Many pet owners have been disheartened to see the thousands of dog deaths that resulted from them eating contaminated jerky from China.   The FDA launched its investigation and has confirmed that more than 1000 beloved dogs died and many others got sick from these jerky treats.  The reports are continuing to pour in, proving now more than ever that pet owners need to be even more diligent about what they feed their pets.

Because current U.S. law doesn’t require pet treats to contain country of origin labels, it can be really hard for pet owners to know what commercial treats are fine and what treats should be avoided.  The most common result of this tragedy is that dog owners simply stopped purchasing commercial dog treats. This is one way to protect your pet from receiving contaminated treats that could very well end up killing them if they ARE bad in some way.

This is not a surefire way to avoid problems, but it sure can reduce the likelihood of your pet getting sick from these unregulated treats, especially since the FDA has not been able to pinpoint WHY the treats are bad or what exactly is causing the problems.

Contamination such as this can be even more dangerous for small dogs due to their smaller weights.  Because of their tiny size and weight, dangerous products can be much more likely to be fatal than if a dog of much higher weight and size consumed them.  While both may end up sick, the small breed dog has its size working against him.

This is the case in one of the most dangerous foods for dogs to consume; chocolate.  Chocolate should never be given to any dog, but a smaller dog that consumes chocolate has a much higher chance of this dog Unfriendly product killing them.

Pet owners can never be too careful about what their dogs are eating and with problems such as the contaminated jerky treats going on steps need to be taken to protect them as much as possible.  Some possible signs of a problem that pet owners should watch out for if they continue to feed jerky treats to their dogs are vomiting, diarrhea, decreased food intake and increased water intake.  If any of these symptoms show up in your dog, a trip to the Veterinarian is definitely in order, the sooner the better.

What are some alternatives that pet owners can feed their dogs as treats?  Pieces of cheese, especially mozzarella, pieces of hot dog, pieces of meat, (not jerky style) all make great treats that are safe for your dog to eat no matter what their size or weight. Of course vary the amount or size of the piece for the really small dogs.

There are some other foods that dogs shouldn’t consume, not due to the same type of contamination going on with the jerky treats, but simply because they are not good for dogs. These include alcohol of any kind, onions and garlic, coffee or tea and anything with caffeine, and many others. Educate yourself on the foods that your dog shouldn’t eat and find another alternative to the commercial jerky treats and you’ll be doing a lot to keep your pet healthy and safe.