Announcement

**Pathfinder** · October 22, 2013, 05:41 PM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

Why Are Jerky Treats Making Pets Sick?


...

On this page:
What to Look Out For
What FDA Is Doing

If you have a dog or cat that became ill after eating jerky pet treats, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would like to hear from you or your veterinarian.

The agency has repeatedly issued alerts to consumers about reports it has received concerning jerky pet treat-related illnesses involving 3,600 dogs and 10 cats in the U.S. since 2007. Approximately 580 of those pets have died.

To date, FDA?s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has conducted more than 1,200 tests, visited jerky pet treat manufacturers in China and collaborated with colleagues in academia, industry, state labs and foreign governments. Yet the exact cause of the illnesses remains elusive.

To gather even more information, FDA is reaching out to licensed veterinarians and pet owners across the country. "This is one of the most elusive and mysterious outbreaks we've encountered," says CVM Director Bernadette Dunham, DVM, Ph.D. "Our beloved four-legged companions deserve our best effort, and we are giving it."

In a letter addressing U.S. licensed veterinarians, FDA lists what information is needed for labs testing treats and investigating illness and death associated with the treats. In some cases, veterinarians will be asked to provide blood, urine and tissue samples from their patients for further analysis. FDA will request written permission from pet owners and will cover the costs, including shipping, of any tests it requests.

Meanwhile, a consumer fact sheet5 will accompany the letter to veterinarians so they can alert consumers to the problem and remind them that treats are not essential to a balanced diet. The fact sheet6 also explains to consumers how they can help FDA's investigation by reporting potential jerky pet treat-related illnesses online or by calling the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator for their state.

What to Look Out For

Within hours of eating treats sold as jerky tenders or strips made of chicken, duck, sweet potatoes and/or dried fruit, some pets have exhibited decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood or mucus), increased water consumption, and/or increased urination.
Severe cases have involved kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and a rare kidney disorder. About 60 percent of cases involved gastrointestinal illness, and about 30 percent involved kidney and urinary systems.

The remaining cases reported various symptoms, such as collapse, convulsions or skin issues.

Most of the jerky treats implicated have been made in China. Manufacturers of pet foods are not required by U.S. law to state the country of origin for each ingredient in their products.

A number of jerky pet treat products were removed from the market in January 2013 after a New York State lab reported finding evidence of up to six drugs in certain jerky pet treats made in China. While the levels of these drugs were very low and it's unlikely that they caused the illnesses, FDA noted a decrease in reports of jerky-suspected illnesses after the products were removed from the market. FDA believes that the number of reports may have declined simply because fewer jerky treats were available.

Meanwhile, the agency urges pet owners to be cautious about providing jerky treats. If you do provide them and your pet becomes sick, stop the treats immediately, consider seeing your veterinarian, and save any remaining treats and the packaging for possible testing.

What FDA Is Doing

More than 1,200 jerky pet treat samples have been tested since 2011 for a variety of chemical and microbiological contaminants, from antibiotics to metals, pesticides and Salmonella. DNA testing has also been conducted, along with tests for nutritional composition.

In addition to continuing to test jerky pet treat samples within FDA labs, the agency is working with the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), an FDA-coordinated network of government and veterinary diagnostic laboratories across the U.S. and Canada. (A summary of the tests is available on Vet-LIRN's webpage7.)

Inspections of the facilities in China that manufacture jerky products associated with some of the highest numbers of pet illness reports did not identify the cause of illness. However, they did identify additional paths of investigation, such as the supply chain of some ingredients in the treats.

Although FDA inspectors have found no evidence identifying the cause of the spate of illnesses, they did find that one firm used falsified receiving documents for glycerin, a jerky ingredient. Chinese authorities informed FDA that they had seized products at the firm and suspended its exports.

To identify the root cause of this problem, FDA is meeting regularly with regulators in China to share findings. The agency also plans to host Chinese scientists at its veterinary research facility to increase scientific cooperation.
FDA has also reached out to U.S. pet food firms seeking further collaboration on scientific issues and data sharing, and has contracted with diagnostic labs.

"Our fervent hope as animal lovers," says Dunham, "is that we will soon find the cause of?and put a stop to?these illnesses."

