This is a news story that keeps cropping up, but it’s still surprising how little awareness there is of the problem. The evidence is increasing that there is some component in some types of jerky treats that can make dogs very, very ill.
Starting in 2007, there have been many thousands of reported cases in the USA – so many, in fact, that the American FDA has been investigating. Many cases have also been reported in Canada and Australia, and there have now been 25 confirmed poisonings in the UK as well.
What treats are involved?
The vast majority of cases involve chicken jerky treats, but duck, beef and sweet potato variants have also been implicated. In addition, the problem seems to primarily be related to brands made in China (59% of UK cases). As a result, the UK’s Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) have this week issued formal advice (see below).
What effects do they have on dogs?
Possible symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea, and some dogs have displayed symptoms of liver or pancreatic disease. However, of the 25 UK cases, 22 involved the development of a disease called Fanconi Syndrome which causes severe kidney damage.
What is Fanconi Syndrome?
Fanconi Syndrome is a form of kidney damage where the kidney tubules are unable to reabsorb sugars, proteins and salts from the urine. This results in a wide range of symptoms, potentially including any or all of lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, dehydration and weight loss. Alterations in urinating and drinking are the most common early signs, and symptoms often appear within hours or at most a few days of eating a treat.
There are, however, other causes of Fanconi Syndrome – it is usually genetic and is predominantly found in Basenjis. In addition, the symptoms are the same as those seen in other types of acute kidney injury, such as Leptospirosis infection, antifreeze poisoning, and some medications. It is therefore very important that your vet rules out other possible causes before you conclude that a jerky treat is responsible.
Can it be treated?
The data from the USA suggests that about 5 / 6 dogs whose owners report symptoms following eating jerky treats survived. Of the 22 UK Fanconi cases, 11 made a complete recovery, 9 were left with chronic kidney problems, and 2 were put to sleep.
The most effective treatment for acute kidney injuries of any cause is rapid diagnosis and supportive therapy – usually hospitalisation, high rate intravenous fluids (a drip), and very careful monitoring. However, if the damage is severe, the dog may be left with permanent low-grade kidney damage; this results in chronic kidney failure which is a lifelong health issue that must be managed (usually with specially formulated foods and sometimes medication).
It goes without saying that no longer feeding jerky treats is essential to both recovery and a good prognosis!
What is the underlying cause?
This is the problem – no-one really knows. In the US, the FDA (their Food and Drug Administration) has performed a wide range of tests, with no results so far. In the UK Pets at Home (who apparently supplied the jerky to 4 of the 22 cases) has launched a random testing programme, but has found no evidence of any known cause of kidney injury (including antibiotics, antifreeze-like chemicals, or bacterial toxins from Staphylococcus and Salmonella); they have also confirmed that all of their suppliers use meat that is cleared for human consumption.
Most of the affected animals were small breed dogs – it may be that smaller breeds are more susceptible, or, more likely, that they were eating more treats proportional to their body weight (one affected dog was getting 98% of its diet in the form of jerky!). However, others were getting them only as treats, and cases have been reported in the US following a single treat, so a simple dose-response relationship seems unlikely.
In the absence of conclusive information, the VPIS have recently launched a Jerky Treats Case Registry for vets to report suspected health problems associated with these treats. Additionally, the FDA will now accept UK samples for testing.
What should I do to keep my dog safe?
It seems likely that, once identified, the causative agent will prove to be a chemical which is relatively safe in humans, but that dogs are particularly susceptible to – however, until this agent is known, there is no way to say which types or brands of jerky are safe, and which are not.
As a result, VPIS has recommended that pet owners should avoid cheap brands of jerky treats, and said that dogs should NOT be given any that originate in China.
If you think your dog may be affected by Fanconi Syndrome or any other condition, whether or not they have eaten jerky treats, contact your vet for advice.
Do you want to know more?
There are a range of resources available on the internet – although we cannot vouch for the reliability of external sites, some of the more reputable include:
- The VPIS Jerky Treats Case Registry website
- The American FDA Jerky Pet Treats 2016 Update
- The AVMA Safety Alert on Jerky Treats for Pets
- Although it isn’t yet available online, the following article is the basis of most of the information about the UK cases: “UK pet owners warned over cheap jerky treats from China”, Veterinary Record, July 8th 2017, p. 31
Discussion
I was feeding my dogs “healthy” sweet potato jerky treats made in USA and also Canada. All 3 suffered from a mild form of kidney damage (elevated SDMA). The puppy has completely recovered. My 8 year old black lab is mostly recovered, and my 13 year old Mini Eskie is only beginning to recover. I no longer feed my dogs any commercial treats. I now make all their treats homemade from 100% organic human -grade ingredients.
My 7 year old Rottweiler just consumed his second treat of golden rewards duck Jerky recipe last night and on the bag it says Product of China. About an hour or two after his second (second treat second day) treat he started acting strange he would whine when he would get up and whine when he would lay down and whine when you would touch him and stands in parts of the room and just stares for a little while and then struggles to lay down. He trembles and his breathing is fast. If you bump him he whines. This started shortly after I gave him the second treat on the second day. His symptoms happened abruptly. I don’t know if I’ve given him enough to affect him or if he is suffering from something else.
Definitely vet check ASAP – any change in behaviour especially if linked to jerky treats needs examination and diagnosis. It may not be related, but you need to know what’s going on before it gets any worse
I just shared a bag of beef jerky with my healthy young 2years old boxer 2 days ago and now he is very sick. Started with vomiting severe lethargy and diarrhea looked suspicious…bloody maybe. He won’t eat or drink. Do I need to go to emergency veterinarian?
Yes I would advise it – whatever the cause those signs suggest potentially serious illness.
We gave my healthy 9 year old heeler chicken jerky treats in 2019. He swallowed them whole and threw them up whole, so we weren’t concerned at first. Later, he became ill again, and went into stage 4 kidney failure very quickly and had to be put to sleep. We don’t have before and after bloodwork to conclude anything, or autopsy. But we are heartbroken and pray no one else suffers the same fate. His other blood levels were perfect, kidneys off the charts…
So sad to hear that 🙁
One year ago Ceasar my folks jack russell terrier beagle dog would have been 11 years old now. But he developed chronic hepatitis and became a diabetic. The week following Christmas he had another attack of pancreatitis the Vet gave him two injections one of the drug he was very sensitive to in the past. It knocked him down so much that he had to euthanized the next am. If theyd of waited a few minutes he have died on his own. 2 weeks ago his littermate Punkin developed pancreatitis and also became a diabetics. After being hospitalized for two days and being treated with iv fluids the vet recommended she be euthanized. Truly sad it is. Both of these pups were fed chicken jerky treats alot more frequently then it was recommended they get them
Way more, they both had bouts of pancreatitis and where diabetics
So sorry to hear that – it’s always hard when a dog gets so ill and there’s a possibility it could have been avoided (even if that isn’t really the main cause). If you and your vet think that the jerky treats might be a factor, they can report the case to VPIS – here: https://vpisglobal.com/poisons/jerky-treats-case-registry/
After feeding my dog treats for approimately 4 weeks she suffered massive kidney failure and had to be put to sleep. Can’t prove it was the treats but she had been in good health and was just 9 years old. The failure was sudden and in less than 3 days she was beyond help.
The same thing just happened to our 8 yr old beagle. We were suspecting leptospirosis but we had also started giving our dog chicken jerky treats not too long ago.