Dog Owners - Do you feed your dogs Greenies..

[makinorlando]

those green toothbrush shaped treats that help clean their teeth and give them fresh breath? Well, saw a disturbing piece last night on Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN) about these (I just started giving them to my dogs, and last night had to admit my dog to the emergency vet clinic - not related to the Greenies - she has Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis, (very scary symptoms) but she is home this evening, doing better and resting well right next to me thank goodness- but made me take notice) -

In some dogs, if the Greenies are not chewed well, and substantial pieces are swallowed they have caused blockage in intestines, throats, etc. The pieces don't seem to dissolve well once eaten. With all the "Greenies" that are eaten - the dogs that have become sick or died from this is small, but I wanted to share so you could be an informed pet owner. If you want to read the transcript from the show last night you can go to CNN - Anderson Cooper, and look for the transcripts for 2/14.

I mentioned this to both the vet tech at the emergency clinic when I picked up our dog this morning, and our family vet when I transferred her there, and they both said that they do occasionally have animals admitted for problems resulting from blockages due to Greenies..... other vets recommend them!!!

As always there are two sides to all issues, but I threw my Greenies away - not willing to take the chance!

 

[chell]

Not any more. After hearing the recent news Auggie will no longer be getting them.

I really do feel for the people who have lost their babies.

 

[snappy]

I was in my pet store yeterday (big store), and there was a large display of Greenies. I had to wonder if they just have not gotten the word?

Do you think they will be recalled? It does not sound like just ampther urban legend type thing, with so many vets weighing in on it.

 

[Christine]

No, I don't think they will be recalled (yet). They are going through a lawsuit now. The owner and inventor of Greenies claims that he has a safe product and basically says that responsible owners will supervise their dogs while they are given them Greenies because if the product is not properly chewed then it does not break down as well in the intestine. I think this is ridiculous. It's not like your dog is a 5-year-old child and you can say "Johnny, chew your food up better." Most dogs wolf down things and swallow with hardly chewing. If the product cannot be designed to work with that behavior, then it doesn't belong with dogs.

 

[smilie]

Most dogs wolf down things and swallow with hardly chewing. If the product cannot be designed to work with that behavior, then it doesn't belong with dogs.

Totally agree with this point. Was there anything on the Greenies for cats? I signed up for a free sample, and I think it will be going in the garbage the second it arrives. I'm not sure I want to take any chances.

 

[poohluvrs]

This happened to my sister in laws dog, my brother in law was caring for her pug while she was out of the country, fed her a greenie, she got sick, took her to vet, did xray still didnt find greenie part lodged in her, when my sister in law got home the dog was very sick, she brought the pug to her vet, who did exploratory & found the chunk of greenie still sitting there, partially blocking her esophagus/airway, she had stopped eating, it was horrible, needless to say she thought my BIL had tried to kill her dog w/the treat, but after this story came out, he's off the hook!

 

[Christine]

Totally agree with this point. Was there anything on the Greenies for cats? I signed up for a free sample, and I think it will be going in the garbage the second it arrives. I'm not sure I want to take any chances.

I didn't see anything about it harming cats.

According to the report I read, all the material used in Greenies *is* highly digestible; however, during the molding process, the material is very densely packed. As long as the dog chews at the molded product and breaks it up with his/her teeth, it is fine. But, if the dog chews and swallows bigger pieces (lots of larger dogs do this), it will not digest in the stomach or intestine.

As for cats, they don't strike me as "gulpers" so they are probably fine.

I've been tempted to try Greenies--both of my dogs seem to take their time with stuff like that, but I think I'd worry too much now.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I understand the concern for "Greenies", but what makes it different than rawhide, pig ears, and rocks in the backyard (ehem, directed at my dogs )????

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

A dog could actually choke on anything. My friends dog choked on a milkbone. If she wasn't there to pull it out, he would have died.

That being said. I don't feed my dogs rawhides or greenies. I've heard many dogs that choke on rawhides also. I heard a rumor a ways back not to buy any rawhides unless they were made in the USA. The overseas places were sprinkling them with arsenic. Rumor? Don't know. Why would they use arsenic, don't know that either.

I give my dogs large milkbones to chew on. Always supervised.

 

[poohluvrs]

I would be worried, esp about rocks in the yard!
I wouldnt use greenies again, the "gulp" scenario doesnt explain the choking on the petite size greenie for my SIL's 20lb dainty pug princess ....

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would be worried, esp about rocks in the yard!

They have made it their mission to rid our yard of rocks. We are constantly taking them away from them.
Yesterday Gracie comes in and I think she has a "stick", turns out to be a rusty roofing nail.
We live in new construction...OY!

 

[Chris2597]

My dog is allergic to Greenies.....He went into a seizure 10 min after eating one....He absolutely loved it but about half way thru it he started acting almost drunk and then started stumbling, shaking, and his eyes rolled....It lasted about an hour....He was about a year old when this happened.

 

[lucas]

Nope, no more Greenies for our dog. I threw out the ones we had left and brought back to Target an unopened bag.

 

[Magickndm]

Stopped using Greenies for that same reason. Dasher never chews anything completely so if he gets any kind of raw hide treat it's an expensive kind from the vet's office that breaks down very quickly.
Besides, ever smell the gas that comes afterwards?

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

NO! I've heard horrible things about these things!

 

[castoff]

I just saw this on my local news this morning ! Glad to hear the word is finally getting out. I used to give out Greenies to my older dog. Not anymore.