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page8, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Oct. 22, 2013

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Cons.../ucm371413.htm

**Emily** · October 23, 2013, 01:42 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index....ing-pets-sick/

Help Us Find Out Why Jerky Treats Are Making Pets Sick
Posted on October 22, 2013 by FDA Voice

By: Linda Tollefson, D.V.M.

As a veterinarian and lover of animals, I find that working at FDA is a dream job in many ways. In the Foods and Veterinary Medicine program, there are veterinarians in many different jobs that all have to do with keeping both people and animals safe.
- See more at: http://blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index.....7wzfoSwO.dpuf

Similar problems with treats in Australia:
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=212459

...Given the possibility that the pet-treat issue signals the potential for problems in the human food supply, Foster added by email: ?I do not believe that sufficient attention has been paid to this issue. ? At least in Australia, it has been just a dedicated group of veterinary volunteers trying to investigate and follow-up??

In the researchers? experience, the lack of urgency spans countries. Foster said that the research team originally submitted their study to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA); the manuscript was judged to be of low priority and turned down before peer review.

The rejection letter stated that submissions are evaluated initially by editors on ?whether they provide substantial new, important and clinically relevant information that will enhance readers? ability to prevent, diagnose, control or resolve a challenging clinical problem.?

Harr, the American clinical pathologist, called the rejection disappointing. ?I don?t understand the reasoning for that because it does seem to mimic exactly what we?ve seen in this country,? she said.

Sharon Granskog, a spokeswoman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, which publishes JAVMA, said the manuscript-review process is confidential, but the fact that the Australian study was turned down should not be interpreted to mean that the subject of Fanconi-like syndrome is a low priority for the organization.
URL: http://news.vin.com/doc/?id=5986523

Good thing it's not a low priority for JAVMA.

**mixin** · October 27, 2013, 05:20 PM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

FDA Progress Report on Ongoing Investigation into Jerky Pet Treats
Introduction

As of September 24, 2013, FDA has received approximately 3000 complaints of illness related to consumption of chicken, duck, or sweet potato jerky treats, most of which involve products imported from China. The reports involve more than 3600 dogs, 10 cats and include more than 580 deaths. FDA continues to investigate the cause of these illnesses in conjunction with our partners in the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), a network of animal health laboratories affiliated with FDA.

The complaints FDA has received include adverse events involving different sizes, ages and breeds of dogs. About 60 percent of the reports are for gastrointestinal illness (with or without elevated liver enzymes) and about 30 percent relate to kidney or urinary signs. The remaining 10 percent of cases involve a variety of other signs, including convulsions, tremors, hives, and skin irritation.

Of the kidney and urinary cases, about 135 of the case reports have been for Fanconi syndrome, a specific kind of kidney disease. Part of the normal function of the kidney is to filter out waste while keeping in nutrients such as glucose, bicarbonate, and amino acids. In Fanconi syndrome, a part of the kidney called the proximal tubule doesn?t work properly, and these nutrients are lost into the urine instead of being reabsorbed.

Dogs with Fanconi Syndrome usually drink and urinate much more than normal. This can also be a sign of diabetes, but Fanconi dogs do not have the elevated blood sugar that is a hallmark of diabetes. They can also be lethargic and uninterested in eating. Some dogs may have all of these symptoms while others show only some of them. The symptoms may also be mild or severe. These dogs often improve when they are no longer being fed the treats; however, a positive urine test for Fanconi syndrome can still be detected several weeks later.

It is important to note that the reported illnesses are not limited to jerky treats made from chicken. We have received complaints about duck and sweet potato jerky treats and related products, such as jerky-wrapped rawhide treats. We know that the illnesses and deaths reported are mostly linked to jerky pet treats sourced from China. Pet owners should be aware, however, that manufacturers do not need to list the country of origin for each ingredient used in their products.

In trying to find the cause of the illnesses and deaths associated with jerky pet treats, we?ve worked with our colleagues in academia, industry, foreign governments and state labs. As part of the investigation, we have inspected production facilities in China and met with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), the Chinese regulatory agency responsible for pet food, to ensure that they are aware of U.S. requirements for pet food safety and to develop collaboration on sharing information to support FDA?s investigation. FDA also plans to host Chinese scientists at our veterinary research facility to further our scientific cooperation.
Complaints are going down

FDA has noticed a sharp drop in the number of complaints since several treat products were removed from the market in January 2013 following a study by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Marketing (NYSDAM) that revealed low levels of antibiotic residues in those products. Recalled products included several well-known brands believed to comprise the majority of the jerky pet treat market. FDA believes it unlikely that the reports of illness it has received are caused by the presence of antibiotic residues in jerky pet treat products. Rather, because the brands that were recalled represent a significant portion of the jerky pet treat market in the United States, FDA theorizes, therefore, that the drop off in complaints since January 2013 is the more likely the result of the general lack of availability jerky pet treat products.

