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 ...
Can you recommend any good books or websites about raising/training dogs? We are going to get a dog for the family and I want to do some reading first.
Our basenjis seem to have a daily nutritional requirement of Tupperware. They have consumed, over a period of time, entire bowls.
I can think of a few "GREENIES" that need to be fed to the dogs...including the entire Democratic party apparatus!
These treats are harder for a dog to digest than a bone? I find that hard to believe.
And $5 million for a dog?
Gimmeabreak!
What the heck is a fema bone and do they show up 3 days late? :)
We have two Springer Spaniels. They are very rambunctious. I don't think I would ever have just one dog again. This is the first time I had a pair of dogs and the companionship they provide each other is invaluable.
They also had puppies 4 years ago yesterday:
We give our dog cooked bones if they are beef pork or lamb. No chicken or turkey bones though, we have heard that they can splinter and hurt our dog.
Thanks for the info.
Man, that's alot of puppies!
This is old news - it's been brought up before:
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/greenies.asp
(do note though that it's "Undetermined" so they may actually pose a problem)
LOL - whoops in a hurry!
Meant to say a cow's femur bone - the marrow is really good for them.
Taking a break from her love of socks, our little Lhasa ate a "splash ball" (one of those nylon-covered foam balls about the size of a tennis ball) last November. I found no evidence of it for a few days, and thought she'd probably be in trouble soon. She continued to eat and eliminate, and eventually coughed it back up 2 wks after Christmas. I think she has two stomachs!
When my now deceased lab was a puppy we left him at home alone for longer than usual one time. He ate a chair. True he did not swallow it whole and he was careful to keep the shredded cushions in one pile but when we arrived home we had an ex chair. I guess their is nothing finer to a pup then the wholesome taste of finished wood.
I tell people who have labs. They love to chew and they stay at the puppy stage longer than other dogs so be prepared to scratch your head a lot and say " how the heck did he eat that?"
Our dogs are on that diet too. You are right about the breath and teeth. Also the scat is very fine and crumbles cause of the calcium in the diet. My dogs love the diet.
And it is less expensive than commerical foods.
Dogs can safely eat raw bones. It is cooked bones they should never have. If your dog gulps food it is recommended that the food be cut up in smaller portions to avoid choking. Our dogs eat raw chicken backs and necks. They also get raw fish fillets. Never any choking problems but they are black mouth curs. Smaller dogs might need to be watched closely and have their portions sized to their abilities.
Any of the books on dog training by the Monks of New Skete.
My old dog got a hold of one of these when a visiting dog buried his in my sofa. I had the fun of trying to get green-dyed throw-up out of my carpet after that episode. LOL
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