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FDA Jerky Pet Treat Investigation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released an update on its investigation into pet illnesses and deaths associated with jerky pet treats from China. As of September 24, 2013, FDA has received more than 3000 complaints of illness related to consumption of chicken, duck, or sweet potato jerky treats, nearly all of which are imported from China. The reports involve more than 3600 dogs, 10 cats and include more than 580 deaths.

The rate of complaints associated with jerky pet treats dropped sharply after several well-known brands were removed from the market in January 2013, when a study conducted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Marketing (NYSDAM) detected low levels of antibiotic residues in those products. FDA believes that the drop in complaints is linked to a decrease in the availability of jerky pet treats rather than the low levels of antibiotics found in January, which FDA believes are unlikely to be the cause of the illnesses. However, FDA is performing an evaluation to determine the possibility for low levels of the antibiotics to cause illness in dogs when fed over a length of time. This process involves 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, the investigation continues to evaluate all potential causes for illness from the jerky pet treats.

While FDA has not yet identified a cause for the reported illnesses, the agency continues to perform testing to help identify cases and examine both animal tissue and product samples associated with the cases. FDA also continues to work with the manufacturers and distributors of the treats and China's Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to investigate potential sources of contamination or causes of illness in pets. 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 prior to feeding treats and if they notice symptoms in their pets.

A Fact Sheet, listing steps pet owners can take to prevent or detect illness related to the treats is available at: www.fda.gov/downloads/NewsEvents/Newsroom/FactSheets/UCM371715.pdf

In addition, a letter to veterinary professionals addressing how they can assist in the agency's investigation is available at: www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm371453.htm.