On Monday the Veterinary Information Network posted a press release announcing that “dogs fed jerky-style pet treats labeled as made in the United States are turning up with a rare kidney disease” previously associated with jerky made in China.
Since 2007, the FDA has been receiving complaints of illness in pets, predominantly dogs, that ate jerky treats. The phenomenon became commonly understood as a Chinese-chicken-jerky-treat problem because most of the products were chicken-based and made in China. Until recently, virtually all chicken jerky for pets was imported from China.
Image from Spot Farms.
The announcement was confirmed by a spokesperson for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On March 27th, Siobhan DeLancey of the FDA’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine said that the agency is “aware of complaints related to ‘USA’ made products.” She also said, “We have found some of these products may contain ingredients from outside of the U.S. FDA continues its investigation into these, as well as other, jerky treats potentially linked to illnesses.”
The discovery that chicken jerky treats made in the USA sickened a dog was instigated by Dr. Bonnie Werner, an internal medicine specialist at Animal Emergency Medical Center in Torrance, CA when she treated a 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier. The dog was sick with vomiting and diarrhea for more than a week prior.
Dr. Werner said that tests showed the dog had impaired kidney function and glycosuria — glucose in urine — which are signs that point to acquired Fanconi disease.
Dr. Werner said the dog’s owner was aware of the link between jerky treats and illness but thought that products made in the US were safe. The brand she gave to her 5-pound yorkie was Spot Farms “all-natural chicken strips. Its website says the strips are made from “antibiotic-free chicken raised on family farms in Kentucky.”
In February, the FDA reported that the rate of complaints it received involving jerky treats slowed between May and Sept. 30, raising hopes that the problem might resolve on its own.
Since tainted chicken jerky treats produced in both the US and China have been found in the US I recommend that you stop buying them or make your own. Image from examiner.com
Dr. Urs Giger, director of the Metabolic Genetics Screening Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, said his laboratory has diagnosed recent cases of acquired Fanconi disease in dogs that ate treats that ostensibly were not made in China or with ingredients from China.
Asked whether jerky inherently might make some dogs sick, Giger said he thinks not, because he’s seen cases in which dogs ate homemade jerky without becoming ill, then became ill when fed commercially manufactured jerkies.
He speculated that homemade jerkies would be softer in texture than mass-produced treats, which he said likely are subject to any of a variety of processes, possibly including marination or irradiation.
The number of Chinese-made chicken jerky treats on US store shelves has declined significantly in the last year. In January, Petco annouced it no longer had no more chicken treats made in China on its shelves, and PetSmart said it would follow suit by March.
Many people started buying chicken treats made in the US as the number of dogs sickened by Chinese treats began to grow, but if tainted treats made in the US are now making dogs sick too, my advice would be to stop buying any chicken jerky treats and either switch to another kind of treat or make them yourself.
This info graphic from Dr. Jessica Vogelsang at Pawcurious gives a good history the chicken jerky saga.
Infographic from Pawcurious.com.
I really appreciate knowing about the jerky made in the U.S. I try to give my pets the best of everything because I love them so much. When issues like this are not publicized enough and owners like myself find out the hard way, it’s devistating. My dogs are my heartbeat.
You’re right, the mainstream media doesn’t do enough to inform people about these issues.
So, what is the accountability??? I bought 2 large bags of Homeland Chicken Jerky from Costco while in the U.S. and brought it back with me to Mexico for my dog. She has had diahhrea and thrown up bile every morning. I could not figure out what was up, so I started studying everything she ate and upon searching online..I think this is the culprit!! On top of the fact that my dog ´s health is in jeopardy, I am also out a few bucks for this poison. If there are any lawsuits out, please advise….I´m in! They cannot get away with this…
In fact, I had to stop a child from eating one the other day..he thought it was a human treat…so ….imagine that!? Here is what Costco has posted about this product and like we are going to believe the supplier (china) is telling the truth about what´s in them!!! Wilson says Costco even requires it’s jerky supplier to post the test results on the supplier’s website, TheKingdomPets.com so consumers can review the results for themselves.
I agree with you but unfortunately nothing can happen until the FDA unequivocally states that it’s the jerky treats from China that is making dogs sick, and I don’t see them doing that anytime soon.
I had a feeling treats at Costco were getting my dog sick for months. I make homemade chicken strips now. Bloody stools before.
..my dog just died from this sh..from Costco
…f…them
Here it is 2017 and I thought I kept up with all things dog. Never heard of these warnings until I decided to try Nudges Chicken Jerky on my dog. It is made in the USA. My dog had bloody diarrhea episodes on two separate occasions before I realized it was the jerky . It’s in the trash. I hope my 11 year old dachshund survives this. Thank you for having this page or I might had not made the connection. How sad that these are still sold and still making our dogs sick. These companies do not care about these complaints apparently and only about dollars . This brand had Made in USA on front but still made my dog severely ill. ☹️
We have bought these for our dog too, and he loves them. Than started getting upset stomach to where he wants to go outside and find grass to eat to throw up and have bloody diarrhea . We stopped buying them for two weeks and just bought some again yesterday, he has had two of them and this morning the upset stomach is started back up.. He wants grass to eat to throw up, but there is a few inches of snow on the ground. Poor thing is miserable. Does not want to eat or drink right now. I say these things are freaking trash and bad for our dogs.. They should be taken off the market.. I will now buy chicken and make my own for the dog..
