Chicken jerky dog treats recalled

Nestle Purina and Milo's Kitchen have announced a voluntary recall of dog treats, but say the withdrawal is not linked to whatever caused sickness in thousands of dogs in North America, the subject of a CBC Marketplace investigation in September.

Nestl is taking Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch brand products off the shelves and Milo's Kitchen is recalling Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers home-style dog treats.

The move follows a finding by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets in samples of the products of trace amounts of antibiotics not approved for use in the U.S.

The department requested a recall in its jurisdiction and the companies voluntarily expanded that to apply across the U.S. In a release, Nestle said the residue does not pose a safety risk to pets, but that "in the final analysis, our company and our loyal consumers must have total confidence in the products we sell and feed our pets."

The antibiotics found are approved for use in poultry in China and parts of the European Union.

Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. withdrew theproducts from sale in Canada when the voluntary recall was issued in the United States.

In a statement to CBC News, Costcosaid it made the decision even though Canadian regulations"are not the same as the U.S .regarding residual antibiotics in pet food."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating chicken jerky products after it received thousands of complaints last summer from pet owners who said the treats made their dogs sick.

"There is no indication that the trace amounts of antibiotic residue are linked to the FDA's ongoing investigation of chicken jerky products," Nestle said.