WASHINGTON — Dog and cat treats linked to thousands of pet deaths across the country prompted Petco to pull the snacks off the shelves.
Vets say while this isn’t a new threat to your pets health, there are steps you can take to better protect them.
“This is still under investigation; that’s the scariest part,” says veterinarian Dr. Katy Nelson, who has treated sick pets that fell victim to the Chinese treats being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration.
So far, there’s no ingredient they can point to that pet owners should look to avoid.
“The symptoms that have been reported … are associated with kidney failure or liver failure,” Nelson says.
You shouldn’t ignore the warnings, especially if your pet has been sick before, or if you’ve changed treats recently.
To make things tougher for pet owners, it’s tough to tell from the package where the treats are made. For that reason, Nelson says, pet parents should do their homework about which brands to purchase.
“Choose the ones that are made in America, ” she suggests, “because at least we know the FDA is regulating what’s going into those.”
Or, you could make your own pet treats. Listen to her description how to make the sweet potato or chicken jerky treats.