Wow thank you so much for writing this! I recently bought a pack of the Nudges Chicken Jerky Cuts and gave 1 piece to my big dog and 2 pieces to my smaller dog over the course of two days. The bigger dog is fine, but my smaller dog is having diarrhea and puking! She didn’t eat her breakfast or dinner today and when I walk her she starts eating the grass! I didn’t know if she was sick from the grass she ate before I was able to pull her away or if it was the treats, but after some research I am almost positive it’s the treats. She’s gone through stages of biting some grass but never like this 🙁 is there anything I can do? Should I bring her to the vet?
Hi-I can’t give medical advice since I’m not a vet but if you are concerned with your dog’s health you should have your vet check her out.
Also has made our two dogs Ill. Diarrhea & vomiting-can’t keep anything down
I hope they’re ok now.
I thought Nudges chicken strips made in USA bought at Wal-Mart were safe for my dogs. They loved them for years, no problems until this week, July 2020, both dogs were vomiting blood and bloody diarrhea, diagnosed HGE. The first dog got sick, I threw away the new dog food, but the 2nd dog that got same symptoms were from Nudges dog treats. My Vet told me the label says made in USA, means treats are manufactured in USA. It was the first question he asked me when 2nd dog got very sick vomiting blood an liquid bloody diarrhea. “Are you giving your dogs treats?” The 2nd sick dog didn’t eat same food as 1st dog, but both dogs had treats from Wal-Mart, Nudges Chicken Jerky. Vet and I narrowed down what made both dogs very sick. Just because it says it’s made in USA, doesn’t mean jerky was made here, it is manufactured in a USA warehouse plant. Similar to foreign vehicles being mfgd in USA.
My dog is recovering from bloody diarrhea from eating Nudges chicken jerky.
Sept 2020
How long does it take to recover from this? We bought a bag of Nudge jerky treats from sam’s a few weeks ago and last week my dog started throwing up bile and blood. Brought her to the vet and due to job loss (pandemic) I couldn’t afford to go through all the expensive tests. The doctor gave us some meds and we put her on chicken and rice for a week. The issues stopped. Today, it is happening again. My husband said he gave her a treat. I started researching and found this. I’m so worried about my pup. Please tell me she is going to be ok.
I gave my Chihuahua dog chicken jerky treats yesterdayeah Ricky treats yesterday only a small piece because hes so tiny he became violently ill throwing up and diarrhea. His stance was rickety staggering as though he was drunk.
I have fed my Laney these chicken strips many times I won’t be buying them anymore thank you for the info on my love Melissa
Glad I was able to help.
besides chicken jerky are other types of pet jerky safe. I currently have lamb, salmon and turkey jerky in my cabinet
I haven’t heard of any problems with other types of jerky but make sure they were produced in the US. You can also check dogfoodadvisor.com to see if there have been any announcements.
Because a pet food or jerky is made in US, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have ingredients from China. It’s a new marketing ploy. Check out this website:
http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com and print out the “PetFood Analysis by Dr. LIsa Newman, from http://www.PetFoodRatings.org You can look up most ingredients, and see what they actually are.
I’ve known about this for almost a decade, and it’s not just treats, it’s pet food as well. Am I REALLY the only person in this country smart enough to pick the can up and use a cell phone to call these companies and first ask where the crap in them is made and WHERE the ingredients are from, and call them on the lie when they claim some ingredients are not available in the US? REALLY?
Dee, what brand of food do you feed your dog? I have tried every brand and my minature poodle does not even do well on natural food diet. I would love some advice of you have some time.
You may be better off making your dog’s food yourself. Chicken & rice is very mild; you can start there and add vegetables for extra vitamins if she does well with it. Chicken thighs are relatively inexpensive & I used to roast them in my toaster oven for my pup. You can also boil them with the bones & get a rich, nutritious broth (you have to boil the chicken for 24 hours to get the full vitamins & minerals); about 6 hours if you have a pressure cooker. You may also to try allergy tests to see if she may allergic to something if you can (if not, look up muscletesting on YouTube & you & a friend get figure it out with a bit of practice).
I’m feeding my dog “natural chicken jerky recipe” from Betsy Farms. Has anything been found with these jerky treats because it’s also shown as “Make In The USA”.
I haven’t heard anything about that brand but you can check dogfoodadvisor.com to make sure they’re ok.
I had been buying Salmon/Sweet Potato food for my cats from Costco. Up until the bag I shopped for in December, it had been labelled ‘Made in USA’. I wrote to Costco and told them that losing this made in US label was not acceptable. I ended up buying a very expensive brand at a local dog and cat shop. Costco lost me as a customer forever for food for my guys. I’ll keep buying the local stuff, because my cats mean the world to me.
