WARNING: Kalina almost died (choked) because of chicken jerky made by Smokehouse! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Sookie · 11-05-2007, 07:03 AM

SORRY so long.

Yesterday was probably the scariest day of my life. Everyone on here knows already how much our babies mean to us, so my telling you that Kalina is my life is superfluous.

I ran some errands yesterday and Kalina went with me. I stopped at PetSmart to see if there was something interesting there for my GE buddy and bought Kalina some 100% chicken jerky made by Smokehouse, picture attached. She was being such a good girl I decided to give her one as a treat. In retrospect, I feel like an idiot. I don't know what I was thinking. When I look at those treats now I can't believe I thought they would be ok. Anyway, I gave her the treat and almost instantly she went limp and fell to her side (I was driving at this point) and her eyes rolled up in her head. I stopped the car and grabbed her, people beeping at me but I didn't even hear them. I can't believe how calm I was. I opened her mouth and I stuck my finger down her throat to see if I could fill the treat and I could, but it was as if it were adhered to her esophagus like glue. I couldn't bring it up but I moved it enough that she was getting air now.

Scared and confused, she started biting me, knowing only that there was something big in her throat (my finger). Knowing she was breathing now, I managed to pull my car into a Dunkin Donuts parking lot. I tried again to get the wafer out of her throat, but it wouldn't come up and she was breathing funny, panting. I decided to try and push it down. I know I probably did everything wrong, but I managed to push it down her throat and she was breathing better now. It's amazing how acute my sense of touch was.

There was an older couple in Dunkin Donuts watching me. I could see them with jaws agape as I shook my dog, pried her mouth open, stuck my finger in her throat, but they were barely on the fringe of my awareness. They must have thought I was nuts.

After I pushed the treat down her throat, I pulled into an Estate where there was a Gardener working. Turns out he is a dog lover and owns three Great Danes. He just said "Give her to me" and he breathed in her face and listened to her lungs and heart, etc. He seemed to know what he was doing and I will be forever grateful for his help. At this point she seemed much, much better.

All day yesterday, afterward, she just sat in my lap (something Kalina NEVER does) with her head on my chest. She even did this while I was eating dinner without begging for my food or anything. All evening she sat on my lap as I watched TV. It's as if she were apologizing for biting me. Can you imagine that? This morning she is wild and crazy and running around like a nut again.

PLEASE do not buy these treats. I went back to PetSmart this morning and told them not to sell them to people with small breed dogs. I tried calling Smokehouse this morning but no answer. I'll keep trying.

Pic 1. The dreaded "treat".
Pic 2. My bitten finger.
Pic 3. Kalina resting up after her ordeal.

lizziepooh_1 · 11-05-2007, 07:09 AM

What incredible and horrible experience! I hope you get through to Petsmart and to the manufacturer of the "treats". You are a hero for your quick thinking and cool head. Kalina is a hero for surviving this (with your help of course). Things like this should not happen, but unfortunately they do, and I hope that your experience will prevent it from happening again, at least with these particular "treats".

Morkie4 · 11-05-2007, 07:09 AM

Oh my, that must have given you a good scare and aged you by 10 years!!!!!! Good thing you stayed calm and glad you followed up by telling petsmart about the issue you had with those treats.

Glad your baby is ok and doing fine this morning!

Little Bit · 11-05-2007, 07:11 AM

How awful! You must have been scared out of your mind! It is amazing that you were so calm and I am SO glad you got her breathing again! Thanks for the warning!

BamaFan121s · 11-05-2007, 07:15 AM

Yikes! I am so glad she is OK. I can only imagine how horrifying that must have been for you.

TLC · 11-05-2007, 07:18 AM

That brand of chicken jerkey treats was pulled from Petsmart shelves not to long ago. There is a very sick Yorkie girl due to those treats being moldy. I am so gald your baby is ok.

francis53 · 11-05-2007, 07:19 AM

So glad your dog is okay now, how scary for you!Thanks for warning us of the dangers,

Martha

GinosMommy · 11-05-2007, 07:20 AM

OMG! you poor things! SO glad everything turned out okay!

