Concern growing about pet treats

Brown, pet owner wants FDA to investigate certain dog treats.

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By Tiffany Y. Latta, Staff Writer Updated 8:20 AM Tuesday, February 21, 2012

SPRINGFIELD — Holly McCutcheon is convinced chicken jerky treats from China sickened her 5-year-old dog, Jack, and another dog she cared for earlier this year.

On Sunday, McCutcheon joined Sen. Sherrod Brown at the Capital Area Humane Society in Hilliard demanding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration speed up an investigation into the pet food, particularly those imported from China, that has reportedly caused hundreds of dogs to become ill or die since 2007.

“If these products are dangerous we’re asking (the FDA) to ask these manufacturers for a voluntary recall,” said Brown, adding the agency has received about 400 complaints in the last few weeks.

According to the FDA, hours to days after eating the treats dogs have suffered from decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

The FDA issued a warning about chicken jerky treats after receiving complaints about them in 2007, according to FDA officials.

The number of complaints dropped in 2009 and 2010, but spiked again in 2011, prompting the agency to issue another warning about the treats in November, according to the FDA.

McCutcheon’s didn’t know about the warnings until Jack became sick and a friend discovered the problem online.

By then, she said she had been feeding her dog, a Goldendoodle, Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek Ranch chicken jerky treats for about a year. He suffered from a rash behind his ear and other symptoms, she said.

McCutcheon sobbed Sunday after telling dozens that Jack, a therapy dog that visits schools and nursing homes, could have died if she had continued to feed him the treats.

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