Two major brands of chicken jerky treats – Waggin’ Train and Milo’s Kitchen – will soon be back on store shelves, even though the cause of the deaths of hundreds of dogs after eating these types of treats remains a mystery.
More than 3,600 pets – mostly dogs – have become ill, and more than 580 died, as a result of eating chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats manufactured in China, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report in October.
As of Monday, the number of sickened pets has risen to 4,500, according to the New York Daily News.
Although the FDA has extensively tested product samples for contaminants and nutritional composition, it has not yet been able to determine what exactly has been killing and sickening pets.
Despite this, Nestlé Purina’s Waggin’ Train and Del Monte’s Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky treats – both of which were recalled in January 2013 due to antibiotic residue found in the products – are returning to store shelves over the next two months.
Waggin’ Train treats will be back in February. According to Waggin’ Train President Nina Leigh, the new line is manufactured by one “trusted chicken supplier” in China as well as suppliers in the United States. Every batch will be checked for contaminants including antibiotics, Salmonella and mold.
“We’ve worked hard to put in place the highest quality controls in the dog treat industry,” Leigh says in a video on the product’s new website.
In March, Del Monte Foods Corp. is reintroducing Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Jerky Strips and Chicken Grillers Recipe treats. Both products will be made with meat from the U.S., according to NBC News.
Why are products known to harm pets returning to store shelves? FDA officials told NBC News that while they had reviewed Nestlé Purina’s plans to bring back Waggin’ Train treats, the company did not need permission from the FDA to do so. The officials said they could not discuss the review.
Robin Pierre of Pine Bush, N.Y., has been trying to get these treats off the market ever since her 2-year-old Pug died after eating Waggin’ Train chicken jerky in 2011.
“We need to raise hell! Too many unanswered questions,” she told NBC News. “Was it the antibiotics? What did they find? We want to know. They have said nothing other than they enhanced their product. What has changed?”
Both the FDA and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) continue to remind pet parents that jerky treats are not essential to a dog’s diet. Earlier this month, the AVMA decided not to discourage the use of these treats until further evidence about their safety becomes available, according to NBC News.
If you have been feeding your dog jerky treats and he starts to show symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, increased thirst and/or increased urination, have him examined by your veterinarian.
To file a complaint with the FDA about a pet food product, click here.
A chicken jerky fact sheet is available on the FDA website. It has also been distributed to pet stores, veterinary hospitals and other places pet parents may visit.
PHOTO: YouTube
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