Adopt A Boxer Rescue is proud to
be the recipient of a grant by The
Boxer Rescue Foundation
Adopt A Boxer Rescue -
proud and grateful recipients of a grant
from the ASPCA
AABR recently received a
grant from the ASPCA Philly RAP for $2,050.
Thanks to the hard work and good
relationship of AABR Philadelphia, PA area
volunteer Colleen Kane, this grant will help
AABR rescue and care for many of the dogs
coming for the Philly area.
Philadelphia, PA is one of
the ASPCA's targeted Mission Orange Sites.
You can read more about it by clicking on
the link below:
OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 8, 2010 - Blue
Buffalo Company, Ltd., recalls certain dry dog food because of
possible excess Vitamin D that can affect the health of some dogs.
The Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., is recalling certain packages of its
Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry
dog foods sold under thc “BLUE” brand which have the potential to
contain excessive levels of Vitamin D.
While Vitamin D is a
beneficial component of these foods, the Company believes that these
products may have levels of Vitamin D that are beyond the formula
specifications, and has therefore chosen to withdraw them.
Dogs reacting to the higher levels of Vitamin D may show signs of
lethargy or exhibit unusually frequent water consumption and
urination. If your pet has consumed the recalled products and has
these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
The affected productions of Blue Wilderness Chicken, Basics
Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry dog foods were distributed
nationwide through pet specialty stores.
Recall Alert Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Recalls Limited Production Code Dates of Dry Dog Food Because of
Possible Excess Vitamin D
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -
Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., recalls certain dry dog food
because of possible excess Vitamin D that can affect the
health of some dogs. The Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., is
recalling certain packages of its Wilderness
Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken
dry dog foods sold under the "BLUE" brand which have the
potential to contain excessive levels of Vitamin D.
If you have
Blue BuffaloWilderness
Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken
dry dog foods,
please stop feeding
themto
your pet
and return them to PSP for a complete refund.
While Vitamin
D is a beneficial component of these foods, the Company
believes that these products may have levels of Vitamin D
that are beyond the formula specifications, and has
therefore chosen to withdraw them.
Dogs reacting
to the higher levels of Vitamin D may show signs of
lethargy or exhibit unusually frequent water consumption
and urination. If your pet has consumed the recalled
products and has these symptoms, please contact your
veterinarian.
The affected
products of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon
and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry dog foods were
distributed nationwide
at PSP and other pet specialty retailers.
Only these
products are involved in this recall:
Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food
4.5 lb
"Best If
Used By JUL2611Z"
"Best If Used By JUL2711Z" &
"Best If Used By JUL2811Z"
Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food
11 lb
"Best If
Used By JUL1211B"
Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food
24 lb
"Best If
Used By JUL1211B" &
"Best If Used By JUL1311B"
Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon and
Potato Recipe dry dog food
11 lb
"Best If
Used By AUG2111B" &
"Best If Used By AUG2211B"
Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon and
Potato Recipe dry dog food
24 lb
"Best If
Used By AUG2111B"
"Best If Used By SEP2311P" &
"Best If Used By OCT2611P"
Blue Life Protection Formula Natural Chicken & Brown
Rice Recipe Large Breed Adult dog food
30 lb
"Best If
Used By SEP2211P"
"Best If Used By SEP2311P" &
"Best If Used By OCT2611P"
No other BLUE dry or can pet foods are involved in this
recall, and only the specific code dates of these products
are involved.
To date there
have been 36 cases nationwide of dogs reported with
symptoms consistent with elevated Vitamin D in their
systems while feeding on these specific productions of the
products. In all cases the symptoms have subsided upon
discontinuing feeding these products, with no apparent
long term health consequences.
Blue Buffalo
learned of this potential condition in its products when
it received reports of dogs diagnosed with high Vitamin D
levels while feeding on the products from these specific
production runs. On further investigation it was learned
that a sequencing error had occurred at the supplier of
the dry ingredients for these products. Immediately before
producing the ingredients for these specific production
runs, the supplier had run a product for another customer
that contained a more potent form of Vitamin D used in
chicken feeds. It is now believed that there was some
level of carry over of this Vitamin D product into the
ingredients for the specific manufacturing runs of the
BLUE products, thereby increasing the Vitamin D activity
to unacceptable levels in the Blue ingredients.
If you have questions, please contact
the Blue Buffalo company at
1-877-523-9114 from 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time or visit the
Company web site at
www.bluebuffalo.com/news for more information.