Nonetheless, FDA is taking a closer look at the NYSDAM findings. When measurable levels of antibiotic drugs were found in the treats, they were consistently at very low levels?less than 0.0001% (< 1 part per million, or less than one inch in 16 miles). FDA scientists are currently working on a Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) to more formally measure the potential for low levels of sulfaclozine, sulfaquinoxaline, other sulfonamide drugs, and sulfonamide pesticide residues in the diet over long periods of time to cause health problems in dogs and other animals. This process involves a review of the scientific literature, as well as any adverse event reports and consumer complaints sent to the FDA in connection with dogs and sulfonamide drugs, and may take many months to complete. In the meantime, our investigation continues to evaluate all potential causes for illness from the jerky pet treats.
FDA is working with laboratories across the country to investigate causes

To date, testing for contaminants in jerky pet treats has not revealed a cause for the illnesses. Since 2011, in concert with Vet-LIRN, we have collected approximately 250 jerky treat samples relating to more than 165 consumer-related complaints, plus more than 200 retail samples (unopened bags obtained from a store or shipment), and performed more than 1000 tests on these samples. We also ran more than 240 tests on historical samples (those received in 2007-2011).

While we do not subject every sample to the entire battery of testing, due to limited resources and in some cases a lack of enough material to test, we target our testing based on the product and the symptoms displayed by the pet. Testing may include one or more of the following analyses:
Salmonella
Metals or Elements (such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, etc.)
Markers of irradiation level (such as acyclobutanones).
Pesticides
Antibiotics (including both approved and unapproved sulfanomides and tetracyclines)
Mold and mycotoxins (toxins from mold)
Rodenticides
Nephrotoxins (such as aristolochic acid, maleic acid, paraquat, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, toxic hydrocarbons, melamine, and related triazines)
Other chemicals and poisonous compounds (such as endotoxins).

Testing has also included measuring the nutritional composition of jerky pet treats to verify that they contain the ingredients listed on the label and do not contain ingredients that are not listed on the label.

Another area of investigation includes the effects of irradiation and its byproducts. We are currently performing preliminary testing of jerky using four different irradiation levels to determine if marker compounds can be identified in irradiated jerky to evaluate the dosage used. These studies are a collaborative effort between FDA, USDA, and a university partner.

We are also interested in collaborative efforts with veterinary hospitals to perform further study into the cases seen in the clinical setting to investigate the possibility of a genetic or other basis for gastrointestinal or renal symptoms.

You can see a summary of the tests that have been performed at Jerky Pet Treat Investigation Rationale and Results.
FDA is seeking the support of practicing veterinarians

FDA has been investigating the root cause of these adverse events since 2007, and has issued several consumer updates advising pet owners about complaints associated with jerky treats, also noting that such treats are not essential for nutrition. Despite these warnings, we have continued to receive reports of illnesses in both dogs and cats.

In an effort to expand the amount of information included in case reports, we are reaching out to all licensed veterinarians through a ?Dear Veterinarian? letter to, among other things, let them know in advance what specific types of information FDA would find it most useful to receive from them when they report cases of suspected jerky pet treat-related illness to the agency. This information includes:
How long the owner has been feeding the treat
What else the pet has been eating (all treats, human food, and pet food), including how much is given daily of all items
Bloodwork values, especially for liver and kidney
Urinalysis results

FDA also requests in the letter that veterinarians obtain a urine sample (10 ml if possible) from dogs or cats that may have illness associated with jerky pet treats and freeze it for testing for Fanconi Syndrome by Vet-LIRN. This testing will allow FDA to get a better idea of how many of the suspected cases involve Fanconi Syndrome, whether or not the pets display symptoms of kidney or urinary disease.
FDA is providing additional advice for pet owners

FDA uses its website to provide pet owners with periodic information about its ongoing investigation into jerky pet treats. Despite extensive media coverage highlighting the investigation, we continue to hear from pet owners who were unaware of the issue and have purchased and fed jerky treats to their pets. In response, FDA has developed a Fact Sheet for pet owners that can be made available at veterinary hospitals, pet supply stores, other stores selling pet food, and anywhere pet owners visit.

