Posted on 02/15/2006 3:57:34 AM PST by LouAvul
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (CNN) -- At least 13 dogs have died after being fed the top-selling pet treat in the country, owners and veterinarians have told CNN.
The problem comes because the treats, called Greenies, become lodged in a dog's esophagus or intestine and then some veterinarians say they don't break down.
"I know they are marketed in saying that they do digest. Certainly the ones that we've taken out, esophageal or intestinal, that have been in for days are still very hard," Brendan McKiernan, a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist from Denver, Colorado, told CNN.
Greenies recommends owners check that the treats are chewed and Joe Roetheli - who launched the brand as a treat that can freshen a dog's breath and clean its teeth - said it was important to pick the correct chew for a particular dog. There are 7 different sizes to choose from depending on the size of the dog.
But most of the dog owners CNN talked to say they did follow package instructions and they still had a problem.
Mike Eastwood and his wife, Jenny Reiff, recently filed a $5 million lawsuit in New York, blaming Greenies for the intestinal blockage that caused the death of their dog Burt.
"I'm mad that their packaging states that the product is 100 percent edible, highly digestible and veterinarian approved, yet our dog died of it," Eastwood told CNN.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Cooked bones become hard and brittle which can cause all kind of problems. But there are some dogs that seem to do okay with cooked bones.... but I would not risk it
The Boogie actually prefers mashed potatoes (no gravy or butter) to beef. He’ll eat corn on the cob off the cob – but it has to be buttered. About the only thing he doesn’t like is fish. If I want to want supper undisturbed I fix fish. He’ll come into the dinning room, sniff – turn and flip his nose and tail as he leaves.
I picked up an ox tail bone for The Boogie once. It lasted him several days.
If your dog gulps food it is recommended that the food be cut up in smaller portions to avoid choking.
Thanks so much for the info.
We had a Heinz 57 mutt growing up and he was a constant companion for us kids.
But my parents didn't take him to obedience training or anything, which would have been a good idea. I'd like to make sure about what we are doing here and get everything started off right.
I had also heard from a friend that you have to be really careful with where you get a dog. I'm going to get some names of breeders from her and definitely not go the pet store route.
Someone had suggested that a Boxer-Bulldog breed is a good family dog, and it doesn't shed much, either. Have you had any experience with those?
LOL!! Reminds me of Sparky..he turned his nose to Jumbo Shrimp! Of Course he knew it was an oxymoron!
Boxers are great family dogs that do require little in the way of grooming but tend to gain weight quickly. They will require a good amount of exercise. They are also prone to hip/back problems so be careful with them jumping too much. Overall they are very good/protective fine family dogs.
I always ALWAYS suggest obedience classes for a first time dog owner and even those who have owned dogs before but are changing breeds to a much different type of animal.
Though I showed Old English's for years I took a training class when we got our Rottie. Training that worked very well for Old's didn't work on her. I had to be taught new ways of training. Remember, training isn't really for the dog, it's to train to owner how to train the dog.
Good luck on your quest and keep us updated when you get your new family member!!!!
I wonder what breeds were represented among the dogs who died or needed surgery. If there are a disproportionate number of labs and lab mixes, I don't think the treats are the main problem. A couple of months ago I was in the waiting room at a vet hospital, sitting next to a woman who was there with her Lab, who was attached to a shiny new leash. He had a new leash because he'd eaten his old NYLON one, in 3 pieces, one of which had passed, but the other 2 had become hopelessly stuck.
I did share some grilled shrimp from Red Lobster with The Boogie. I didn’t much like it, but he sure did. I have yet to find any fin fish he likes.
lol Count your fingers.
That's funny, because our Heinz 57 seems to need trash. When outside, he does change the requirement to cat poops.
I did.
A few years ago I stepped too close to his food dish while he was eating. One of his fangs pierced my leather shoe and big toe nail, nicking the toe bone. He might be small, but he will defend his food.
New slogan for "Greenies":
"Goes down, stays down...won't break down."
They didn't hurt me when I ate them...
I know this is a couple of days after the thread - but I'm wondering about the avacados? When we lived where there was an avacado grove - my sheperd's coat had never been so shiny. She didn't over indulge, but she sure loved 'em.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.