[Dog_Obsessed]

So I seem to be on a role tonight when it comes to creating topics so I might as well create this one:

I know it is a horrible idea to feed any dog food, but especially jerky, that’s from China, but is it safe to feed jerky made in the US such as the jerky treats made by Wellness and Fruitables? I have heard conflicting things online. Thanks!

[theBCnut]

If it is from companies that you trust and the chicken is sourced from the USA, processed in the USA, and the jerky is made in the USA, then it should be ok. If the company can not assure you that the chicken never left the USA, I wouldn’t buy it. They have not figured out what was wrong with the jerky that killed so many dogs and cats, so I wouldn’t want it to be in China at any point, just in case.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks! I do think that Fruitables and Wellness are both trustworthy companies, and they both say “made and sourced in the USA”.

[Dori]

Just my opinion, but at this point I wouldn’t feel comfortable feeding any jerky regardless of what company makes it or where they say ingredients are sourced. Dog Obsessed, you’re better off making your own which is actually pretty simple to do then you know exactly where you got the ingredients and who handled it (you). Way to many issues with commercial jerky.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks for the input Dori! I’m interested to know actually, what is the exact problem with commercial jerky? I know the treats from China had bacteria and chemicals that caused Fanconi Syndrome, but is there something about jerky treats that make them harder to process safely?

[theBCnut]

They do not know what the Chinese chicken breeders did to the chickens or what the processors did to the chicken to make it lethal. I read all 82 pages of the FDA report. They tested the jerky for everything they have a test for and even created new tests to test the jerky, but they never found anything that should have caused those problems. There are still things they suspect, but they have no way to test for. It could be something that the chickens were fed or something that was added afterward. Nobody this side of the ocean knows, and nobody that side of the ocean is saying either. No, there is nothing about jerky treats that makes them harder to process.

I really think the problem is that they come from a country that does not value life, so they don’t care what they do to treats for dogs, and especially American dogs. Frankly, if I lived somewhere where dogs got more expensive treats than what I got paid, I probably wouldn’t care either.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Whoa. That sounds pretty bad. So is the potential issue with even american-made jerky that some ingredients could have spent some time in China?

[theBCnut]

Our lawmakers, in their infinite wisdom(yes, I BADLY need a sarcasm font here) have made it legal for US raised chickens to be sent to China for processing before being sent back here. How in the world they could possible think this is a good idea is completely beyond me. Since they don’t know what tainted the jerky, they don’t know what stage the jerky was tainted at. So if the chicken was ever in Chinese hands, other than Chinese American hands, I don’t want it and I don’t want my dogs to have it.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Ah, okay. Thanks!

[Dori]

Sorry Dog Obsessed. Just came on the computer and saw that BC had already answered your query. It is as BC said, we send out chickens to China to be processed then sent back to us. God knows what’s in their processing methods since they don’t have a clue what the issue was with the jerky from China. I agree with BC. How could it possibly be a good idea to send food from here to China to process and then send it back to us. How is this even a cheaper way to get this accomplished. It’s totally insane that it is more economical to companies to send thousands and thousands (no doubt much more) all the way to China, have whatever they do to them done and then send them all the way back to the USA. Obviously they have no standards in China of any sort whether it’s for animals or their own children. Remember the baby formula fiasco in China?

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

I don’t buy anything that says “jerky” on it. I don’t care if they claim it’s sourced from here.

[Dori]

I’m with you Hater and Molly’s Mom. I don’t care where they say it’s sourced. There’s just too much B.S. going on to trust any of them regarding jerky.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Dori.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Okay, sounds like I won’t be feeding any store-bought jerky from now on. Thanks for the replies everyone!

[Kristin C]

Hey-so real simple idea for jerky is……. Turn your oven on as low as it goes and place your sliced meat (slightly frozen when sliced), on a rack. Check on it and flip every few hours until it’s JERKY. Thus is best to do when you plan on being home, but you can definitely freeze the excess. My girls’ love it.

[theBCnut]

Make it in the winter when you want to extra heat in the house anyway. I have a dehydrator and make jerky all the time.

[arwyru24]

It’s always really bothered me that it would even possibly be worth it to ship chickens halfway across the world and then sent back. It’s crazy and super shady. I also do not buy anything jerky regardless of the brand. Before I was better educated I bought my last dog jerky treats ..blue buffalo brand and also happy hips. He lived to be 15 when he died and I don’t think he suffered any ill effects but it’s hard to say He got epithelial lymphoma at about 14 and the tumor was removed but who can really say what causes some of the cancers. It really hurt his quality of life in his final year. He didn’t tolerate chemo well and developed pancreatitis as a result and it was just a hard last year. I don’t make my own food or feed raw but I try to do all that I can to feed healthy foods and not take undue risks but I am always questioning myself. I have a vet I trust implicitly now but unfortunately didn’t find him until the dog was 13 and cat was 15. He would have saved both of those animals a lot of pain and suffering. The dog had two surgeries to remove crystals the second time he was 12 and was blocked completely. The other vets just had him on c/d dry his whole life. This was the first vet to tell us water is very important and took him off the rx food and had us feed high quality canned with lots of water added in. They don’t push science diet there they give a list of brands they suggest which are all good choices (taste of the wild is the only one I can think of that’s debatable) It’s such a shame that it’s so hard to know who and what to trust to take good care of our pets. I agree with BC nut completely. … this shouldn’t be so hard.

[arwyru24]

I worry about artificial vitamin supplements from China in the food. I worry about issues like Blue Buffalo was having wth not actually knowing what the people making the food were actually putting in it. Then I have to contend with what my cats will actually eat. And one is immuno compromised so raw isn’t an option and I don’t feel comfortable making my own food nor does that work well for my life style. I worry about over vaccinating and about under vaccinating. I just try to use my best judgment and do the best I can for my animals. It just complicates things when companies knowingly compromise our pets health and lives for the sake of profit maximization and you have to research everything you pick up off a shelf to feed your pet because it could potentially kill them very suddenly which is the worst because you have no time to fix it or slowly but surely over a little time.

[aquariangt]

I do use real meat jerky for training treats sometime, if you’re looking for a solid one

[InkedMarie]

The only jerky type of treats I’ll use are the ones from The Honest Kitchen.

[Dog_Obsessed]

THK makes jerky?

[aquariangt]

Sort of. Wishes and beams are very jerky like

[Dog_Obsessed]

Oh yeah. I was looking at their fish treats yesterday. I thought the beams were chews at first, but it seems like they are sort of more like treats. I really liked the look of the quickies, because they are so low-calorie, so when I finally get around to placing an order on chewy.com those will be on it.

[InkedMarie]

They’re kind of like chews, kind of like jerky. Mine love them!

[Dog_Obsessed]

How long does it take for them to eat one? I got a small salmon skin bone, not by THK, at the pet store yesterday. Lily loves it though it is somewhat smelly, and I think it will last her a while.

[InkedMarie]

Boone & Ginger’s last a few minutes. Gemma has no teeth so it takes her hours to gum it.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Okay, thanks. I will keep these in mind for the occasional treat for Lily.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Has anyone tried using THK’s website to order food? I’m trying to get some samples.

[Dori]

THK is in our rotation and I always prefer to order from their site. I feed Zeal in rotation. They give points for meals and treats, etc. Every certain amounts of foods you get a free one. They send you coupons and free or discounts on items.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks! I placed my first order there earlier today, I got some $1 samples and some treats. I actually figured out that 675 points will earn a months worth of food for Lily. Also, their food seems to much cheaper on their website.

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