FDA continues to caution pet owners that jerky pet treats are not required for a balanced diet. The agency encourages pet owners to consult with their veterinarian both prior to feeding treats and if they notice signs of illness in their pets after feeding treats.

Furthermore, FDA asks pet owners to pay attention to sudden adverse symptoms, like vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, increased urination, or lethargy, and to seek veterinary care if these symptoms occur.
What we need from pet owners

If you believe your pet has become ill from consuming a jerky pet treat, you can provide us with valuable information. In addition to your contact information, your pet?s symptoms, and medical records, the one piece of information we most often lack is the lot number of the jerky treat product. If we have the lot numbers, we can identify whether particular lots triggered more complaints, trace products back to specific manufacturing facilities, and identify lots for testing. While we still want to hear from you even without the lot number, this information can help our investigation immensely.

If you find it convenient to transfer pet food and treats to a secondary container to protect them from rodents, insects or spoilage, FDA recommends that you consider saving the original packaging. This will help ensure that you will still have access to the lot code if your pet becomes ill from consuming the product.

While working with your veterinarian to review your pet?s records, FDA and Vet-LIRN scientists might request specific testing to try to narrow down the cause of your pet?s illness. The costs of tests requested by the scientists will be covered by Vet-LIRN and FDA, but pet owners will not be reimbursed for any additional testing expenses they may incur.

Although it is always a difficult topic to consider, in the event of a pet death that appears to be related to the consumption of jerky pet treats, post-mortem testing of animal tissues, such as a necropsy (in human medicine, doctors call this procedure an autopsy) may also be helpful. While we want to do everything we can to prevent pets from becoming ill in the first place, having the chance to examine tissues may fill gaps in information that can help us pinpoint a cause for the reports of injury and death.
Why we usually don?t test open bags of treats or food, and why JPT is the exception to the rule

While FDA occasionally collects samples from consumers to test, open containers by their very nature make it difficult to identify exactly when any contamination occurred. As a general rule, the agency prefers to test unopened samples of the same lot number, because the chain of custody in these closed samples is usually well-documented.

In our Jerky Pet Treat investigation, however, we have collected treats from previously opened bags directly from owners for two reasons: to be sure we have samples from the same bag from which the affected pet was eating and to measure variability in the contents of the bags. It is not unusual for bags of jerky treats to contain strips from several different birds.

If you do not have any treats left from the bag, we still request that you hold onto the packaging because lot codes can provide valuable information about when and where the treat was made.
Why the investigation is still ongoing

This investigation continues to be a challenging one for FDA. Complicating the investigation are some fundamental differences between investigations into illnesses in people versus those in pets.

In human illness outbreaks caused by foodborne bacteria or contaminates, FDA works in concert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state boards of health, which collect and track cases of foodborne illness. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent for pets, which means that it is difficult to accurately evaluate the scope of an outbreak. For instance, FDA is unaware of any statistics on the rate of occurrence of Fanconi Syndrome in non-Basenji breed dogs. Without such a baseline, it?s hard to appreciate how unusual the findings of Fanconi syndrome might be.

In the Basenji, and some other breeds such as the Norwegian Elkhound, Fanconi Syndrome is usually a genetic condition that can be passed down from parents to offspring. Very little is known about the possible causes for non-genetically related (acquired) Fanconi Syndrome cases in dogs, but certain toxins, medications and infections have been linked to its development in dogs and people.

Another complicating factor in the investigation is the lack of post-mortem information. When a person dies unexpectedly, it is not unusual for a medical examiner to perform an autopsy to try to determine the cause of death. When a pet dies, it is much less likely that qualified veterinary pathologists will have the opportunity to examine the body. By the time FDA receives reports of deaths in pets, the body has often already been cremated or buried, eliminating the chance for scientists to gather more information about potential causes for the pet?s illness.