FDA US Food and Drug
Administration -Latest
Recalls - 06/18/10 update
Manufacturer expands recall of chicken-flavored pet food over salmonella
concerns
By AP
March 9th, 2010
Manufacturer
expands pet food recall
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nature’s Variety has expanded its recall of
chicken-flavored pet food because of concerns over salmonella.
The Lincoln, Neb.-based company said Monday that the raw, frozen
food is being recalled because it could be contaminated with
salmonella.
The recall includes three-pound packages of chicken medallions,
six-pound packages of chicken patties and two-pound packages of
chicken chubs.
Initially, the company recalled only packages with a best-by date
of Nov. 10, 2010. Now packages with best-by dates of Oct. 29 and Nov.
9, 2010, are also being recalled.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections,
especially in young children, the elderly and those with weakened
immune systems. Pets can also become ill if they consume the bacteria.
Freshwater ponds, lakes and streams could be deadly to your water dog if
they contain toxins borne by blue-green algae.
If the water where your
dog swims looks cloudy, with a green or blue-green cast, you should suspect
a dangerous overgrowth of blue-green algae, and prevent your dog from
ingesting the water.
Whole Dog Journal confirmed a recent report,
Read Story
More
Recalls!
DO YOU KNOW WHICH
FOODS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, PET PARENTS? Earlier
this week, the ASPCA issued an urgent alert warning pet parents to
discontinue use of recalled foods if they have not already done so.
“More than three weeks into the pet food recall, recent intakes
at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City show
that some companion animal caretakers have unwittingly continued to
feed contaminated, recalled food to their pets,” explained the
ASPCA’s Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at Bergh Memorial.
“Just last night, we admitted a cat into our Intensive Care Unit who
is in severe renal failure, and has been consuming one of the
recalled product codes all the while.”
“This is a matter of great concern to us,” Murray said on
Tuesday. “It is possible that this scenario is being replicated all
across the country, due to confusion over which brands and product
codes are included in the recall—especially with the recent recall
expansion—and, as a result, many more animals may be in great
danger.”
To help ensure that all pets stay healthy, the ASPCA offers the
following important reminders:
ROYAL CANIN SENSIBLE CHOICE®
(available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
- Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult
ROYAL CANIN VETERINARY DIET™
(available only in veterinary clinics)
- Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™
- Canine Skin Support SS21™ - Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™
Top stories
April 16, 2007, 10:43PM
Natural Balance Pet Foods recalls
two dry pet food products Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Natural Balance Pet Foods recalled two kinds of pet
food after receiving reports of animals vomiting and experiencing
kidney problems, the Food and Drug Administration said today.
The
recall includes all date codes of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food. The company does not know the
cause of the problem, but said it is focused on one particular lot.
Natural Balance Pet Foods is working with the FDA to investigate
the matter and is urging consumers to not feed either pet food
product to their animals.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat
food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its
products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated
with an industrial chemical, melamine.
At least six pet food companies have recalled products made with
imported Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical. The recall
involved about 1 percent of the U.S. pet food supply.
FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said the agency had no indication
that the Natural Balance case is related to the melamine problem.
The American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), in response to a national pet
food recall, offers the following information and advice to concerned
pet owners:
NOTE: You may wish to share
the following AVMA Press Release with your local media.
(SCHAUMBURG, Ill.) March 19, 2007-The American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA), in response to a national pet food recall, offers
the following information and advice to concerned pet owners:
Menu Foods, Inc., a Canadian private-label pet food manufacturer based
in Statesville, Ontario, has issued a recall on all its "cuts and
gravy" style dog and cat food products produced at its facility in
Emporium, Kansas, between December 3, 2006, and March 6, 2007. This
recall includes 90 brands across the entire manufacturing spectrum. A
complete list of affected foods including date and product information
codes is available through the AVMA Web site at:
http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/070318.asp
<http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/070318.asp> . If you have
any of the products identified on these lists, immediately stop
feeding them to y! our pet.
If you suspect that your pet has been affected by a recalled food, do
the following three steps to help you veterinary with your pet's
diagnosis:
.Retain food samples for analysis.
Retain 4 cans or 1 kg of dry food, when
possible.
Freeze when possible or store at room
temperature in airtight bags.
.Document product name, type of product and manufacturing information.
Retain all packaging.
Identify date codes or production lot numbers.
Retain purchase receipts.
.Document product consumption.
Dates products or products were fed.