Arachne911 · 11-05-2007, 07:21 AM

Maybe she laid on you all day because she was thanking her mommy for saving her life. What if you would have gave her one and walked to another room. That is scary. I am glad she is ok.

mistyinca · 11-05-2007, 07:25 AM

OMG, that is sooo scarey!!

Don't you dare call yourself an idiot

. You should give yourself a pat on the back for saving her.

YOU SAVED HER LIFE!!

and that is awesome!! I can't imagine how hard it must have been to be so nervous, not knowing what to do, and feeling helpless, but you did it. And she's okay now because she has such a wonderful mommy!

Thank you for the warning on those treats. How awful to have to go through something like this for just wanting to show your dog love by giving her a treat!

I hope you are successful reaching the company. Good luck with that. They should take them off the shelves!

shelschrader · 11-05-2007, 07:26 AM

Oh my goodness, what a terrible ordeal. I'm so sorry you both had to go through this.

Thank you for posting this as a warning about those treats. I am amazed by your quick thinking and ability to stay calm, you saved her life and are a hero. Don't blame yourself, things like this can happen to any or all of us at any time. I'm so happy everything turned out alright. You should start a petition to ban those treats being sold to small breed animals (or atleast a huge warning in bold red letters). Everyone here on YT would definitely agree with you and support your cause. With enough voices, change can occur. Bruiser and Marcus Aurelius send their hugs to you and sweet Kalina. God bless.

ARCHIE · 11-05-2007, 07:26 AM

What a scare. Good thinking wrong or not you saved your baby's life so you
did something right. It's amazing you were able to think at all.
I am so happy for you that she is ok.

yougetthesmiles · 11-05-2007, 07:31 AM

bless her little heart! I'm so glad she is ok and doing better. You did the right thing by staying calm!
You both will be in my thoughts.

Amber_lv · 11-05-2007, 07:32 AM

OMG!!

That is soo scary!! I am so glad she is ok. you poor thing! Yes call the manufacter and let them know. I had to do that with the bully stick incedent with Peeka. But the most they will probably do is put a warning on it saying please supervise your dog with this treat thats all they did on the bully stick rings i complianed about. I am so glad she is ok the. Good quick thinking!

Sookie · 11-05-2007, 07:34 AM

I don't know what I would have done if she had died. I can't imagine life without her and I'm so thankful she's ok now. She has brought me so much joy it's beyond the comprehension of someone who doesn't love an animal like we all do. Yes, I aged at least 10 years and I can't afford that!!! Actually it hasn't fully hit me yet because I haven't cried yet. But thank God my baby is ok.

