The death toll is going up, and there is no known cause. So the FDA is asking for your help. They need details on blood, tissue, and urine samples from affected pets to try to figure out the cause of death for many pets, mostly dogs. If your dog is vomiting, has diarrhea, decreased appetite and activity, and increased water consumption after eating the jerky treats, see your veterinarian immediately. Some dogs have also suffered kidney failure. If your dog becomes sick, stop the treats immediately, consult your veterinarian, and save the product for further testing.
The problem could be coming from China, where they are manufactured (even though the packaging says USA, the product is coming from China).The USA Today article states that, "Poor food safety remains a major problem in China despite numerous recently publicized crackdowns...and some manufacturers continue to break the law by using fake, low-quality or toxic ingredients to boost profit margin."
To date, more than 3600 dogs and cats have been sickened from the treats coming from China and over 580 have died since 2007. The number of deaths and illnesses has risen since January.
If you care about your pet, please boycott these jerky treats and tell the store where you purchased them to stop stocking their shelves with this deadly treat.