Chicken jerky products --- such as chicken tenders or strips --- are popular treats for dogs. They can be pricey ranging from $4 for 3.5 oz. to $15 for 2-pounds bag. But they are well-loved by our canine friends so probably worth the price. As delicious as they are, I still avoided the chicken jerky treats ever since reading reports of melamine contamination and the FDA cautionary advisory last year.
Most dogs love these treats and what better time to indulge them than during the holidays? Among the Christmas presents was a bag of Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips from my family.
Chistmas morning had me up researching chicken jerky strips, hoping that they are no longer on the suspect list. Unfortunately, the FDA had (renewed) released a cautionary statement on December 19, 2008 warning of potential illnesses associated with chicken jerky products imported from China.
Illness may appear within hours to days of eating the products. Signs include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased water intake and urination.
Researchers have not been able to determine the cause(s) of the illness. No specific brands were named, only that they were imported from China.
I am sure there are many dogs eating chicken strips from China without any problems. However, I am not one to place my dog's health at risk for treats --- no matter how delicious they may be --- especially when there are alternatives.
So what if your dogs have to have those chicken strips? There may not be that many around but you can purchase those NOT made in China. According to their FAQ, Plato treats are made in the U.S., with ingredients from Europe and North America.
Be careful of similar brand names. For instance, Planet Blue Dog has Made in USA Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips. The packaging is identical to the bag I received on Christmas minus the "Made in U.S.A." banner. The Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips I received was from Smokehouse Pet Products, a company in Sun Valley, CA that imports some chicken treats from China.
For those who are handy in the kitchen, try making your own baked chicken strips. Warning: I tried making the chicken strips and got as far as slicing the fried chicken breast. The dogs decided they like the strips fine without the baking. Still, it may be a good alternative if you want to make a larger batch to save for later. However, I have not figured out how long these will keep --- perhaps a month in the fridge or longer if in the freezer?
Bottom line, if you want to safely treat your dogs to chicken jerky products, avoid those imported from China or made with ingredients from China.
Be vigilant and read labels.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
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2 comments:
Below is an email we received from Cynthia of Kona's Chips. We are posting it here with her permission. We will add an update on Kona's Chips after we do some more research. On first impression, Kona's Chips seem to be an excellent alternative for those that just have to have their chicken jerky :) T-na
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Hi, I tried submitting an email to you mistakenly on your "feedback" area, so now here is a real e-mail. I was doing a search on the new Smokehouse "Made in the USA" product and found your site. We are a real made in the USA chicken jerky company for dogs, based in Oakdale, California. We started our own company since our dog, Kona (a pom) became very ill from chicken jerky from China and couldn't find any made domestically. We actually buy human-grade chicken breast (boneless and skinless) direct from our central valley of Calif based poultry producer and then hand trim the fat, cook the chicken to over 165 degrees, slice and dehydrate. We don't use any preservatives nor do we add anything. We have wonderful customers, and one recently send me the info on the Smokehouse claim. We emailed the company and they do claim the product is made from US chickens, but they still irradiate their product which seems suspect.
Anyway, a lot of vets do recommend our product to their patients, so I thought you might like to look us up on the web at: http://www.konaschips.com/
We also offer free samples (until we go broke!) so you can direct your patients to our Samples page on our website.
If you haven't seen it already, you may wish to visit Lacie's Site, dedicated to the victims of chicken jerky from China.
We welcome any questions or comments you may have. If you know how I can ascertain the country of origin of the new Smokehouse treats, I would love to know.
Thank you!
Cynthia
KONA'S CHIPS
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Addendum: Also I neglected to list the link to Lacie's Site: http://laciessite.org/
PlanetBlueDog.com offers a variety of treats and toys Made in the U.S.A. Our mission is to increase awareness among consumers, so animals are not harmed by toxic treats, food or toys. It is time to raise the bar in the pet industry and encourage the general public to read the labels of the products they are purchasing for their pets.
Thank you!
Anne-Lise Stannard
www.PlanetBlueDog.com
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