I was in Costco the other day and took a look at the Salmon/Sweet Potato bag. It now says ‘Made in USA’ again. As caretakers for our companions, we need to speak up and demand better — also spread the word about these crappy foods.
Thanks for telling your story. You may already know this but even if the package says made in the USA, it means the ingredients for finished product was sourced bought from a US company, but the company that provided the ingredients could have still get them from overseas.
Beware that “made in US” is a new marketing ploy, which is being used to cover up the fact that some of the ingredients still come from China or elsewhere.
BUYER BEWARE!
FYI…. I have tried MILO’S Chicken Jerky, and an hour later, my dog had diarrhea.
I think it’s the additives they are using. Never add up to 100%for the ingrediants, so what’s the missing percentage listed on the back made up of?
It could be. They have to get them from US companies , but the companies they get them from can get them anywhere.
What about pet snacks from Trader Joes? They have chicken, beef jerky sticks and strips?
I haven’t heard of any problems with them.
Just a couple of days ago my dog was given a chicken breast dog treat that was purchased:at Trader Joes in sherman oaks on Riverside drive and within minutes she starting aggressively eating grass to make herself throw up, and she did. It’s not worth the risk! Don’t buy them!!
Last night I my two dogs threw up after receiving a chicken strip jerky from Trader Joes. They will be visiting the vet today.
Hope they’re ok today.
My dog is two year is two years old. She love the chicken jerky. I give her one a day. After about 6 months, she started to lose her appetite and threw up a few times. I took her to a vet and the vet could not figure out what was wrong. so my vet recommended me to see an veterinarian internalist. After many panel tests , she was having problem with her liver. I have spent thousands of dollars in tests and medicine. During the time she was sick ( 2 months) I did not give her and chicken jerky. She has fully recovered and I started giving her the treats again and she has an upset stomach again. I have come to the conclusion that is the chicken jerky that is making my dog sick. I will not feel my dog anything that I cannot eat. If it is not human grade food and I cannot consume it, I will not feed my dog. Yes, I make my own dog food. Cooked chicken, cod, sweet potato, ground beef, broccoli. There are many recipes for dogs on the internet.
My dog got serious diarrhea from trader joes chicken jerky. Up all night for two consecutive nights until I figured it out. I now make his jerky with deli meat in a dehydrator and he is a different dog. Like a puppy again. Beware of trader Joe’s dog treats.
I’m glad your dog is doing better. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for finally posting this. I was telling and even fighting with my local PETCO manager about these Chinese chicken strips. Every time I would buy a package and give to my dogs, they would get sick. I threw them out the next day. I would wait a few months and try again. This happened three times. I wrote the manufacturer. They never responded. I left negative reviews on PETCO’s website. Took 3 long years before they stopped carrying the Chinese poison. I kept telling my PETCO manager to get USA produced and processed chicken. At the time, none existed. Except one or two way overpriced boutique manufacturers. Why did PETCO not test their Chinese products for well known poisons? They were fully complicit.
Our dog started having seizures shortly after being fed duck jerky (“usa made”) and dies within a month. We can not ties anything else to the seizures. The ingredient list does show Rosemary Extract. We have not thrown the bag trying to find a reason for his death. Our hearts are broken thinking we did the right thing buying these usa products.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I hope that you will see this. My dog is currently really sick from the duck jerky AND it has the rosemary extract in it….I bet it is the same one from Betsy Farms in Idaho. PLEASE contact me if you get this. Did you take your dog to the vet? Any tests done?
hi everyone,
just wanted to add to this discussion and let you know that my dog was recently hospitalized due to severe (life threatening) gastrointestinal problems and the only change in her diet was the addition of SPOT chicken jerky (she previously ate the chicken strips and had no problems). The doctors still have no cause for my dogs conditions, so the ingestion of something is definitely the probable cause. Ii should add that we make the other food our dog eats, so I am quite suspicious about her eating chicken jerky. WOW- this is an eye opener. I do not plan to feed her anything in the future without a lot of scrutiny.
I’m glad she’s ok.
Today is Jan 25, 2016. I purchase from Petco in Clearwater on
Curled and 19 a bag of family owned spot farms chicken jerky that says heart health. My dog is seven and very healthy and has been fed this as a treats. She is 16 lbs and has become very ill. It has a whitish tinge to it. It says made in USA Molly is getting blood work and fluids and testing her kidneys and pancreas. I am disappointed that this has happened. I can’t tell you how much she means to me.
I’m sorry, I hope she gets well soon.
Any answers from the Dr yet? I have a Miniture Dachshund he’s 2yrs old. He’s eating chicken jerky before. I couldn’t find the same brand, so I bought something different. I gave him one, Sunday and Monday, and Tuesday night he started vomiting and has had diarrhea. And today he don’t want to eat, he’s drinking plenty of water, but shortly after vomits it all up. I’ll be taking him to the vet asap! Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
Same as above
I bought a bag at Costco on 04/25/2016. I gave my 100 lab two pieces and he got sick for two days and is still not eating well. I will never buy chicken jerky from Costco.