11-05-2007, 07:03 AM	#1
Sookie I LUV KALINA & MATTY Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Jersey near Philadelphia Posts: 3,079 Blog Entries: 2	WARNING: Kalina almost died (choked) because of chicken jerky made by Smokehouse! SORRY so long. Yesterday was probably the scariest day of my life. Everyone on here knows already how much our babies mean to us, so my telling you that Kalina is my life is superfluous. I ran some errands yesterday and Kalina went with me. I stopped at PetSmart to see if there was something interesting there for my GE buddy and bought Kalina some 100% chicken jerky made by Smokehouse, picture attached. She was being such a good girl I decided to give her one as a treat. In retrospect, I feel like an idiot. I don't know what I was thinking. When I look at those treats now I can't believe I thought they would be ok. Anyway, I gave her the treat and almost instantly she went limp and fell to her side (I was driving at this point) and her eyes rolled up in her head. I stopped the car and grabbed her, people beeping at me but I didn't even hear them. I can't believe how calm I was. I opened her mouth and I stuck my finger down her throat to see if I could fill the treat and I could, but it was as if it were adhered to her esophagus like glue. I couldn't bring it up but I moved it enough that she was getting air now. Scared and confused, she started biting me, knowing only that there was something big in her throat (my finger). Knowing she was breathing now, I managed to pull my car into a Dunkin Donuts parking lot. I tried again to get the wafer out of her throat, but it wouldn't come up and she was breathing funny, panting. I decided to try and push it down. I know I probably did everything wrong, but I managed to push it down her throat and she was breathing better now. It's amazing how acute my sense of touch was. There was an older couple in Dunkin Donuts watching me. I could see them with jaws agape as I shook my dog, pried her mouth open, stuck my finger in her throat, but they were barely on the fringe of my awareness. They must have thought I was nuts. After I pushed the treat down her throat, I pulled into an Estate where there was a Gardener working. Turns out he is a dog lover and owns three Great Danes. He just said "Give her to me" and he breathed in her face and listened to her lungs and heart, etc. He seemed to know what he was doing and I will be forever grateful for his help. At this point she seemed much, much better. All day yesterday, afterward, she just sat in my lap (something Kalina NEVER does) with her head on my chest. She even did this while I was eating dinner without begging for my food or anything. All evening she sat on my lap as I watched TV. It's as if she were apologizing for biting me. Can you imagine that? This morning she is wild and crazy and running around like a nut again. PLEASE do not buy these treats. I went back to PetSmart this morning and told them not to sell them to people with small breed dogs. I tried calling Smokehouse this morning but no answer. I'll keep trying. Pic 1. The dreaded "treat". Pic 2. My bitten finger. Pic 3. Kalina resting up after her ordeal. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Susan, Kalina, and Matty Lu Kalina Deiter God Bless America

11-05-2007, 07:09 AM	#2
lizziepooh_1 YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 361	What incredible and horrible experience! I hope you get through to Petsmart and to the manufacturer of the "treats". You are a hero for your quick thinking and cool head. Kalina is a hero for surviving this (with your help of course). Things like this should not happen, but unfortunately they do, and I hope that your experience will prevent it from happening again, at least with these particular "treats". __________________ Hope in a jar: Where there is hope there can be faith; where there is faith miracles can occur. Liz and Tia

11-05-2007, 07:09 AM	#3
Morkie4 Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 4,128	Oh my, that must have given you a good scare and aged you by 10 years!!!!!! Good thing you stayed calm and glad you followed up by telling petsmart about the issue you had with those treats. Glad your baby is ok and doing fine this morning! __________________ CAROL ~ KALLIE ~ TOBY ~ BRANDY ~ BUFFY Proud member of Maltesetalk and Yorkietalk

11-05-2007, 07:11 AM	#4
Little Bit Tiny Dog Big Heart Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,039	How awful! You must have been scared out of your mind! It is amazing that you were so calm and I am SO glad you got her breathing again! Thanks for the warning! __________________ *Blue Sky Yorkies* "Lots of Love in a Little Package" Click Here for Washable Potty Pads and Belly Bands

11-05-2007, 07:15 AM	#5
BamaFan121s YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,304	Yikes! I am so glad she is OK. I can only imagine how horrifying that must have been for you. __________________ ...........Misty........... Trixie * Lexi * Chipsie

11-05-2007, 07:18 AM	#6
TLC Slave to My Rug-Rats Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Long Island Posts: 3,798	That brand of chicken jerkey treats was pulled from Petsmart shelves not to long ago. There is a very sick Yorkie girl due to those treats being moldy. I am so gald your baby is ok. __________________ Nicole *"You Won't Change the World by Saving One Animal..BUT...You Will Change the World for that One"*

11-05-2007, 07:19 AM	#7
francis53 Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 292	So glad your dog is okay now, how scary for you!Thanks for warning us of the dangers, Martha

11-05-2007, 07:20 AM	#8
GinosMommy Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Fishers, IN Posts: 2,152	OMG! you poor things! SO glad everything turned out okay! __________________ Stacy, Mommy to: Bianca the Bichon 3-6-06, Gino the yorkie 3-15-07

11-05-2007, 07:21 AM	#9
Arachne911 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: belton TX Posts: 33	Maybe she laid on you all day because she was thanking her mommy for saving her life. What if you would have gave her one and walked to another room. That is scary. I am glad she is ok.