Finally, FDA does not have access to market data about food items for pets. FDA regulations do not require product registration for foods, whether they are intended for people or animals. Therefore, it is difficult to appreciate the scope of the jerky pet treat market and the different products available to consumers.
Where we go from here

Since 2007, FDA?s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has dedicated increasingly more resources to pet food, and CVM continues to work diligently to find the cause for illnesses and deaths linked to jerky pet treats.

As veterinarians, animal scientists, and animal lovers ourselves, we strive to make sure that the products FDA?s Center for Veterinary Medicine regulates are safe, effective, and properly manufactured. We understand the love and devotion pets provide, and we are determined to find the answer to this mystery.

Page Not Found | FDA

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm371465.htm

**Emily** · November 4, 2013, 02:32 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/vets-p...rky-8C11512049

Vets, pet owners demand to know: Why can't FDA solve jerky treat mystery?
JoNel Aleccia NBC News

15 hours ago
...
The FDA’s Hartogensis said officials know that pet owners are upset. Nearly 1,500 reports of new illnesses were logged at the FDA’s pet safety portal in the week since the agency announced its latest update.
...

“There are folks all across the agency that are working on this,” she said. “I think it’s a pretty high priority. There’s a core group in CVM working not to leave any stone unturned.”

But if U.S. import records are any indication, FDA officials may need to work harder. Records obtained Monday by NBC News showed that Nestle Purina PetCare Corp. imported three 21,510-pound shipments of Waggin’ Train chicken jerky treats on Oct. 15, the first in eight months. By Friday, the online records had been altered to reflect not the brand name but generic descriptions of dog treats and chews. ...

And just who altered those records? The identity of importers was always disclosed until now, at least as far as I have observed since the criminal poisoning of pets with melamine back in 2007.

Good catch, JoNel Aleccia.

ETA: The records I'm thinking of are the FDA import refusals and are probably not the same altered records discussed in the article.

FYI - I see the FDA stopped the importation of soy protein that was adulterated with melamine last summer:

Import Refusal Report

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/importrefusals/ir_detail.cfm?EntryId=554-3780254-3&DocId=1&LineId=1&SfxId=

**Emily** · December 4, 2013, 04:17 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/...9#.Up7dEiftrMo

Tainted treats leaves poor pooch sick
by Beth Cefalu
Posted: 10.29.2013 at 5:08 PM
Updated: 10.30.2013 at 7:55 AM

In August, Gina Marie, a six-year-old chihuahua mix, was kept in intensive care for six days. There she received a three-page long list of medical treatments totaling over $8,000. The Deloria family said it didn't take long for veterinarians at Fox Valley Animal Referral Center to conclude jerky treats were the cause.

"They pretty much figured it out after day one at Fox Valley," Lynn said. "Hearing she had jerky and then the illnesses that resulted from it, the symptoms that came from that."
...
We contacted Rhode Island Textile Company, the manufacturer of Pet Shoppe, but did not receive a comment. We reached out to Walgreens for a comment as well, and they responded...

Upper Michigan dog dies from 'Made in China' treats
by Beth Cefalu
Posted: 12.01.2013 at 10:30 AM
Updated: 12.01.2013 at 5:30 PM
...
When we first spoke to the Deloria’s at the end of October, they thought their dog was possibly on the road to recovery. Then, this past Monday, they said her health took a dramatic turn and they had to let her go on Black Friday.

Lynn Deloria said she hopes there’s a heaven for pets where Gina Marie is playing and happy. "Because down here, we're miserable," stated Deloria...

Textile companies & imported pet food ingredients were a deadly combo a few years ago, but in this case the FDA is looking at the common denominators, glycerin and irradiation, present in treats linked to Fanconi-like syndrome in dogs both here and in Australia:

