Are dental chew treats causing kidney disease in dogs?

The Veterinary Information Network News Service is digging into a two-year mystery as to exactly what's causing symptoms of kidney disease in dogs, including vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination, glucose in the urine and sometimes death.



The first reports came two years ago, and were linked to chicken jerky treats made in China that were subsequently recalled in both the United States and Australia. However, the contaminant, which was not melamine, was never identified.



A new outbreak of what's being called Fanconi-like syndrome, after a genetic disease that it resembles, is occuring now in Australia. This time it seems to be associated with dental chew treats called Veggie Dents, manufactured by Virbac in a plant in Viet Nam. Some of the affected dogs had also been chewing Greenies, a similar treat made by Mars, Inc., but Veggie Dents only became available recently in Australia, and all the cases date to after their debut in that country.



VIN News Service reporter Edie Lau contacted Michael Walsh, marketing manager for dental products at Virbac Animal Health, located in Texas. From her story:

[Walsh] said he was unaware of any potential link between Veggie Dents and Fanconi-like syndrome outside of Australia, and was unaware of problems in Australia until he was contacted this week by The VIN News Service.



Walsh noted that he received an e-mail from a colleague in Australia on May 11 asking if he’d heard any reports of Fanconi-like syndrome in dogs after being fed Veggie Dents.



“I said, ‘I have no idea what Fanconi is, so no,’ ” Walsh recounted. “This,” he added, referring to the interview with a reporter, “is the second encounter I’ve ever had with the word ‘Fanconi.’ ”



Walsh said he didn’t think anything of the inquiry from Australia because the colleague had noted that some chicken jerky products made in China recently had been recalled in that country, so the issue was fresh on pet owners’ minds.



“We had just launched the chew treat (in Australia),” he said, “so people ask a lot of questions (such as) ‘Is this another chicken thing, or a China thing?’ ”



Walsh said Veggie Dents are composed of corn, starch, glycerin, soy, rice, yeast, sorbitol, corn derivatives and water, and are manufactured in Vietnam.



He said the product has been sold in Europe and Japan for about two years, and was introduced to the United States last September.

I had to read that part about how he "didn't think anything of the inquiry from Australia" on May 11 because "some chicken jerky products made in China recently had been recalled in that country, so the issue was fresh on pet owners' minds"a few times before it really sank in. I guess I didn't want to believe what I was reading.



He didn't know what Fanconi's sydnrome was, didn't check into it, didn't even think about it, and just dismissed it as the hysterical imaginings of a bunch of pet owners spooked by previous recalls? Did I get that right?



Let me try a different way of putting that: Despite mountains of evidence that foods and treats being sold for our pets are contaminated with disease-causing substances, some of which have yet to be identified and one of which turned into the largest consumer recall in history only two years ago, and even more evidence that the global food manufacturing system is dangerously broken, Mr. Walsh ignored this early report and didn't even, apparently, Google "Fanconi" to find out what it meant and if that syndrome had been associated with any past pet product recalls.



Considering that dogs actually died from this during the first outbreak and the contaminant is still not known, you'd think Virbac would be all over this.



Fortunately, even though they don't seem to be, Lau reports that Dr. Linda Fleeman at the University of Sydney is. Read the full story here.

Comments

[Jan]

Why is it that his attitude doesn't surprise me? Perhaps because it's all too common in the food industry today?



Death of a pet or a human being from eating tainted food is no more than an "oops" to them.

[mikken]

I'm trying to think of a nice way to say, "Sh*t", but I'm having trouble finding it.



He got an email from a colleague about something he'd never heard of that might be related to his product and he never ever thought to, oh, I don't know, LOOK IT UP? Or even ask the colleague?



I wonder what else he's never heard of so it must not exist...

[Susan Fox]

While we're at it, has anyone ever heard anything bad about Nylabone products? The "filet mignon" dental chews are a big hit with the collie boy, who isn't much into chewing and they do seem to keep his teeth cleaner.

[Offy]

I cannot help but wonder if this is the leather protein (hydrolyzed leather scraps) making its way to pets (nonruminants).



http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/16055/



"Produced from leather scraps, hydrolyzed leather powder contains potassium dichromate and sodium dichromate,/b>, both of which cannot be broken down by the human digestive system, and will therefore be accumulated as toxins in the human body and eventually lead to swollen joints or even death in children."



