Questions and answers about the pet food recall

Part III
I have been in touch with Pet Smart requesting them to help get the
ingredients. Time is lost analyzing the food. Today a vet at Cornell
purchased a bag after reading the report my Vet posted on Bella. He then
contacted my vet to say the bag he bought had mold in it despite an
expiration date one year from now. I was asked to look closely at whatever
was left in my bag, but saw none.
After Bella was admitted to the vet I went directly to Pet Smart in Nanuet
NY, told the Manager what happened and asked her to assist getting the
ingredients identified. I was met with a hostile attitude. She was only
interested in getting my name because she felt I was going to file a
complaint. The person at PS headquarters responsible for knowing food
ingredients at Pet Smart headquarters is trying to help.
The information available to vets on the Cornell web site is not public
information. No one seems to be aware of this. Dogs are misdiagnosed
PLEASE SEND THIS ON TO YOUR PET LOVING FRIENDS AND SAVE A PET AND LOTS OF
HEARTACHE.
PLEASE POST THIS INFORMATION ON ANY WEB SITE YOU CAN CONCERNING PETS.

I seem to be having a problem posting this long thread from another list. I will try to post Parts I and II again.

PART I
Sun Sep 9, 2007 3:51 pm (PST)
I'm sure most people on this list are aware that Lynn Nieto's Col became ill
after eating the Waggin Train brand of chicken jerkies made in China. You
also probably heard about the recall of chicken jerkies at Wal-Mart. I
decided to test two of my dogs who had been eating the same brand of chicken
jerkies that Col had been eating and was shocked to learn that both of these
dogs had elevated liver values (Alt) and bile acids. I was told by others
that livers can regenerate with proper treatment, so I sought out the help
of the Liver Shunt support list. Although my dogs have not received a
diagnosis, something is up with them. Read below and see what was posted on
the liver shunt list today. This is very scary!!!! If you haven't stopped
feeding pet products from China, I would do so immediately!!!

Karen

Part II

HERE IS THE NEWS:

*PLEASE READ AND SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE WHO HAS DOGS, ESPECIALLY SMALL DOGS
*
*Bella, 3 years old, 4 pounds*

*Product - Smoke House Chicken Breast Tenders Treats

Bella became suddenly ill ,and now hospitalized with her life threatened due
to Smoke House Chicken Tenders.I recently purchased at Pet Smart. It
doesn't matter where you purchase them, just don't purchase them.

This was the first time I bought the Smoke House treats. Having read the
label, it was listed as all natural, no additives, dyes etc. The treats
were purchased on or about August 17. She loved them and I was happy
because she typically only likes one treat. By August 23 she vomited bile,
and again on August 24. Her personality began to change becoming lethargic,
wanting to stay in her bed, loss of appetite. excessive drinking, urinating
frequently in excessive amounts. urine became orange like in color. By
August 28 she was severely dehydrated and lost one of her three pounds.
Sugar was found in her urine which would typically indicate diabetes. Bella
was put on IV and given an antibiotic to take while tests were being done
over Labor Day weekend.

Test results showed "irregularity in the lower part of her kidney. Possibly
**** in the kidney because of the malfunction.

By today Sept 7, she was no better and very low on energy and interest in
being around anyone. I brought the package of Smoke House Chicken Tenders
with me to the vet because it was the only thing that was different in her
diet.

My wonderful vet, a graduate of Cornell University searched the Cornell
Veterinarian site where veterinarians report unusual cases which are
tracked. The search was done by symptoms. A second search by chicken
treats.