You should take your dog to the vet if you haven’t already.
4/30/2016 – I have a beautiful 3.5 yr old brown and white border collie, she had 2 seizures in the last 2 weeks. I have been feeding her “Farmland Traditions” chicken Jerky from Costco for a minimum 1.5 years. Maybe one – one to three chicken strips per day. The bag of jerky indicates 3 strips per day for her size (pounds). She has always been a very health dog and has strict routine. The only variable in her diet are the chicken strips. Even though I buy the same brand I would imagine that Farmland Traditions probably purchases their chicken breast meat from many different suppliers – who use different antibiotics, steroids, chemicals, et cetera in their chicken feed/process. I will not use this product anymore. After taking my dog to the vet after both seizures, my dog now has to take a anti-seizure medication for the rest of her life. Personally, I will not trust any type of jerky treat – ever again. If you love your dog, please do not risk purchasing any type of chicken jerky treat.
Adam
I’m sorry sorry. Thank you for alerting others.
I’m looking at a bag of Spot Farms “all natural” chicken strips, The bag says “Human-grade Dog Treats. I haven’t eaten any and my 18 yr old Lhasa Apso hasn’t gotten ill. But if these are found to be tainted, then their neglegence has extended to humans (who aren’t looked upon as property like pets are) .. then the stakes just rose astronomically for Spot Farms. – if this condition can even affect humans.
We have been giving Farmland Traditions chicken jersey from Costco for over a year. In just the last week or two my dogs have been vomitting, diarrhea, with constipation and lack of appetite. I have narrowed these symptoms to be from the chicken jerkey!
Get rid of it asap!
I just started buying these from costco as well. The first bag my girl Luna was fine. On the second bag I just bought about a week ago she threw up twice and has had brown water diarrhea for the last day and a half. I was wondering if it might be these treats, as it’s been the only change. She’s seeing out vet today.
I hope she’s ok.
My very healthy mutt dog started having very serious seizures recently. Three months ago we started buying the Costco chicken jerky treats. We stopped giving the treats only because we were out of them and my mutt started feeling healthy again. This last weekend we restocked and guess what, mutt just had a seizure. I am taking away the jerky treats now and hope my dog is going to recover from this. Don’t take the risk.
Glad you caught it in time.
I purchased Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky from Costco August 2016 because the bag stated Made in USA and 100% USA chicken. Gave my 50 lb dog two strips over a one week period. Within a week she had stopped eating completely. Trip to vet and many blood and urine tests and an ultrasound later it was determined that she had received a toxic shock to her kidneys and it looks as if the culprit is the jerky. She’s on a daily 500 ml sub-dermal fluid to continue flushing her system, but her appetite is coming back. She might however need to be on a kidney diet indefinitely.
I’m so sorry. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope she is back to normal soon.
I let Costco know about the jerky treats and they have been very responsive. I think that if everyone who has posted here also lets Costco know, then they could possibly consider dropping them as a product. The person I spoke with has sent the information on to the distributor, but I haven’t heard anything from them. I have also filed a complaint with the FDA. They are particularly interested in jerky treats.
Excellent, thank you for doing that.
We have a 13 year old 65lb lab mix, and a 12 year old 45lb border collie mix. 4 weeks ago, we could count on one hand the number of accidents they have had in the house. . . Yet, they have been a relentless and rancid hot mess for the past month.
I switched their dog food, I regularly made them pumpkin-rice-boiled chicken breast, I cleaned and recleaned their bowls, I took them to the vet, I killed every spider in and around my house, and was vigilant about the bugs and the chemicals we used in our yard, as well as the type of plants on our walking paths. . . $700 dollars at the vet, nothing except “she is getting old,” or, “her liver function is a little high.”
I walked into my house tonight and was welcomed to the foulest, wettest, and largest gifts they have ever left us. . . I was surfing the internet to see if I should wait until it dries on the carpet (unlike what I mistakenly had been doing for 4 weeks) when it suddenly dawned on me. . . The Costco Jerky that they go absolutely nuts for. . . that we’ve been feeding and rewarding and treating them for years with. . . Could it be? I typed it in to the google machine, and found this.
I’m tempted to gather these extraordinarily odorific and slimy gifts along with the rest of the jerky, as well as the receipts from my vet, stain remover, odor remover, carpet cleaner, soap, vinegar, alternate dog food, chicken breast, pumpkin, rice, pet safe spider killer, disposable gloves, and candle receipts, and be first in line at Costco tomorrow morning.
I am livid, and trying my best not to add any stress to my pregnant wife. She thinks her first two “babies” are both dying. . . she is in tears everyday. . . I want to shove this chicken jerky as well as these wonderful smelly wet gifts down the throats of whoever is in charge of the quality control for both Farmland and Costco. . . as well as their families. . . But won’t. If it was legal, or I would. It’d absolutely be effective.