Consumption and palatability history.
Time of onset of clinical signs.
Detailed dietary history (ie, all products fed
and feeding methods).
Although the exact cause is not currently known, animals that have
become ill after consuming these products have shown signs of acute
kidney failure.
Dr. SaundraWillis, DVM, a board certified diplomate and
communications chair with the American College of Veterinary Internal
Medicine (ACVIM) and member of the AVMA Council on Communications,
advises that signs of kidney failure include loss of appetite,
lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in water consumption and also
changes in urination. Anybody who has a pet that exhibits these signs
should take the animal to the veterinarian.
"Owners shouldn't panic, because there can be a wide variety of
reasons a pet might exhibit these symptoms," Dr. Willis explained.
"But it's always prudent that, when a pet is exhibiting any signs of
illness, the pet owner should contact their veterinarian immediately."
A veterinarian may call for a urinalysis and blood work, and might
also perform additional tests, such as an x-ray or ultrasound, to rule
out other possible problems such as bladder and kidney stones. If it
has been determined that the cat or dog has been affected by
consumption of the recalled pet food, a veterinarian could decided to
treat the illness with medications and/or intravenous fluids.
"If the kidney disease is severe, such as the animal is not urinating
at all, the veterinarian may consult with or suggest referral a
specialist from the ACVIM for more advanced care," Dr. Willis
explained.
Owners of pets affected by the recalled pet foods who wish to report
the incident should contact the FDA, by going to the FDA Web site
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html
<http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html> to find
the FDA complaint coordinator in their state.
Please monitor the AVMA Web site (www.avma.org<http://www.avma.org/> ) for the
latest information on the recall. Consumers with questions for the
manufacturer can contact Menu Foods, Inc. at 1-866-895-2708. A list
of veterinary specialists can be found at the American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine at www.acvim.org<http://www.acvim.org/> , or by
calling 800-245-9081.
Story Highlights - Note: products, codes and dates are available on
Menu Foods'
website.
• Recall of wet pet food made by Menu Foods for Wal-Mart, Kroger,
PetsMart, others
• Undisclosed number of cats and dogs suffered vomiting, kidney failure; 10
died
• Recall affects specific sizes of Iams and Eukanuba brands of dog, cat food
• See lists of recalled brands at bottom of story
BJ's Wholesale Club is recalling packages of "Berkley & Jensen" brand
full-cut pig ears dog treats due to potential contamination of salmonella,
an organism which can cause serious infections in both dogs and humans. The
packages subject to recall have no lot number and only the expiration
advisory "Best if used by 2009," without referencing a specific month.
Confirmatory testing is ongoing but until the testing is final, BJ's
Wholesale is asking consumers to stop feeding the treats to their pets.
Dog & Cat Deaths Prompt Massive Pet Food
Recall Sunday March 18, 2007
Pet owners across North America should double check the food they feed
their four-legged friends after a massive recall involving products that
may have caused the deaths of several dogs and cats in the United States.
Ontario-based Menu Foods is pulling dozens of brands of pet foods off the
shelves of some major retailers including Wal-Mart, Safeway and Kroger.
The company sells food under brand names including Iams, Nutro and
Eukanuba.
Ten dogs and cats suffered kidney failure and died after eating the
products in the United States, which has pet owners across the continent
worried about their furry family members. An unknown number of animals
have been sickened.
On Saturday night two other companies, Nestle Purina PetCare and Hill's
Pet Nutrition, announced they too would be recalling some products made by
Menu Foods.
The pet food company is still trying to determine what's caused the
animals that have eaten its food to fall ill. The recalled products were
made using a wheat gluten that was purchased from a new supplier.
The recall applies to Menu Foods' "cuts and gravy" style products,
which have chunks of meat in gravy sold in cans and foil pouches from Dec.
3 to March 6.
A complete list of the recalled products, codes and dates are available
on Menu Foods'
website.
• Recall of wet pet food made by Menu Foods for Wal-Mart, Kroger,
PetsMart, others
• Undisclosed number of cats and dogs suffered vomiting, kidney
failure; 10 died
• Recall affects specific sizes of Iams and Eukanuba brands of dog,
cat food
• See lists of recalled brands at bottom of story
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Pet owners were worried Saturday that the
pet food in their cupboards could be deadly after millions of
containers of dog and cat food sold at major retailers across North
America were recalled.
Menu Foods -- a major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under
Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands -- recalled 60
million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney
failure and deaths.
