veterinarian. He spent one evening at home and he began suffering with a great deal of pain. I have never heard such agony in an animal. In the morning I took him in to be euthanized after consulting with the vet that there was no hope for him. Now after reading about the chicken treats which I was giving him, too many I now realize, I know his suffering and his death could have been prevented. My vet did not know about the products from China and the dangers or he would have asked me about the treats I gave him. I can’t turn back the clock but I can perhaps save my new puppy because of what I have learned from Marketplace.
Thank you for all the help you give the public to make life better and a healthier place to live.
I have been giving my two dogs chicken strips for over a year. The last two months my older dog seemed to be very thirsty and sometimes urinating in the house. Now, she may have kidney problems, have to get the blood and urinalysis done. I feel horrible since I thought these were great healthy treats! I had not heard about this until watching Market Place tonight.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
My dog walker suddenly lost her healthy 7 year-old dog to kidney failure earlier this month and she believes it had to do with chicken jerky treats. Now my dog is very ill as well! Her urine is green, and her abdomen is distended. She has no interest in food and is now also vomiting. She is in obvious distress. I am awaiting the results of her bloodwork and uninalysis. Should have them today…..very worried!
My dogs have been sick for almost 2 weeks.trying to figure out why my vet has told me about the jerky treats which my labs have been eating not good i hear