If we weren’t saving for a baby, I’d be hiring a lawyer. . . If this society wasn’t so litigious, I’d be able to improve quality control for both Farmland and Costco by avenging the damage and destruction experienced by Our most innocent and best friends. . .
I’d be livid too. Please be sure to file a complaint with the FDA and get your dogs to a vet (if you haven’t already) to get checked out. I hope they recover soon.
I made my own chicken jerky on oven. Did anyone had issues with it so far?
Same problem. I received 2 bags of Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky from Costco with the Made in USA as a gift bought around July/August 2016. No issues with the first bag and had shared them with a friend. Opened 2nd bag. Fed a couple treats and within a few days woke up to vomit and diarrhea. I felt horrible for my poor dog as he never poops in the house and there was diarrhea and bile all over. To think how horrible he was suffering in the middle of the night to have to go in the house. I was so worried about my little guy. This went on for almost 3 days. I didn’t pinpoint the Farmland treats right away since he’d eaten the 1st bag with no issues and so did the other dogs. Once I’d opened that 2nd bag the problem started. I took a close look at the throw up and saw little chucks of the treats. I stopped giving him the treats and he didn’t have the nighttime diarrhea. I fed him a very simple diet for a couple days just to make sure we was okay. He is now his usual happy self! I am thankful I found this site and that others shared their stories. No more chicken jerky treats at my house even if they do say Made in USA.
Good! I’m glad he’s ok now.
When my 7 year old Havanese was a puppy his breeder fed the Costco strips made in China at that time. I fed them for a short time. He never had proper stools and had lots of stomach issues. He loved them though. So I did some research and bought a dehydrator. I have been dehydrating my own chicken strips from chicken I buy at the grocery store since then. I make them every 6-8 weeks in a large batch. Get a dehydrator that goes to 160 degrees. This the temperature you need for meat. Some people will dehydrate raw meat. I do not. I put raw chicken tenders in the oven on a cookie tray for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. If I can’t get tenders I buy breasts and cut them long ways into pieces so they cook quicker. When cool slice as thin as you can. Then dehydrate. May take 8-10 hours – go until they are not bendy. Rotate trays every couple hours. Take them as out as they finish. Some will take a bit longer than others. Once all done, I then put them on another clean tray in oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes just to be safe. Once entirely cool, put some in an air tight container in fridge and put the rest in small batches in bags and freeze. They will last in fridge a long time. Dole them out to your happy pup who will be waiting in the kitchen for them all day! This has worked for me for many years and my Mom now also does it. Hope it works for you.
Thanks for the info!
My dog has been so sick and I blame it on these treats. He’s being treated for pancreatitis which his vet says is consistent with what often happens when we feed dogs chicken jerky. He has been vomiting, has diarrhea, a temperature and has lost weight. He’s now on a special diet and 14 days of pills. I can’t believe I was poisoning my dog all the while thinking I was giving him healthy treats.
It’s not your fault. We have a right to expect the treats we buy for our dogs is safe. I hope he recovers quickly.
I purchased family owned spot farms all natural,antibiotic free chicken filet when I first brought my puppy home. I knew about the jerky issues with products from China so I figured WOW this product seems great and I know dogs LOVE jerky. The first time I gave it to her she got very bad gas and diarrhea. I did not connect it to the jerky at that time because she was young and everything was new so it could have been anything. I forgot all about it and found the jerky in her puppy drawer 2 months later and gave her a piece and oh my!!! awful gas and diarrhea all day. Before throwing it away I thought to google this and landed here. I really wish pet stores would take into consideration the immense love some of us have for our pets and would remove these items from their shelves. Greatly disappointed in this product, how can the company not know this makes dogs sick, don’t they feed it to their pets?
I’m glad your dog is ok. I don’t know what company you mean but in general, the companies claim there is no conclusive, scientific proof that it makes dogs sick.
I just bought a new bag of chicken jerky treats from costco and since then my 85lb golden retriever has had diarrhea. He threw up this morning. Needless to say this new bag is going back to Costco and I will never purchase again. I only give him half the strip and no more than 2-3 a day. He also had gas and he never has gas! I will take him to the vet tomorrow if diarrhea persists.
I just stopped buying them because there are so many options available. I hope he gets well soon.
Did anyone else experience a negative reaction to the chicken jerky from Trader Joe’s?