An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and
about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, the company said in
announcing the North American recall.
Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported
cases of illness and death, the company said.
"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened,"
said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive
officer.
However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten
purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source,
spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.
'Cuts and gravy' food sold in cans, pouches recalled
The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which
consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil
pouches between December 3 and March 6 throughout the United States,
Canada and Mexico.
The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Co., Safeway
Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson
said.
Menu Foods said it makes pet foods for 17 of the top 20 North
American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top
branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.
Procter & Gamble announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5
oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat
and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams
and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339
through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.
Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1
billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food
made at company plants in Emporia, Kansas, and Pennsauken, New Jersey,
Henderson said.
Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner
complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they
had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a
cause for the sickness.
"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the
product," Henderson said.
FDA also working to target brands
The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already
has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was
working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency
spokesman Mike Herndon said.
Menu Foods is majority-owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based
in Ontario, Canada.
Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian
equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.
Below are lists of specific brands recalled by Menu Foods, in
addition to Procter & Gamble's recall of certain Iams and Eukanuba
products. Menu Brands lists the brands on its Web site,
www.menufoods.com, and advises consumers to call 1-866-895-2708 for
more information.
Recalled cat foods
Americas Choice; Preferred Pets; Authority; Best Choice; Companion;
Compliments; Demoulas Market Basket; Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog; Food
Lion; Foodtown; Giant Companion; Good n Meaty; Hannaford; Hill Country
Fare; Hy-Vee; Key Food; Laura Lynn; Li'l Red; Loving Meals; Main
Choice; Nutriplan; Nutro Max Gourmet Classics; Nutro Natural Choice;
Paws; Presidents Choice; Price Chopper; Priority; Save-A-Lot; Schnucks;
Sophistacat; Special Kitty; Springfield Pride; Sprout; Total Pet; My
True Friend; Wegmans; Western Family; White Rose; and Winn Dixie.
Recalled dog foods
America's Choice; Preferred Pets; Authority; Award; Best Choice;
Big Bet; Big Red; Bloom; Bruiser; Cadillac; Companion; Demoulas Market
Basket; Fine Feline Cat; Shep Dog; Food Lion; Giant Companion; Great
Choice; Hannaford; Hill Country Fare; Hy-Vee; Key Food; Laura Lynn;
Loving Meals; Main Choice; Mixables; Nutriplan; Nutro Max; Nutro
Natural Choice; Nutro; Ol'Roy; Paws; Pet Essentials; Pet Pride;
President's Choice; Price Chopper; Priority; Publix; Roche Bros;
Save-A-Lot; Schnucks; Springsfield Pride; Sprout; Stater Bros; Total
Pet; My True Friend; Western Family; White Rose; Winn Dixie and Your
Pet.
If you suspect that your dog
has eaten cocoa bean mulch, immediately contact your
veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
(1-888-426-4435).
Claim:
Theobromine, a chemical found in cocoa mulch, can be
harmful to pets.
Example:[Collected via e-mail, 2003]
Cocoa
Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden
Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal
ingredient called "Theobromine".
It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate
and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff
and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last
2-3 weeks. Just a word of caution — check what you
are using in your gardens and be aware of what your
gardeners are using in your gardens.
Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all
chocolate — especially dark or baker's chocolate — which
is toxic to dogs.
Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of
theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to
caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal
quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells
developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours
later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested
cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts
of theobromine.
Origins:
This warning about the potential danger to pets posed by
cocoa mulch began appearing in our inbox in May 2003.
Unlike the majority of scary alerts spread through the
Internet, there is a good deal of truth to this one,
although we haven't encountered any substantiated cases of
pet deaths caused by ingestion of cocoa mulch.
Dec 2005
Subject: Pet Owners Urged to Watch for Signs of Illness After Dog and Cat
Food Contamination
Dear Petfinder.com members,
We wanted to make you aware of a recent pet food contamination issue that
has caused the death of six dogs so far.
Diamond Pet Food has removed its dog and cat food from sale after a
dangerous toxin was found in a product manufactured at the company's
facility in Gaston, South Carolina. The plant supplies pet foods to New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and other east coast
states.
To get more information about the cause of the illness and symptoms to watch
for, please see the memo from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture at
http://www.petfinder.com/admin/njagriculture_memo.html
Please feel free to pass this message on to anyone who would benefit from
it.