11-05-2007, 07:25 AM	#10
mistyinca I love my little Chloe! Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Eastvale, CA Posts: 4,133 Blog Entries: 1	OMG, that is sooo scarey!! Don't you dare call yourself an idiot . You should give yourself a pat on the back for saving her. YOU SAVED HER LIFE!! and that is awesome!! I can't imagine how hard it must have been to be so nervous, not knowing what to do, and feeling helpless, but you did it. And she's okay now because she has such a wonderful mommy! Thank you for the warning on those treats. How awful to have to go through something like this for just wanting to show your dog love by giving her a treat! I hope you are successful reaching the company. Good luck with that. They should take them off the shelves! __________________ Misty See Chloe at Dogster Watch videos of Chloe at Youtube

11-05-2007, 07:26 AM	#11
shelschrader Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 743	Oh my goodness, what a terrible ordeal. I'm so sorry you both had to go through this. Thank you for posting this as a warning about those treats. I am amazed by your quick thinking and ability to stay calm, you saved her life and are a hero. Don't blame yourself, things like this can happen to any or all of us at any time. I'm so happy everything turned out alright. You should start a petition to ban those treats being sold to small breed animals (or atleast a huge warning in bold red letters). Everyone here on YT would definitely agree with you and support your cause. With enough voices, change can occur. Bruiser and Marcus Aurelius send their hugs to you and sweet Kalina. God bless. __________________ Shel & her gang Bruiser Ballard - Schrader - Proud member of the Little Gentleman's Club & Marcus Aurelius - Sekwetary of the Little Gentleman's Club!

11-05-2007, 07:26 AM	#12
ARCHIE Owned by "Buddy" Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 10,435	What a scare. Good thinking wrong or not you saved your baby's life so you did something right. It's amazing you were able to think at all. I am so happy for you that she is ok. __________________ Carol Buddy ~MEMBER OF THE S.R.C. AND TEAPOT CLUB~

11-05-2007, 07:31 AM	#13
yougetthesmiles The Brat Pack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,287 Blog Entries: 3	bless her little heart! I'm so glad she is ok and doing better. You did the right thing by staying calm! You both will be in my thoughts. __________________ Is your being a Pee Pee Brat? Think of me and get a Wee Wee Wrap! Specializing in custom made Harness Vest, Dresses, WeeWee Wraps & Poochie Pants! TAIL WAGGERS

11-05-2007, 07:32 AM	#14
Amber_lv Peeka Boo I See You! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake Posts: 7,066 Blog Entries: 3	OMG!! That is soo scary!! I am so glad she is ok. you poor thing! Yes call the manufacter and let them know. I had to do that with the bully stick incedent with Peeka. But the most they will probably do is put a warning on it saying please supervise your dog with this treat thats all they did on the bully stick rings i complianed about. I am so glad she is ok the. Good quick thinking! __________________ Peeka-Boo-Daisy-Designs <---Click Here Peeka's MyspaceDaisy's Myspace Peeka's Dogster

11-05-2007, 07:34 AM	#15
Sookie I LUV KALINA & MATTY Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Jersey near Philadelphia Posts: 3,079 Blog Entries: 2	I don't know what I would have done if she had died. I can't imagine life without her and I'm so thankful she's ok now. She has brought me so much joy it's beyond the comprehension of someone who doesn't love an animal like we all do. Yes, I aged at least 10 years and I can't afford that!!! Actually it hasn't fully hit me yet because I haven't cried yet. But thank God my baby is ok. __________________ Susan, Kalina, and Matty Lu Kalina Deiter God Bless America