Mine did and so did my mom’s dog… I thought maybe my dog just had a sensitive stomach, but she suffered terrible diarrhea and my mom’s dog had bloody diarrhea and vomiting as well. 🙁
A few months ago I was shopping at Walmart. I was in the dog supplies aisle and bought a bag of chicken jerky on a whim. I gave my 3 year old,a 50 pound lab half a chicken jerky that day and another half the next day. That night she woke up at 1am vommiting. I thought she just had some stomach troubles and went back to sleep after i cleaned up the mess. She vommitted 4 more times that night. I woke my husband up the second time she vommitted fearing something could be wrong. This was not normal. We did not sleep that night because we were too worried about her. We contacted our emergency vet and they said to just monitor her for a couple more days and come in if her problems get worse. At 7am we tried to feed her. She wouldn’t eat. We tried everything, chicken, steak, rice, peanut butter things she would normally eat faster than you could think. This really worried me because in the past she would eat even if she had a little gastric upset. By the afternoon that day she was lethargic. She had bright orange diarrhea. I had been googling her symptoms and came across articles like this one about chicken jerky and products made in China. That’s when it occurred to me that i recently gave her some. After reading the horrible things that have happened to other dogs I feared the worse and was in tears thinking that I had just killed my baby girl. We rushed her to the vet who said they didn’t know why her poop was bright orange and they didn’t think that the chicken jerky was the cause. Since that was the only new thing in her diet I threw it away and will never give her anything that is made in China or any chicken jerky again. We had her on plain boiled chicken and rice. By the second day she started eating again. It took 2 weeks for her to get back to normal. I am just grateful I fed her only a small amount and that I came across articles like this one. I am shocked that these jerkies still sit on the shelves at such a major super market. Especially since it has been 2 years since this article was posted. I never want to go through such a scare again and I hope other people find out before it is too late.
I’m so glad she’s ok. Thanks for sharing your story.
I am looking for answers as to why my black lab-border collie mix just had a seizure tonight. She’s had a few seizures in the past, and sometimes it’s because she got into the garbage or into one of my daughters’ bedrooms and ate something she shouldn’t (pack of gum, part of a toothpaste tube, chocolate). None of that today. Then I realized that I just bought her Nudges Chicken Jerky Cuts. We gave her one yesterday and one today. I think I’m going to ask for a refund from the company and get rid of the treats after reading these posts! I see there is a product guarantee on the back of the package. Not worth the risk of feeding her any more!!
Hope she’s doing better now.
I have a dog that is in the late stages of kidney failure. His blood work was fine 2 years ago. He is 8 years old. The only thing that has changed in the last 2 years is that we discovered he loved chicken jerky. We bought two dehydrators, one for our summer home in Canada and one for our winter home in Arizona. At the end of a season, we take all of the meat in the freezers (almost all chicken) and make jerky treats. We make all of the jerky ourselves from fresh breast meat. So, I think the jerky problem is not necessarily China or USA related. The specific condition is called Fanconi-like syndrome (FLS). Jerky has now been removed from our dogs’ diet. Benji is on a special diet for kidney issues, drug supplements and a heart disease medicine that increases blood supply to the kidneys. I must admit that we believe Benji is now in recovery mode. He eats well and plays well and is now back to his territorial old self. I guess time will tell. I am not a chemist but I do know quite a bit about chemistry. I have no problem that if you cook meat for 10 hours at a relatively low temperature that some toxins might be generated. But so far the FDA has not found any.
My 7lbs. Dog started eating Spot Farms chicken strips and has a HORRIBLE cough. 2 different pills from Vet and is still coughing horribly. Some stripstops have whitish powder which I throw away. Very scared for my Baby. Contact me with answers. YOU OWE HER.
I’ve been buying Farmland Traditions chicken jerky from Costco for about 2 years, my two Shelties love them. It seems they have stopped carrying them because I couldn’t find them in the store or on their website. After reading all the comments I wonder if this is the reason. My dogs never had any of the symptoms other dogs have experienced. I’m out of my current bag. I found them on Amazon but now I’m scared to buy them. I’m looking for a GOOD treat does anyone have a suggestion?
There are tons of treats made in the US that are safe for your dog. I would pick out one you think your dog would like and then use google to see if there have been any reports of dogs getting sick from them.
We just lost out brown Labrador last night. The vet says she has kidney stones. dog threw up about five times peeing blood. I’m wondering if it’s the treats we been giving her. I well be taking this bag to the vet in the morning. All I have read is not looking good.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Sorry to hear about your lose. We lost out lab to. I’m thinking it’s the same treat. I had our vet send everything to a lab to find out what killed our dog. Now our dachshund is developing kidney failure now she has to be hospitalized and hopefully she will make it through
I had the suspicion that the Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky was making my Chihuahua sick. The bloody stools started immediately, and when I noticed that he would throw up and not really want the treats anymore I started to go online and read reviews, I am surprised that this is still available for sale and not at a cheap price. I am not buying anymore dog treats just bought myself a doggie treat maker, thank you for all your reviews, my doggies is my furbaby!
I’m glad you caught it in time!
Several years ago, I lost my “3” year old dobie after feeding her chicken strips … My vet couldn’t believe it due to her age. She’d had 6 dogs die in 4 months…all from “crap” jerky food from China. People complained then I noticed Costo started selling jerky that said on package, made in USA.. so much for that.. I wouldn’t trust it ever again..My first 2 doberman dogs lived to age 12 and 11 1/2..
I’m so sorry.