**There were numerous cases on the Cornell University Veterinarian web site,
all with the same symptoms, test results and yes, related to chicken tender
treats made in China. Never did it cross my mind that this product was made
in China. When Dr. didn't find complete listing of ingredients on the
package he called the number listed on the back of the package identifying
himself and asked for ingredients to help understand what was happening to
my pet. The only thing the person on the phone with a strong Chinese
accent was "all natural, all natural". Sure enough looking at the small
print on the bottom back of the package is "product of China", the same
source of other products that have been killing our pets. I sat beside my
vet and read along with him. Following are primary repeated findings;

-severe damage to the kidney often resulting in complete renal failure and
death
-numerous reports in the past four to five weeks, a larger number on the
East Coast
- chicken and beef treats promoted as all natural
-it does not matter what the label is, if it is a product of China
-if caught early enough, hospitalized on IV hydrating and flushing the
kidney over days with nutrients may help the kidney heal itself and the pet
could then live with the damaged kidney
-if not caught early complete renal failure is expected
-most cases reported are related to small dogs
-initial symptoms indicate diabetes
-mold is often found when flushing the kidney (found in Bella)

Part III
I have been in touch with Pet Smart requesting them to help get the
ingredients. Time is lost analyzing the food. Today a vet at Cornell
purchased a bag after reading the report my Vet posted on Bella. He then
contacted my vet to say the bag he bought had mold in it despite an
expiration date one year from now. I was asked to look closely at whatever
was left in my bag, but saw none.

After Bella was admitted to the vet I went directly to Pet Smart in Nanuet
NY, told the Manager what happened and asked her to assist getting the
ingredients identified. I was met with a hostile attitude. She was only
interested in getting my name because she felt I was going to file a
complaint. The person at PS headquarters responsible for knowing food
ingredients at Pet Smart headquarters is trying to help.

The information available to vets on the Cornell web site is not public
information. No one seems to be aware of this. Dogs are misdiagnosed

PLEASE SEND THIS ON TO YOUR PET LOVING FRIENDS AND SAVE A PET AND LOTS OF
HEARTACHE.

PLEASE POST THIS INFORMATION ON ANY WEB SITE YOU CAN CONCERNING PETS.

I have a question, are you all finding mold on these treats? Has anyone checked for Aflatoxin poison?
Aflatoxin is a naturally occuring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of fungus called Aspergillus Flavus on corn and other crops.

Symptoms are:
Sluggishness
Loss of appetite
Jaundice (yellow whites of the eyes, gums, belly)
Severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea
Fever

It is just a thought but I would get it checked out...

Becca wrote:

Anyone have a lot number from the suspected bags or chicken jerky treats? Or are they ALL contaminated? I cannot find any recall on them.

I had to put my dog down 2 weeks ago still not quite sure what made him sick I did feed these to him he had been throwing up, tar like diarraha with blood in it.the ivs and meds didnt help so I had to end his suffering seek a vet immediatley if your dog is sick now my sisters dog is sick from eatting these and WalMart should pull all these off the shelf and the FDA should don something about **** have rights too!!!!

I posted a while back. Walmart in Bonney Lake, Wa still have the chicken jerky strips on the counter. Guess they don't care about our furbabies.