From a link found in the FDA document mixin posted above -

Jerky Pet Treat Investigation Rationale and Results

IV. Evaluation of Jerky Treat Irradiation
Manufacturers use irradiation, an approved process, on a broad variety of food products to ensure food safety and provide insect control. FDA can verify absorbed radiation doses through a variety of methods, such as measuring furan concentration and monitoring levels of 2-acylcyclobutanones (2-ACB).
A. Furan Analysis
1. Rationale: Many of the treats are irradiated; items that are improperly-irradiated may contain marker chemicals indicating improper handling. In general, the literature indicates that irradiation of food does not negatively affect dogs. Blood et al. (1966) reported; however, that dogs fed a high-dose irradiated pineapple jam diet developed glucose in the urine. We therefore evaluated jerky samples for evidence of high-dose irradiation.
2. Results: We analyzed 9 samples (7 chicken, 1 duck, and 1 yam treat). Furan concentrations were in compliance. We have concluded this line of testing.
B. 2- Alkylcyclobutanone (2-ACB) Analysis
1. Rationale: While the correlation of 2-ACB levels in raw muscle foods has been well documented, the literature provides little information on the effect of processing and various additives on observed 2-ACB levels. We believe that jerky pet treat products are irradiated at doses of about 10 kGy, though we do not have any current verification tests. Also, we do not know what, if any, effect the glycerin treatment prior to irradiation has on the final product.
2. Results: We conducted a preliminary study to measure the levels of 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB) in chicken jerky treats soaked in glycerin for varying amounts of time (0 control, 20 min., and 24 hours) and subsequently irradiated at different doses (0 control, 5, 10, 15, and 25 kGy). Chicken jerky samples were prepared from store-bought chicken breast tenderloins, stored in Whirl-Pak bags, and then irradiated with a Cesium-137 source, at 200°C. 2-DCB is a common 2-ACB found in muscles eaten for food which contain palmitic acid. Our study showed that 2-DCB could be used to monitor the absorbed radiation dose and that soaking the chicken in glycerin at different times did not affect the detection of 2-DCB. A second phase of our study is pending and includes consumer complaint-related samples.
...
D. Glycerin Metabolites
Jerky Pet Treat Investigation Page 7 of 21
1. Rationale: The clinical signs noted in the consumer complaints have been very similar to those associated with antifreeze (ethylene glycol) poisoning. Ingested ethylene glycol is converted to glycolaldehyde to glycolic acid to glyoxylic acid to oxalic acid to calcium oxalate. We are exploring the possibility that during manufacturing process of jerky pet treats, irradiation, in combination with other factors, produces toxic metabolites of ethylene glycol from glycerin that also converted to calcium oxalate. In 2013, we began developing a method to detect these glycerin metabolites.
2. Results: We have tested jerky treats for ethylene glycol and all samples were negative. Testing is pending for toxic metabolites of ethylene glycol from glycerin.

It sounds like citizens and their pets are unwitting subjects in a big science experiment & that irradiation of pet food is poorly regulated, whatever the cause of these illnesses.

**mixin** · December 4, 2013, 05:50 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

Losing a furry 4-legged family member is heartbreaking.

There are many instructions for homemade jerky treets on the internet; they are fast, easy and dogs love them.

**Emily** · December 14, 2013, 04:42 PM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/241807...t-jerky-treats

8 on Your Side: FDA Warns Pet Owners About Jerky Treats
Posted: Dec 10, 2013 6:05 AM PST Updated: Dec 10, 2013 6:30 AM PST
By Michelle Mortensen, Investigative Reporter - email
By Rudy Villarreal, Photojournalist - email
...
Many of these treats are still on store shelves. The FDA hasn't removed them from the market because of inconclusive evidence regarding the danger they present. The FDA is still testing the treats and looking for answers...

http://www.poisonedpets.com/universi...-treats-china/

University labs offer testing for pets affected by toxic jerky treats at no cost to pet parents
The University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories are collaborating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration?s (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) to evaluate diagnostic samples from companion animals in suspect cases of exposure to contaminated pet treats at no cost to pet parents...

**Emily** · February 1, 2014, 06:34 PM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.norwalkreflector.com/article/4087861

Ohio dogs continue to get sick from mysterious illness
Hold off on jerky treats, experts say.
MCT Regional News
Feb 1, 2014

**Emily** · February 4, 2014, 04:03 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.abc-7.com/story/24584313/...s#.UvCpXPvTDMo

Controversial pet treats could return to stores
Posted: Jan 29, 2014 7:05 PM PST Updated: Jan 29, 2014 8:57 PM PST
By Laura Roberts, Reporter

Pet Food News
Jerky Treat Freedom of Information Act Request
Posted by Susan Thixton on January 1, 2014 at 2:45 pm

Pet Food News
Just Sickening
Posted by Susan Thixton on January 23, 2014 at 5:36 pm

**mixin** · February 4, 2014, 06:11 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

This quote from the ABC-7 link absolutely astounds me.. "safer ingredients" should have been used in the first place.