Hi, I only give my Yorkie Chicken Treats from Trader Joe’s. I just stocked up, but now I’m fearful and will start making my own. I’ve used the product for 9 years. The package says “Product of USA”. Does anyone have any info. on this product? I’m sure it’s sourced from a supplier and packaged for them as well as other distributors?!? Thanks! I just lost my other Yorkie 57 days ago to old age and I couldn’t bear it if something happened to this one, especially if it was due to a “treat”.
Is Golden Rewards chicken jerky recipe related to any of these? My dog had thes symptoms but doesnt now and these are the only thing she will eat
I don’t think it is but google it and see if there have been any problems with that brand.
Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky is tainted with salmonella.
(purchased from Costco)
Live and learn. My dog gets these treats all the time, and he loves them! On Saturday morning he was throwing up and by the afternoon he had diarrhea and was really not happy. I even thought then it looked like a food poisoning, but all he ate the night before was a jerky treat and couldn’t imagine what he ate to make him sick, so I didn’t think the treat was the problem (didn’t realize salmonella was something that lived in a dried jerky treat). Now he wasn’t eating. By Sunday he was feeling a little better–all chipper but still not interested in eating–so by that afternoon, I thought, “well, he’ll eat a chicken jerky, because he loves those” (this was really ignorant of me, but it all makes sense now, in hindsight). And so he ate it, and by Monday morning he is sick again. I’m mad at myself for being so stupid and trusting that the jerky was not the problem, but seeing him go right back to sick again makes me HIGHLY suspicious of the treats now. I read online, reported all over the place, about all the cases of salmonella in these kind of treats, even FARMLAND brand, and now I am quite convinced that he has salmonella from these treats. So I hope he makes it through this bout like he did through the first treat from Friday night. But, NEVER AGAIN!
I hope he’s ok. Thanks for sharing your story.
My dog is 13 yrs old. Lately he’s been drinking a lot of water and sometimes just can’t control his bladder. I took him to the vet who told me after running test, that he had some sort of kidney disease.
She told me this was unusual and asked me if she had been exposed to any toxins. This happened about three weeks ago. I had no idea what could caused his condition until I just accidentally stumbled across this article. You see I’ve Ibeen feeding him chicken jerky from Trader Joe’s for the last several months. Even though I can’t be 100% sure,, it seems more than likely that’s what created the kidney problem for my dog.
My vet explained that the damage Is irreverseable.
DONT RISK YOUR DOGS LIFE!!
fed my dog with less than 2 pieces a day of Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky purchased at Costco…
it took a couple of weeks in which i was not sure why the dog seems to have and some stomach problems. eventually she stopped eating, vomited badly and became very sick. vet asked if she ingested poison i said no. after a few days of no food and declining health she finally started eating (no chicken Jerky) – i can safely make the connection as so many did in this blog. “made in the USA” really? total misrepresentation. its packed here and mixed with who knows what ingredients form China. this is killing our pets.
Hope your dog is ok now.
yes, so far. with medications, under Vet care and still ongoing a battery of tests.
i hope to know more in coming weeks, but overall, the amount of similar detailed complaints about Jerky in general (as well as incidents involving this specific brand) and the realization that even if it were for human consumption, once it is packaged/ put together in the USA they can legally say “made in the USA” is alarming. in this case (not for human consumption) clearly there is less regulation. unless the appropriate department at the FDA investigates such issues and orders lab tests, that is. i notified the FDA in the hope the government (would not shut down) look into it. meanwhile, out of caution, i would not use any jerky product, whatsoever. only dog food (top expensive brand i have been buying at Petco for years).
My dog was just diagnosed with a rare oral cancer, squamous cell tonsillar canine cancer. This is an extremely aggressive cancer, and she has been given 3 months to live— which is about half her normal life span. Needless to say, I’m devastated. Chicken jerky was a favorite treat for a long time. After hearing about sickness with the Chinese sourced ones, I gave her only those sourced and made in the USA. I bought her chicken jerky at Costco. This type of canine cancer has a heavy environmental loading— it’s not found in rural areas, just in cities. It breaks my heart to think that it could have been her treats. She has not been exposed to anything else that I know of.
i am sorry to hear that. i know how painful it is. doubt will always remain. i had some suspicion, looked on line, saw many very similar- detailed complaints. i added my voice of concern. but it is still a theory, an assumption – a subjective observation.
unfortunately, we will never know. we made a possible causal connection but it is not certain. in my case, the dog is old and has had some other health issues which were latent. somehow , these were manifested now i potentially catastrophic way .
i feel that the jerky (to which she was exposed to for a relatively short period of time) was the catalyst that caused a chain reaction which almost killed her (she is better now having gone through hell for a week), but was not responsible for anything pre existing. it is puzzling, but her recovery this past weekend can not be explained by the treatment she received which was mostly to provide comfort. there is a way to file a complaint with the FDA; only they can test. we assume these companies use Chinese components; we know they can still legally say “made in the USA” – but we don’t know what they use. its only an assumption at this point.
we hope regulators do their job. meanwhile we stay off jerky. i would never give my dogs anything that is not top brand dog food. i rather treat them with some people’s food- nothing wrong in that.
best
u
Thanks so much for your compassionate reply. I don’t really expect anything to be done. When I first found out about the Chinese jerky sold in Costco, I wrote to them. They responded that the jerky they were selling is safe as there have been no definitive studies that prove it wasn’t. I agree with you completely about using human food as treats. I am so sad that I didn’t know before it was too late to do that. Right now my dog looks and acts like the picture of health. It’s so hard to accept that in the near future she will be very ill and have to be put to sleep.