Costco brand Chicken Jerky Treats (Kingdom Pet)
1.http://www.itchmo.com/fda-in vestigating-bestro-chicken-jer ky-strips-in-dogs-deaths-2350# comment-49883
6 weeks ago I started feeding my very healthy 2 yr. old little beagle Kingdom chicken jerky purchased at Costco. For the past 3 weeks we and the vet have tried to figure out why he is now ill. Elevated liver enzymes and white count. The vet said that now makes sense to his symptoms, it’s poison going in to him. Nothing else made sense as he has always been healthy until we made that mistake in buying these treats.
He is not eating or drinking and just lays around with no energy.
2.http://www.itchmo.com/fda-in vestigating-bestro-chicken-jer ky-strips-in-dogs-deaths-2350# comment-50416
[Posted 8-25, added here 8-28] I purchased a bag of Kingdom chicken jerky strips for my chocolate labrador. Within an hour, she was throwing up the entire contents of her stomach. I e-mailed Costco and they wrote with a generic e-mail stating that I could get a return on my money. When I returned the jerky, they said that at present there were no recalls for their chicken strips. I just wanted to give them a heads up on what happened to my dog.
3.http://www.topix.net/forum/s ource/newsday/TPSS8QRGJM6D4MVV A/p22#c451
[Posted 8-22, added here 8-28]This is really interesting reading these comments. We started feeding our dog Kingdom's Pets original chicken jerky 2 months ago. 3 weeks ago he started getting sick, throwing up, diarrea, not eating. The DR sees high liver enzymes and high white count but can't figure what the problem is. This sounds like the problem. I agree I won't toss the treats, just keep them for proof, but my DR will be notified immediately.
4.http://petfoodtracker.blogsp ot.com/2007/04/american-nutrit ion-issues-recall-of.html#comm ent-8983432807521623394
[Posted 8-21] This latest recall on the Jerky treats is setting off alarm bells for me.
We purchased some similar treats from Costco about 3 months ago. Not long after my dog, Panda, had a seizure. Blood tests revealed that his liver enzymes were high and there was a lot of bacteria in his blood.. Antibiotics have brought the numbers down some, but he will be having a liver biopsy next week to get a better idea of what is happening....
5.http://www.epinions.com/msg/ sec_~forums/show_~threads/cat_ id_~25/id_~5220/forum_id_~247/ pp_~10#146205
[Posted 8-20] I've been feeding my dog the chicken jerky and duck jerky from Costco and Sams club for the past couple of years with no problem. However recently she has become ill and the vet bills just keep coming. She has had vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. I've had a healthy happy dog for the past 7 years and other than the normal check ups nothing major was wrong with her. After reading some of the posts I checked the bag and sure enough it says it is a product of China and not for Human Consumption. My dog passed away a day after I posted this. She had cancer of the pancreas, spleen, and liver....
6.http://www.itchmo.com/fda-in vestigating-bestro-chicken-jer ky-strips-in-dogs-deaths-2350# comment-48535
[Posted 8-22]...We gave our weimaraner Kingdom Pets chicken jerky from Costco and she became ill with vomiting and dry heaves and had diarrhea for 5 days. We talked that the chicken jerky was the only difference in food that she had been given. I tried to email the site in LA, but it wouldn’t come up. I had to put my 4 year old Shih Tsu down today, because of total liver shut down. The item that made her sick was Chicken Jerky, from China. The brand is Kingdom Pets Original Chicken Jerky. It is sold through Costco stores.

I have bought the Waggin Train, Chicken Jerky Tenders from both Costco and Petsmart. Currently my dogs are not showing any problems and I will discontinue using them but I wanted to note that there are huge difference bag to bag. Has this product actually been recalled, and if so Walmart and Costco are still carrying them. Great product if it were safe.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has posted a media alert on their website regarding chicken jerky treats. http://www.avma.org/press/media_alerts/070914...

AND

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has issued an advisory to veterinarians.
http://www.acvim.org/uploadedFiles/Jerky_Trea...

Although there is no official recall yet, PetSmart corporate has reportedly issued a request to their stores to pull the following Smokehouse brand treats as a precautionary measure:

7856525052 5108696 Chicken Chips 1lb.
7856525053 5108692 Chicken Chips 8oz.
7856525092 5108693 Chicken Poppers 8oz.
7856525093 5108698 Chicken Poppers 1lb.
7856525134 5108691 Chicken Tenders 8oz.
7856525137 5126536 Chicken Breast Tender Snacks 1lb.
7856525138 5126535 Chicken Tenders 2lb.
7856584255 5126702 Duck Breast Tenders 8oz.
7856584256 5126534 Duck Breast Tenders 1lb.
7856584257 5126532 Duck Chips 1lb.
7856584258 5126531 Duck and Sweet Potato 1lb.
7856585808 5108695 Chicken Tenders 1lb.

A copy of the internal memo from PetSmart can be found here:
http://www.itchmo.com/smokehouse-brand-dog-tr...

I have been giving my 2 1/2 Black Lab/Wiemaraner Smokehouse Chicken treats for over the past year and a half. It wasn't until just today, when I went to Petsmart to get him more is when I notice the signs on the shelves stating "Voluntary Recall." The signs really raised my suspicion, so here I am. Now I am worried like hell over my 4 legged son. This dog is more than family to me, and I have given him TONS of this so called all natural treat. He has not shown any signs of sickness, and is his normal jubilant self. But I can't help but be concerned as to what might happen down the road. Doesn't China realize what these dogs mean to some people? This whole bullcrap of so called healthy dog treats is getting rediculous, and the FDA is doing nothing regarding protecting our four legged loved ones. I guess I'll just have to start giving my boy Filet Mignon from here on out. I'm sure he won't complain..
Chuck

Chuck wrote:

This dog is more than family to me, and I have given him TONS of this so called all natural treat.