Now jerky treat brands Milo's Kitchen and Waggin' Train are reintroducing their products. They say these new treats are made with better, safer ingredients.

**Emily** · February 5, 2014, 05:01 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

I wonder if 'safer' means no more glycerin labeled as "Prohibited for human food and feed processing"...even though they say it's really perfectly safe - they are just trying to avoid fees and pesky, slow inspections - just like when that wheat gluten was mislabeled as textile products back in 2007.

http://google2.fda.gov/search?q=cach...ess=p&oe=UTF-8

An FDA-483 was issued to the firm's president and owner at the conclusion of the inspection which identified that until the week prior to the inspection and continuing for approximately the past two years the firm had used in part glycerin labeled as being industrial grade in the manufacture of jerky pet treat products without having assurance or verification of the safety of the glycerin as an ingredient in these products. This individual was informed that the inspection would be considered violative. Finn management was informed of the legal options that FDA could consider as a result of the inspection.
The firm's president and owner acknowledged that the observation was accurate. This individual went on to state that his concern was the impact this would have on his business.

http://google2.fda.gov/search?q=cach...ess=p&oe=UTF-8

He explained that following episodes of illnesses and deaths from cough syrups containing glycerin
contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) around 2007,
4
tt>lf .eonvneraan::ort'dentl31.mplemented new
? regulations requiring stricter oversight and testing ofglycenn, mciUding imported glycerin, intended
for use in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. This resulted in higher costs and loneer_dearance
X4) - COrilmeraal Confidentia
times for imported glycerin labeled for food and pharmaceutical use.

**Emily** · April 17, 2014, 12:58 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/...shelves/nfZXM/

Updated: 2:02 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2014 | Posted: 4:09 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2014
Previously recalled dog jerky treats back on store shelves
PITTSBURGH ?

WPXI-TV Washington Bureau reporter Jacqueline Fell discovered Chinese chicken jerky treats, pulled from store shelves more than a year ago, are now for sale again in grocery stores.

Sheri Brodie said that her dog died 12 hours after eating a Waggin' Train treat in 2012...

**Shiloh** · May 19, 2014, 08:58 AM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/pet-...treats-warning

Pet jerky FDA deaths: 1,000 dogs dead, 5,600 ill, FDA warns of pet jerky treats

May 18, 2014

Pet jerky FDA reported deaths of more than 1,000 dogs and pet jerky illnesses of more than 5,600 dogs and 24 cats have pet owners on edge and asking, which pet jerky treats are killing our pets? The pet jerky treats which have been linked by the FDA to more than 1,000 deaths in dogs include chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats ?nearly all of which are imported from China,? reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 16...

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Source: http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=32153

Insect repellent, antiviral drug detected in jerky pet treats

May 16, 2014
By: Edie Lau
For The VIN News Service

Chicken jerky treats consumed by dogs that became sick have been found to be tainted by the insect repellent DEET and the drug amantadine, according to a veterinary pathologist leading an independent probe of the ongoing pet treat mystery.

Samples of the treats were solicited through a survey conducted by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), an online community for the profession and parent of the VIN News Service.

Dr. Kendal Harr, head of the chicken jerky treat team for VIN, said samples of suspect treats were submitted by a variety of veterinarians whose patients became ill after eating the treats. A total of 16 animals were involved, some of which had consumed more than one type of treat, she said. Whether the adulterants are responsible for making the pets sick is unclear.

?The clinical significance is unknown ? but these are contaminated treats,? Harr said. ?I think what the illegal residues tell us is that we have a contaminated food source...?

**Emily** · May 19, 2014, 03:19 PM

Re: Jerky treat mystery: Nearly 600 pets dead; still no source, FDA says (NBC News, October 22 2013)

FDA with an almost simultaneous response:

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/.../ucm397713.htm

FDA Provides Latest Information on Jerky Pet Treat Investigation

May 16, 2014

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on its ongoing investigation into pet illnesses and deaths in animals that ate jerky pet treats. This update includes the latest information about complaints of illnesses, FDA?s collaboration with the CDC on a new case control study, and new findings revealed through the agency?s testing. Unfortunately, FDA has still not been able to identify a specific cause for the reported illnesses or deaths.

