The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine still does not know the reason behind the illnesses linked to jerky treats. The FDA initially reported in January that 500 dogs and cats had already died and 3,200 got sick after ingesting jerky treats. Several brands like Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch treats manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare Co and Del Monte Corp's Milo's Kitchen Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers home style dog treats immediate recalled their products in January. The recalls led to a sharp decline in the death tolls.
However, the FDA said it has continued to receive reports about illnesses caused by jerky treats which were said to be made in China. So far, 600 pets had died and over 3,600 had fallen ill. FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine Martine Hartogensis said, "To date, testing for contaminants in jerky treats has not revealed a cause for the illnesses."
No financial cost for the recall has been given. However, a report from consumer research company Packaged Facts revealed that the sale of pet foods in the US has reached USD 20 billion in 2013. This was a 4.5% increase from the sales posted two years ago.
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