The Animal Health Trust, a highly respected veterinary institution, has issued a warning that some imported “jerky treats” may be highly toxic to dogs. A public warning from the AHT does not happen often, and deserves to be taken very seriously.
There have been a number of pet food scares in North America and Australia in the past decade, but to date, the UK has managed to stay in the clear.
Thousands of pets died in the US pet food recall scare of 2007
The most memorable episode was in the USA in 2007 when thousands of dogs and cats died after eating pet food contaminated with melamine, a nitrogen-containing compound which had been illegally added to imported Chinese pet food products in order to boost the apparent protein content.
Melamine causes kidney failure, and as well as the deaths, many pets suffered serious illness during the episode. Over 5000 pet food products were recalled, and serious long term damaged was inflicted on the credibility of the North Americal commercial pet food business.
Owners who had lost pets were disappointed at the level of compensation paid out because calculations were generally made based on the monetary value of the animal, unrelated to the emotional bond between owner and pet. How much is a cross-bred mutt or cat worth? Nothing like the emotional value to a doting owner, that’s for sure.
Jerky dog treats caused serious issues in the USA in 2013
There was another major pet food recall issue in the USA in 2013: this time jerky dog treats were to blame. There have been a number of issues over pet food safety over the past decade in Australia as well. The warning from the AHT is the first hint of imported pet food issues in the UK.
My advice is simple: read the label of any food product that you give to your pet
Pete Wedderburn
The warning is very specific: “some imported jerky treats may cause kidney problems”. Jerky treats are dried strips of meat: dogs love them. Vets across the UK have seen an increase in the number of dogs being diagnosed with kidney problems after eating certain imported jerky treats.
The dogs have shown a decreased appetite, increased thirst and increased need to urinate. Many of the affected dogs had been fed dried jerky type dog treats, specifically chicken or duck. While a cause is still unknown, all the treats were identified as originating from China.
Dogs looking at food on the television screen
Make sure to feed only European meat to your pets CREDIT: MANABU OGASAWARA/GETTY
Several possible causes have been explored, such as the presence of melamine, salmonella, pesticides, glycerin, antivirals and the level of irradiation of the treats, but none of these have been confirmed. So to date, the mystery remains. This issue has previously been investigated in depth in the USA, and again, no definitive cause has been found.
One fact has been established in the UK: the link with the imported jerky treats.
Dog owners: make sure you feed only European meat to your pets
So what should dog owners do? My advice is simple: read the label of any food product that you give to your pet. I’ve written previously about the variation in animal welfare around the world: EU regulations insist on far higher standards than most other regions.
If you’re dog stops eating a much, take it to the vet CREDIT: JUNIORS BILDARCHIV GMBH/ALAMY
This potential toxicity alert is another reason to check to be sure that any meat products you give your pet are sourced in Europe, rather than further afield.
And if your dog does start to drink more and stop eating as much, go to your vet at once: prompt treatment can be lifesaving.
Police have deliberately run over a dog running loose on a road, saying they had “no alternative” way to minimise risk for motorists. But what are the rules on such incidents, asks Justin Parkinson.
The foxhound was on the A55. A car and a lorry had to swerve to avoid it and one officer was bitten as he tried to catch it, according to police. In the end, they decided to kill it, by running it over at a fast enough speed to ensure it “would not suffer”.
The death of the animal near Conwy has provoked an angry response, with Sky News presenter Kay Burley saying those responsible should feel “shame” and one Facebook user calling them “spineless cowards”. The RSPCA has described it as a “particularly tragic incident”, adding that it is speaking to North Wales police to ascertain what happened.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council says it doesn’t offer official guidance on how to deal with dogs on roads, and that forces and officers must decide for themselves how to react.
“It’s best described as a drastic action, but possibly justified,” says Doug Boulton, a former traffic officer with Staffordshire Police who runs the forensic accident investigation firm D&HB Associates. “There would have been very little time to make this decision. If cars were already swerving there might have been an accident in which a person, a child maybe, was injured or killed.”
The alternatives would have been to close the road and catch the dog, or close the road, and make sure the surrounding area was clear, and shoot it. “Those would be time-consuming and there might not have been enough officers on duty in the area to block off the road in a hurry,” says Boulton. “The officers wouldn’t have done what they did lightly and it must have been horrendous for them to run over the dog.” He adds that he’s never heard of police taking this action before.