Do either potassium dicromate/sodium dicromate cause Fanconi like symptoms/renal issues?

[Offy]

sorry.. lost the h's up there



Do either potassium dichromate/sodium dichromate cause Fanconi like symptoms/renal issues?

[Carol V]

Hysterical pet owners, pesky reporters, and nosy vet researchers...God love 'em all! I think these are who will keep us safe...and not just pet food I am talking about!

[Original Lori]

I like the "I don't know what it is, so it must be unimportant" attitude.

[Gina Spadafori]

In-effing-credible.



Hysterical pet owners, pesky reporters and nosy veterinary researchers ... why should that man have to endure such fuss and bother?

[Susan Fox]

Maybe Mr. Walsh doesn't own a dog and therefore has trouble "relating".

[Carol V]

This site continues to be one of THE BEST...Thanks Christie...et al!

[Kim]

Yes, Virbac makes a whole line of CET enzyme dental chews, sprays, pastes, etc.



What we use in our house is the Petz4Life dental spray. A few times a week for most, Lex gets it every other day religiously because she is prone to tartar buildup.



Once or twice a week we brush teeth using nothing at all - the spray softens any buildup and makes it come off nice and easy. Two of my furkids dont even need brushing, the spray alone is enough.



They also have a salmon flavoured gel - this works well for applying with a toothbrush if you really want to brush them on a regular basis with product.



At least, it works for us! :O)



As for the potential issues AND the response from Virbac - I am NOT surprised. But that alone makes me kinda sad...

[Kim Thornton]

I knew there was a good reason not to let my dogs have dental chews other than they get stuck in their ears...

[Paty Laswick]

I immediately wondered if the "glycerin" ingredient supposedly in the dental chews was really the less costly "glycol" (ethylene or diethylene), which is what happened when a toothpaste made in China had that situation occur. Many people were sickened and some died.

[C.L.H.]

I'm wondering about the list of ingredients. Is sorbitol safe for dogs? Xylitol is toxic to dogs. Both are sugar alcohols. Sorbitol is derived from corn, Xylitol is derived from other plant sources.

[Anne Good]

The brand on the package, Virbac, is the same as the enzymatic toothpaste is use for my dogs. Yikes!



Any other brands out there that people prefer?

[VJ]

Just what is it going to take for people(s)(countries) to wake up and revolt about China and all the poisons coming out of that country!

[Gina Spadafori]

Kim, it's 5:05 a.m. and I'm not fully caffeinated. I read your comment and thought: How do they get them stuck in their ears? Thinking: ear canal.



Then the neurons connected. Those long, beautiful spaniel ears ... they get stuck in the fur!



Hahahaha! Now I know exactly how long it takes coffee to go from cup to brain.

[Phyllis DeGioia]

Kim, where do you get Petz4Life? Looks like I'd have to mail order it.

[Kim]

Our local pet store carries it, and several local holistic vets sell it over the counter as well. You could try contacting the holistic vets in your area, or even the company directly - they may be able to point you to the distributor in your area, who can then tell you who carries it closest to you. :O) I mail order a LOT of stuff, but I try really hard not to mail order things like this - for safety and efficacy reasons - I prefer having a brick and mortar establishment to deal with if I should have a problem.

[John]

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA)issued a press release about this on 6/4:



http://tinyurl.com/pva7kv

[Gina Spadafori]

The problem you reference is 18 months old. I don't think your information is current enough to be reliable, sorry.



I'm sorry about your dog, believe me, but I don't think you can leave this at this company's door with information confirming that this is still a problem with this product.

[beckncall]

My dog got ill to the tune of a $400.00 vet bill. I got these from my Vet who was quiet surprised when I told him about this product being recalled in France and Australia.

I think this is a bad product.......

Please read this link and those at the end of this article especially the one to the vet website. Buy at your own risk.

http://www.examiner.com/pet-products-in-national/dental-chews-possibly-causing-kidney-disease-dogs?cid=parsely#parsely

[generic cialis]

Then the neurons connected. Those long, beautiful spaniel ears ... they get stuck in the fur!