Good to Know
Cynthia and Kona - Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, CA
The Advantages of Quality High Protein Treats for your Dog
Two times Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Linus Pauling said:
Nearly all desease can be traced to a nutritional deficiency"
Most all of our treats are high protein boasting treats, nutrition in every bite for your dog. They provide an extremely better balance for your dog's nutritional needs instead of starch and carb based processed treats that are so common these days. Look at the label, check out the percentage of protein. All our jerkies have very high protein content and low fat and carbs.
Simple ingredients. Most of our products are sourced from California, Oregon, Colorado, and Texas. They are rich in nutrients that your dog needs and loves.
Treats that provide extra nutrition for your dog's health needs
Taro
All of our Chicken Jerky, Beef Jerky, Lamb are rich in protein and low in fats and carbs. Protein helps stabilize the blood sugar and gives your dog the energy boast they need during the day.
Chicken and Sweet Potato Jerky have many nutrients.
Sweet potatoes are packed with plenty of health benefits. They offer nutrients, vitamins and cancer-fighting antioxidants that promote canine health. Rich in Amino Acids and boost antioxidant activity to rid the body of free radicals, which can help fight cancer and other harmful diseases. They are a high fiber, heart healthy treat for your dog. Naturally high in Beta-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Potassium.
The Liver Licks are made from Chicken liver that is known to be rich in amino acids, protein, phosphorous, potassium, copper, and Vitamin A & B-complex.
The Liver Licks KICKS also have Biovaplex™ made from natural egg shell membrane that contains a complex of powerful natural compounds such as glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, elastin, and collagen, to name just a few. Canine clinical trials by veterinarians have shown significantly increased joint mobility, so much so, that participants requested to continue using this breakthrough nutritional supplement at their own expense after the study conclusion.
Do You Know the FDA Warning Signs For Dogs?
Kona
Our beautiful black Pomeranian, Kona, became seriously ill in 2007 from eating chicken jerky from China. After research, we found that both the Federal Drug Administration and the American Veterinary Medical Association had issued warnings to dog owners about feeding chicken jerky products from China. Believe it or not, most chicken pet treat products in major chain stores and pet stores are Made in China.
Most unsuspecting and loving dog owners have no idea that the product they are feeding their beloved dogs are made from foreign sources. Many of these products are packed by an American company and sold under their name, which is displayed prominently on the package. However, if you check the back label, near the bottom, or underneath the package, you will usually find in very small letters, these three little words: Made in China.
Does your dog have these symptoms? FDA Warning Signs:
* Decreased appetite, although some may continue to eat the treats but not other food.
* Decreased activity or lethargy.
* Vomiting and diarrhea, sometimes with blood.
* Increased water drinking and urination.
(If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms and you are feeding imported pet treats, discontinue immediately and consult a veterinarian.) Dogs can be wild about chicken jerky, but it's important to find a source that is not imported and uses USDA inspected and approved chicken with no additives. Be sure to inspect your dog treat packages for country of origin and ingredient labels.
Sadly, reports continue about dogs falling ill from chicken jerky products made in China. Make sure your precious pet doesn't fall victim to poisoning from foreign pet treats! To view the warnings, see the following links:
Busting the Myth That the Pet Food Scare From China is Over
Coco
They took care of it, right?
Remember "way back" in 2007, when scores of companies were recalling dog and cat food due to contamination with melamine? Melamine, which can be toxic in high doses, was found present in gluten imported from China, which brings elasticity or chewiness to pet food products. While federal testing identified the melamine, a New York State laboratory also cited aminopterin, a rat poison, as the possible culprit in the pet food. Numerous FDA Warnings were issued while the media highlighted the food recall, including the horrifying amount of pet deaths across the nation.
While the exact number of dog and cat deaths is unknown, one thing is sure: the scare from toxic pet food imported from China was real and it increased awareness from loving dog and cat owners all across the country about the dangers of imported pet food.
But that was 2007, and this is now. They took care of it, right? Read on....
Our own black Pomeranian, Kona, nearly died in 2007 from imported chicken jerky from China. And that's over now too, right? Think again--the brand that made Kona ill and the others that are imported from China still sit on pet store and big box store shelves today. And, guess what? Despite the FDA Warnings and the warnings from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the products are still selling and more importantly, still causing illness and death in dogs.
How can that be? Is it because the price of chicken jerky from China is cheaper and pet owners don't think about future veterinary bills? Is it because people don't scour the labels on the chicken jerky treats for three tiny words, Made in China? Is it because American companies and pet stores still import and sell these products to make big bucks?
After Kona nearly died from eating tainted chicken jerky from China, we started our own company in order to raise awareness about the dangers of imported treats and to prevent the needless suffering of innocent pets. Since 2008, we have continued to receive emails and phone calls from heartbroken pet owners about their stories. Here's an excerpt from a customer's email we received yesterday:
"In 2009 we started feeding our dog chicken jerky that was made in China. I questioned 'China' after hearing all the bad stuff about pet foods coming from there, but we trusted the owner of the pet shop and she said the chicken strips were checked by the U.S. and were safe. We bought them and gave them to our dog. But when our dog had her yearly wellness blood screen done, two items for kidney function were really elevated, indicating kidney disease: B.U.N. (blood area nitrogen- elevated numbers may indicate kidney disease, intestinal disease, dehydration, nutritional disease) and Creatinine (indicates kidney disease).
Then my sister told me about USA made Kona's Chips. I went to their site and found information that sounded exactly like Coco's bad blood results. We immediately got rid of the China-made chicken strips and ordered Kona's Chips. Coco loved them, both the chicken and turkey. She's been eating them daily for a few months now and yesterday we had her yearly blood screen done. I told my vet what we've been thinking, that the China made chicken strips were the problem with her two previous blood panel results. We were anxious to see her new blood screening results. He just called me. Her results are all NORMAL. Every item is within the normal ranges! He is convinced (and it's exactly what we suspected) that the chicken jerky from China had caused her kidney functions to be elevated in her blood work. He said it's very fortunate that we quit using them when we did. Keep up the great work, Kona!"
Barb - Michigan
The above email was recently received and it's well past the 2007 pet food scare from China recall. But they fixed that, right? It's over, right?
That story was just one of the many we have received, from the heart-broken breeder whose puppy mistakenly ate an entire package of imported chicken jerky treats wrapped under the Christmas tree, and died within 24 hours from kidney failure on Christmas Day, to the darling stroller-riding 3-pound Chihuahua from Los Angeles who died within hours of eating one tainted chicken jerky strip from China.
News Flash: It's not over. Read your pet food and treat labels. Check chicken jerky bags for three tiny words: Made in China and / or Product of China.
Follow the advice of the veterinarian who replied to our customer when asked about chicken jerky imported from China: "I would never feed my dog ANYTHING that was made in China."
Fight the profit mongers who want to make the big bucks at the expense of your pet.