I feel the same way about my dog Shiloh. He saved my lie and he is like my child. I think many of us feel that way. I've always been picky about what he eats. Waggin' Train chicken jerky was one of the few treats I still trusted. He had eaten Waggin' Train for so long without any problems and he absolutely loves them.

Then when he turned his nose up at one, that was alarming as he has never turned one down before, but I thought maybe he was having an off day. At the time I didn't even know about the Bestro recall yet. He saw I was worried and finally ate it. Now I really feel bad that he was eating it just to please me. Then when he started throwing up after eating one on a different day, I knew something was wrong. He does not have a sensitive stomach to chicken jerky. He only got the jerky a couple of times a week as a special treat, so I know overfeeding wasn't the problem in his case.

He had never thrown up after eating them, until now. This was a product I had trusted for so long and felt confident giving it to him as he had never had a bad reaction before. It's his favorite treat. I used this treat to train him, as he would do anything for this treat. I'm just sick over this whole mess, and he misses his jerky.

I have read the comments from recent postings about Costco Kingdom Pets Chicken Jerky.I have been watching the Recalls closely since May 2007, and saw no comments about this product being recalled, by Costco. I have been using this product for 4 0r 5 years for my Shelti, Brandi. I am now in a Handi-Dog class, and found it to be a wonderful tool for training my dog. I have recommended it to all the people at the Handi-dog class. My question is to Costco : what steps have they taken to test this product and to insure that this product Kingdom Pets Chicken Jerky treats is safe for our pets. If there is any question, why is it still being sold on their shelves.

My husband just bought some of the Costco Kingdom Pets Chicken Jerky. He said there was a sing above them on the shelf saying it was irradicated. So does that make it safe?

My Corgi has been eating Smokehouse Chicken Chips for about 6 months everything was ok until I bought  a new batch in August. They were a different color, I immediately called the number and spoke to Miss Lisa, she assured me they were alright just cooked different, My Corgi ate about 1/2 of 1 lb,bag in about 3 weeks, when all of a sudden he started having the runs and heavy blood mixed in with the runs. I immediately took him off the Chicken Chips and about 3 days later took him to the Vet. The major bleeding was very light, and she put him on a antibiotic and hopefully he pooped it all out. So far today stool still loose but no blood

I just was wondering if wheat gluten is in any bones or food still? If it is, is it dangerous still? I just bought bones by pedigree super chew they have new written on the package the second ingredient is wheat gluten should I give this to my dog or take it back to the store I have called the fda number for dallas and there is no return phone call or say the party isn't available leave a message in the mean time I don't know if this is safe? Are the recalls still going on or it hush hush I have 2 dogs and had to nurse my one back to health for 2 months on pedi light baby popsicles and water to put electrolites back in his body he is 6 yrs old ate hamony farm bones colors mixed flavors and now he won't touch a color bone only milk bones, He's really smart to know this.Ate grass got sick diarrea w/Blood and layed on the couch sleeping all the time. He live and I don't want to see him get sick again I may loose him this time. Please let me know if they are selling this harmful product again or if they are still using wheat gluten in dog items.
Are there still recalls going on Now?
Hope to hear something from someone so our pets are safe. I share use pedi light popsicles for babies for your dog if it gets sick. It worked for me.

Cindy wrote:

When I took my shih tzu to the vet today and he put her on medication for diarrhea and vomiting, I took the rest of my unused bag of Waggin Train Chicken Jerkys with me and asked if they could do an analysis. He said he's never done that before, but he would this time and would contact the Board of Health and have them do testing. She's looking at me right now begging for a Chicken Jerky treat. Never again. I just wish I could tell her why.

Cindy, did you get the analysis on the jerkey strips back yet? will you post results when you do?