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Digestion Suggestion
âTreats causing intestinal obstructionâ
By Jeff Grognet, D.V.M., BSc. (Agr.)
Published in Dogs in Canada, March edition
"Dog treat causes death." Was this headline just media sensationalism, or do edible treats pose a real threat to our dogs?
In the news story, the treat blocked the intestine. This can happen if a dog swallows any treat, toy, or object that's too large to pass through its intestine. Clinical signs of this "intestinal foreign body" vary with the degree of obstruction. If an object only partially occludes the intestine, fluid and gas can still pass. The dog may have intermittent problems, but his life is not in imminent danger.
A complete obstruction, in contrast, is deadly. The intestine fills with fluid and gas, pressure mounts, and when blood circulation is impaired, the intestine dies.
That is exactly what happened in a widely publicized case regarding a Miniature Dachshund reportedly given a Greenies treat. It blocked his intestine. After having three feet of necrotic intestine removed, and accumulating almost $6,600 (U.S.) in medical bills, the four-year-old dog died. A lawsuit is pending.
The manufacturer of Greenies â S&M NuTec - has sold over 650 million treats since 1998. Independent studies show that eating one Greenies per day results in a 62 percent reduction in tartar, 33 percent reduction in gingivitis, and 31 percent reduction in bad breath. They report that incidents like the one described above are extremely rare, but they do occur.
Greenies are designed to be digested like dry dog food. The theory is that, even if chunks are swallowed, they will dissolve and cause no harm. However, this may not always be the case. A representative for Greenies states that "If a dog swallows a large piece or a whole treat, the digestion process will be extended considerably."
The company also suggests that in most cases, the problem occurs when "the pet is not fed according to our feeding directions." Dog owners must offer the correct-sized Greenies to their dogs (there are six sizes).
The package insert for Greenies states, "As with any edible product, monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed before swallowing. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog."
If you surf the Internet, you'll find many reports of intestinal obstruction by Greenies; however, the same can be said for chew hoofs and rawhide. When a dog swallows a large piece of edible or non-edible material, it can threaten his health.
Whenever you give your dog something to chew, supervise him. If he seems to be trying to swallow a piece of chew treat that is too large, take it away - you could save his life.
âTreats causing intestinal obstructionâ
By Jeff Grognet, D.V.M., BSc. (Agr.)
Published in Dogs in Canada, March edition
"Dog treat causes death." Was this headline just media sensationalism, or do edible treats pose a real threat to our dogs?
In the news story, the treat blocked the intestine. This can happen if a dog swallows any treat, toy, or object that's too large to pass through its intestine. Clinical signs of this "intestinal foreign body" vary with the degree of obstruction. If an object only partially occludes the intestine, fluid and gas can still pass. The dog may have intermittent problems, but his life is not in imminent danger.
A complete obstruction, in contrast, is deadly. The intestine fills with fluid and gas, pressure mounts, and when blood circulation is impaired, the intestine dies.
That is exactly what happened in a widely publicized case regarding a Miniature Dachshund reportedly given a Greenies treat. It blocked his intestine. After having three feet of necrotic intestine removed, and accumulating almost $6,600 (U.S.) in medical bills, the four-year-old dog died. A lawsuit is pending.
The manufacturer of Greenies â S&M NuTec - has sold over 650 million treats since 1998. Independent studies show that eating one Greenies per day results in a 62 percent reduction in tartar, 33 percent reduction in gingivitis, and 31 percent reduction in bad breath. They report that incidents like the one described above are extremely rare, but they do occur.
Greenies are designed to be digested like dry dog food. The theory is that, even if chunks are swallowed, they will dissolve and cause no harm. However, this may not always be the case. A representative for Greenies states that "If a dog swallows a large piece or a whole treat, the digestion process will be extended considerably."
The company also suggests that in most cases, the problem occurs when "the pet is not fed according to our feeding directions." Dog owners must offer the correct-sized Greenies to their dogs (there are six sizes).
The package insert for Greenies states, "As with any edible product, monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed before swallowing. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog."
If you surf the Internet, you'll find many reports of intestinal obstruction by Greenies; however, the same can be said for chew hoofs and rawhide. When a dog swallows a large piece of edible or non-edible material, it can threaten his health.
Whenever you give your dog something to chew, supervise him. If he seems to be trying to swallow a piece of chew treat that is too large, take it away - you could save his life.
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