Hi Everyone,
I am so glad to have found this blog because my dog Brady (1 and a 1/2 year old Shihpoo, 13 pounds) has been very sick recently. He’s a very picky eater and the only treats he loves are the Trader Joe’s Chicken Tender jerky treats. For the past 4 weeks he has had diarrhea, gas, red jelly in his stool and he is not interested in eating his hard food or rice/boiled chicken I make for him. Last night he was going diarrhea all over my bedroom and crying. I called the emergency vet phone number and they told me to bathe him and bring him in today. I am going to the vet shortly, but I am so worried. Does anyone have any advice on what to feed him until he gets better? He hates baked treats and I am worried that he isn’t eating and drinking enough.
I’m so sorry, I hope your dog is doing better. I don’t have a specific treat recommendation – just make sure whatever treats you buy are made in the US.
I’d suggest not giving any treats until you’ve seen your vet, which I hope will be very soon. If not, I’d go to an emergency vet ASAP.
I purchased Farmland Traditions chicken jerky from Chewy.com. I gave a few pieces to my dog over 3 days. My dog has had liquid, mucousy poops several times a day. She has bouts of mild pancreatitis sometimes but I ruled this out by feeding her a very low-fat diet the past few days (pressure-cooked rabbit and Weruva canned chicken + pumpkin). I could also kind of tell because one of her poops was mostly solid with some diarrhea at the end. I fed her only a small piece after dinner the night before, so the little diarrhea at the end was probably the jerky. Her diarrhea was on-and-off. One day she had a perfect poop then diarrhea the next day. Unfortunately I don’t remember if I fed her the jerky that day. One day I fed her 3-4 pieces and she had really bad diarrhea the next. I had only introduced 2 new treats: this jerky and Plato Thinkers turkey + pumpkin.
Little late but I started a food log today, because this is the second time my dog got sick from food I ordered from Chewy. The first time was Evanger’s handpacked Braised Beef. It made her get up in the middle of the night breathing hard and throw up in the bathroom. That also never happened with canned food before.
Yesterday after she squeezed out liquid poop 3 times I researched chicken jerky. I think the culprit is vegetable glycerin. I read one article (can’t find it again) that says even vegetable-sourced glycerin can be toxic. Some vegetable glycerin has a plant material in it that causes the symptoms people are describing. I wish I remembered what it’s called.
I feed a lot of different jerkys but this has never happened before. The other jerkys don’t have glycerin, and I don’t buy chicken jerky usually. I bought chicken this time because the 3lb bag was on sale from $68 to $28. I buy a lot of venison, buffalo, and beef jerky. Usually Full Moon. Never had problems. I learned my lesson today and will research brands before I buy from them.
Forgot to mention that my dog went on a late night walk and she squeezed out a tiny, SOLID poop nugget. She did not eat the Farmland Traditions jerky today. So I’m 99% sure that was it. I have to see what she poops tomorrow. I get massive anxiety whenever this happens because I think I accidentally killed my dog.
One of my dogs recently started having seizures, just about the time I started giving them Redford Naturals jerky treats. The first seizure was at the end of February. He did not have another one until just over a couple weeks later. A few nights ago, he had two seizures within 10 hours. I had given him the treats a couple times that day. He fell over and lost consciousness…and foamed at the mouth all three times. I recall smelling an odd odor…which smelled a lot like the treats. I walked my yard to make sure there was nothing there he could have ingested and I do not use flea or tick spray on my dogs. When I started to suspect food, I thought perhaps it was his dog food, a new flavor. However, my mind kept going to the jerky treats, which led me to google and find this site. I looked at the ingredients on the bag and the company claims the chicken is sourced in the U.S. All the other stuff looks harmless; but, what do I know? Nada. I see no rosemary in the ingredients either. I could be wrong, but my gut is telling me it is the treats. Unfortunately, because his last two seizures were so close together, my vet put Odie on Zonisamide. The vet does not think the seizures have anything to do with his food, but I am not convinced.
I found this thread after researching this brand. My dog was hacking and coughing about 2 hours after eating one of these “made in the usa” chicken jerky treats. We bought a bag a few days ago, and gave her one and it made her very ill. We had to take her to the emergency vet, and had her xrayed just to make sure she did not swallow something because she was trying to cough something up. Nothing was there… just the jerky treat. Her xray was about 14 hours after consuming the “treat”. DO NOT GIVE THESE TO YOUR DOG.