North Wales Police says other methods of destroying the dog were considered but rejected because they were too dangerous to drivers.
Shutting the road would have been a reasonable option, as the dog was loose at around 03:00, when traffic levels would have been low, says Trevor Cooper, the dog law consultant for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
“This stray dog would undoubtedly have been frightened and it’s such a shame that an alternative way wasn’t found for him to be contained, then seized and returned home,” he says. “I appreciate that a lost dog being on a road is a danger to road users as well as being a danger to the dog itself, but the appropriate and proportionate way would surely have been to temporarily close the road.”
Under the law in England and Wales a dog is defined as a “chattel” – or possession – meaning police could be prosecuted for criminal damage for killing the foxhound. But a possible defence would be “necessity” – in this case that the action could be justified by the need to ensure safety on the road.
The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 states that methods used to destroy an animal must be “humane”. Cooper questions whether running the dog over rather than shutting the road to catch it would come under this category. “If this had been a cow on the road, then there’s no way that it would have been considered appropriate to run them over,” he says.
North Wales Police says the decision was “not taken lightly” and that officers dealing with the incident had “no alternative”.
Our early morning Dog Walk by the River Stour, Wimborne.
Just such a beautiful sunny morning and there are now a few picnic tables and benches on the river bank accessed via Station Road by Wimborne Market. Dream Boats Boat Hire is based here.
Can’t wait for the summer to picnic with my dogs!
Here is Four Paws Cat Zebbie, interrupting my report writing by lying right on top of the notebook to get a stroke and cuddle!
Zebbie is a very affection Cat! Love him!
One of the most rewarding parts of my job as a Dog Walker … here is Four Paws Dog Diesel giving me an affectionate kiss! Diesel you’re a sweetheart!
Cat neutering. Of cos this it is just as important for dogs!
Getting your girl cat spayed
To protect her from getting pregnant, your cat will need to go the vet to have a simple operation called spaying (also known as ‘fixing’, ‘neutering’ or ‘being done’).
When your girl cat is about four-months-old, she will start to attract the attention of tomcats who’ll want to have sex with her.
This is why it’s important to have her spayed before she is four-months-old to protect her from getting pregnant while she’s still a kitten herself.
You may have heard that it’s good for cats to have a litter of kittens before they are spayed – but this isn’t true. Once she has been spayed your kitten will be able to do all the things cats enjoy doing, like going outdoors, climbing trees and playing.
Getting your boy cat snipped
Your boy cat will need to have a simple operation, called the snip. This can stop him from spraying in your house to mark his territory, which can be very smelly, and getting nasty injuries from fights. He’ll also be less likely to wander off and get run over, as cats that are snipped tend to stay closer to home.
Having your cat snipped will protect him from a nasty disease called FIV – which is the same as HIV in people, but for cats. It’s spread through cat bites, often between males fighting over a female. It can’t be caught by people.
What’s involved in the operation?
Your cat will need to be dropped off at the vets, and picked up again later that same day.
The operation is very simple. He or she will be given an anaesthetic. Once they are back at home, they will need to stay in for a short time – your vet will advise – but they will soon be fit and well again.
Need help with the cost?
If you receive benefits you may be able to get some help with the cost of having your cat spayed. Contact your local RSPCA branch.
Other charities, such as Cats Protection may also be able to help.
Tackling the cat crisis
The cat population in the UK has reached crisis point. Despite subsidised neutering schemes from rescue organisations, more and more cats are coming into our care and less homes are taking in cats. Our centres are full and we’re left to pay expensive private boarding fees.
Urgent action is needed to increase neutering rates and reduce the number of unlucky cats that end up in rescue centres.
Eye injuries should be treated with saline solution so as not to upset the pH balance of your dog’s eye.
Dog picture to make you smile this Monday morning! How adorable is this puppy!
Dog Charity Waggy Tails Rescue Dorset is holding a Quiz Night on Friday 26th February.
Quizzers one and all, come along to the Arts University, Bournemouth for a great Quiz night. Fish & Chip supper included. See attached poster. Tickets £10 in advance only. Tel 01202 285828.
Registered Charity No: 1114957. http://www.waggytails.org.uk/
Four Paws Dorset is very excited to announce that Dog Agility Classes will be starting soon!
