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 ...
We feed raw chicken.... the leg quarters sometimes sell for as little as 59cent/lb. Probably the best as far as bone to meat ratio would be chicken backs but you're correct, you can't buy those anymore. So my husband makes a chicken chili with some of the meat and feeds the bones to the dogs. We also feed them ox tails. Oddly enough, Whole Foods has marrow bones. I say oddly because a lot of the people who shop there are vegatarians but there is also a natural dog food section.
If the dog has really bad breath it's because she has tooth and gum disease... What about the last cleaning almost killed her? They can try different anesthesia or take other precautions to avoid the problems that might have been present last time.
Tooth and gum disease does cause severe problems beyond bad breath.... besides pain, gum disease wears an old dog down from constantly fighting infection.
Oh - and if you go to a grocery with a butcher shop, you can ask the butcher for beef bones. I don't agree with those here who are recommending boned chicken.
Why are cooked bones bad for the dog? I'm starting to feel guilty.....I often give mine the bone left over from a steak or some baby backs. Any information you can provide is appreciated.
(FR is awesome, what a knowledgeable community!)
I wouldn't have either a couple of years ago but I know people who are into the raw food diet for their dogs and have no problems
I have given Maddie almost raw (slightly grilled on the George Foreman)
chicken wings with no problem
And a canned human grade food I give her, Merrick's "Wingaling"
has several whole chicken wings in the can
I NEVER give Maddie rawhide or any such stuff, only an occasional steak bone, marrow bones, and raw or Merrick's canned "Wingaling" chicken wing bone
If you have a farmer's market near you, you might also find a local butcher with whom you could work something out. My dad is an avid hunter, and when he had hunting dogs, he fed them the trimmings from the deer he killed. He kept bones frozen in his rental locker, and he cooked down trimmings and organ meats and home-canned them for later consumption. He had to cook it on a hot plate in the garage because it smelled so dreadful (to us, anyway), but the dogs loved it. Couldn't beat the cost either. If you're in a part of the country with much hunting, you might know someone who hunts or could find someone who butchers for hunters.
"Can you recommend any good books or websites about raising/training dogs?"
I highly recommend: "Good Owners, Great Dogs" (Paperback)
by Brian Kilcommons, Sarah Wilson
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446675385/sr=8-1/qid=1140016754/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4328644-8980153?%5Fencoding=UTF8
puppy bttt
BTTT
I passed this article along in e-mail.
I bet things were lively around your house for awhile . . .
We've been thinking about getting our Only Dog a companion. She's a little Chocolate Lab and as friendly as the day is long - loves people and other dogs. She tries to play with the cats but they're really not interested (except the kitten who throws herself down on the floor in front of the dog, bats her nose, then runs away.)
She eats Breeder's Choice Avo-Derm and is healthy and happy. She gets an occasional Greenie -- she chews them thoroughly, she is not a gulper. Her favorite chew is a big Nylabone, though.
I was wondering if a "FEMA" bone was fallout from the Katrina report that's due out today . . . and would the remains of Michael Brown really be good for your dog?
My lab never chewed anything she wasn't supposed to, until she reached her teenage stage. Then she would pick specific items I was using (not paying attention to her) and chew that up. For example, she would pick the specific video I watched the night before off the video rack and chew it up, same with a deck of cards. Her ability to pick the specific item amazed me.
My Vet has told me for ages never to use the infernal things. He's made a lot of money off surgeries to remove stuck pieces from the digestive tracts of more than a couple of dogs.
"Bully sticks" (made of, er, you don't want to know) are safer.
I saw a lab that actually ate the 30 gallon black plastic bag that had food in it.
I've had dogs that were safe with any kind of bone, and I've had a lab that wasn't safe with any kind except the really big beef knuckles. He'd swallow them whole, or worse, in big shards. It depends on how fast the dog eats and how well they chew, or don't chew, something as bony as a chicken wing. I just don't see a need for the risk.
Good point
Maddie is a very picky and slow eater, probably makes the difference
http://www.wvcvets.com/faqs_dental.html
Human toothpastes, which contain fluoride and baking soda, are not designed for ingestion. Using human toothpaste puts your animal at risk of a GI upset. The best option is to use an animal toothpaste that is designed for ingestion and will taste good to your pet.
I just started using a gel and spray from petzlife.com to clean one of my dog's teeth, and it seems to be working really well and getting rid of the harmful tartar on her gumline (even though I have not been faithful in giving it to her every day). Worth a try!
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