Case numbers: Since FDA?s last update on October 22, 2013, we have received approximately 1,800 additional case reports. As of May 1, 2014, we have received in total more than 4,800 complaints of illness in pets that ate chicken, duck, or sweet potato jerky treats, nearly all of which are imported from China. The reports involve more than 5,600 dogs, 24 cats, three people, and include more than 1,000 canine deaths. The breakdown of symptoms associated with the cases is similar to that of earlier reports: approximately 60 percent of the cases report gastrointestinal/liver disease, 30 percent kidney or urinary disease, with the remaining 10 percent of complaints including various other signs such as neurologic, dermatologic, and immunologic symptoms. About 15 percent of the kidney or urinary cases also tested positive for Fanconi syndrome, a rare kidney disease that has been associated with this investigation.

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Testing: Following testing performed by the New York State Department of Markets and Agriculture (NYSDAM) in 2012 that detected low levels of antibiotics in tested jerky pet treats, FDA undertook a project to adapt the NYSDAM method to the equipment in its own field laboratories for regulatory and enforcement purposes. This adaptation is now complete and the method is in use for testing both imported and domestic treats.

Testing of jerky pet treats from China has also revealed the presence of the drug amantadine in some samples containing chicken. These samples were from jerky pet treats that were sold a year or more ago. Amantadine is an antiviral that is FDA-approved for use in people. It has also been used in an extra-label manner (using an approved drug in a way that isn?t listed on the label) in dogs for pain control, but FDA prohibited its use in poultry in 2006.

FDA does not believe that amantadine contributed to the illnesses because the known side effects or adverse events associated with amantadine do not seem to correlate with the symptoms seen in the jerky pet treat-related cases. However, amantadine should not be present at all in jerky pet treats, and the agency has notified the Chinese authorities that the presence of amantadine in these products is an adulterant. Chinese authorities have also assured us that they will perform additional screening and will follow up with jerky pet treat manufacturers. FDA has notified the U.S. companies that market jerky pet treats found positive for amantadine of this finding and are testing both imported and domestic jerky pet treats for amantadine and other antivirals....

So is the testing they refer to the testing done by VIN or by FDA? If this was done by FDA, why withhold the findings? I do not understand why FDA says that no amantadine adverse effects were seen in the sick dogs.

http://www.vetstreet.com/amantadine

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS:

Gastrointestinal effects: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, flatulence, diarrhea
Agitation (most likely to occur in first few days)
Humans report various mental side effects, for example, hallucinations and dizziness
If you notice anything unusual, contact your veterinarian

Does this not overlap with the reported illness symptoms as reported by FDA in the link above?

The breakdown of symptoms associated with the cases is similar to that of earlier reports: approximately 60 percent of the cases report gastrointestinal/liver disease, 30 percent kidney or urinary disease, with the remaining 10 percent of complaints including various other signs such as neurologic, dermatologic, and immunologic symptoms. About 15 percent of the kidney or urinary cases also tested positive for Fanconi syndrome, a rare kidney disease that has been associated with this investigation.

Also, the FDA says it is now using the more accurate NYSDAM methodolgy for testing for antibiotics. This seems a tacit admission favoring NYSDAM as having been the correct party in the earlier discrepancy where FDA found lower levels of illegal antibiotics in feed than NYSDAM did.

So does the FDA believe that interactions between various contaminants are impossible?

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...P=A&A=2781&S=1

Interactions with other Drugs

Trimethoprim-sulfa (an antibiotic), quinidine (a heart medication), and thiazide diuretics may decrease the excretion of amantadine, yielding higher blood levels, making amantadine stronger.

Other anticholinergic drugs, such as antihistamines, may enhance the anticholinergic effects of amantadine. These effects include dry mouth (possibly showing as more lip-licking or water consumption), difficulty urinating, increased heart rate.

Other drugs that increase activity/general stimulation may exacerbate the agitation side effect sometimes seen with amantadine. Selegiline, which is frequently used to treat senile cognitive dysfunction, might be an unexpected member of this category of drugs.

Concerns and Cautions

Probably the biggest concern is that this medication is fairly new to veterinary use and a full catalog of what to expect with its use is not yet available...

And FDA does not even address the DEET contamination.

Announcement

Jerky treat mystery: 1,000 pets dead, humans sickened; still no source, FDA says

Jerky treat mystery: 1,000 pets dead, humans sickened; still no source, FDA says

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