The products removed from sale are:
Diamond Low Fat Dog Food
Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food
Diamond Maintenance Dog Food
Diamond Performance Dog Food
Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food
Diamond Puppy Food, Diamond Maintenance Cat Food
Diamond Professional Cat Food
Country Value Puppy, Country Value Adult Dog
Country Value High Energy Dog
Country Value Adult Cat Food
Kirkland Signature Maintenance Cat Food
Canine Club Adult Dog Food
Professional Chicken & Rice Senior Dog Food
Professional Reduced Fat Chicken & Rice Dog Food
Professional Adult Dog Food
Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food
Professional Puppy Food
Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food
Professional Adult Cat Food.
For more information, please call Diamond Pet Food at (573) 229-4203 or
the Division of Animal Health, New Jersey Department of Agriculture at (609)
292-3965.
More on Greenies
01/12/06
Hi,
I'm not sure who I should address this to but having read
many articles about the dangers of Greenies and finding
the information on your website as well, I wanted to
mention a couple of things. It appears that similar
issues exist with the Feline Greenies.
I was also very disturbed to find out that one of my local
pet boutiques is aware of the information and has advised
their employees "not to mention it to customers"! I am a
dog walker and cat owner and have purchased many Greenies
in the past for "my" pups and my own cat. I have a supply
at home that I had planned on giving out as holiday
treats...needless to say, I will try to return them to the
store. But, I am beyone appalled that a neighborhood
store that should have a love of animals is more
interested in their bottom line (the jumbo variety there
sells for $5 a piece).
I don't want to get the employee who told me in trouble so
I won't mention the name of the shop here. But, please
warn people that local stores may not be very "upfront"
about the dangers.
It is the nation's top-selling dog treat, with $315
million in domestic retail sales last year.
It is so beloved by dogs that amused owners have a
nickname for it - doggie crack.
And it is the reason, contend Michael Eastwood and
Jennifer Reiff of Manhattan, that their miniature
dachshund, Burt, is no longer alive.
On July 22, as she'd done regularly for the past year
and a half, Reiff gave the 4-year-old rescue dog his
Greenies treat. The next day, Burt was on an operating
table, where vets removed three feet of necrotic
intestine and what looked like a soft foamy green
mass.
Two days later, Burt was dead.
The couple says S&M NuTec of North Kansas City, Mo.,
the manufacturer of Greenies, sent an e-mail
expressing sadness for their loss, and offered to pay
the almost $6,600 in medical bills as well as $2,000,
the estimated purchase price for a mini-dachsie like
Burt. In return, Eastwood and Reiff would have to sign
a confidentiality agreement and agree not to pursue
legal action.
"That incensed us even more," says Eastwood, who along
with Reiff has filed a
$5 million lawsuit, charging that Greenies are
"unsafe, inadequately labeled" and ultimately caused
Burt's death.
Invented by a couple plagued by their dog's chronic
bad breath, toothbrush-shaped Greenies are marketed as
"multifunctional dental treats" that, when used daily,
reduce tartar by 62 percent and gingivitis by 33
percent. The company stresses that owners feed the
correct size Greenies for their dog's weight and
follow the feeding guidelines, which say the treats
should not be fed to dogs who "gulp."
(For toy breeds, young puppies and the chew-averse,
the company developed Greenies Lil' Bits. It also
recently unveiled Feline Greenies for cats.)
Eastwood counters that Burt did not choke on his
Greenie and was always supervised when consuming the
treat. "The Greenie was a foreign object in his
intestines."
S&M NuTec declined to comment on the litigation but
disputes there is any problem with the treat's
digestibility.
"The digestibility testing that we have with Greenies
shows them to be more digestible than the average dry
dog food when adequately chewed ... " reads the
company's e-mailed statement. "If a dog swallows a
large piece of Greenies, or a whole treat, the
digestion process will be extended because of the
decrease of treat surface area to digestive liquids
and stomach action."
Veterinarian Brendan McKiernan of Wheat Ridge, Colo.,
a board-certified internist, disagrees. "They don't
dissolve in the stomach," he says. "When we take them
out, they're not digested. And they are causing both
esophageal and intestinal problems in dogs to an
extent that is concerning."
S&M NuTec says Greenies obstructions are "rare," with
most caused by improperly following feeding
instructions.
But McKiernan believes incidents are underreported.
Earlier this year, at a meeting of the American
College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, a group of
gastroenterologists discussed obstructions caused by
"compressed vegetable chew treats" such as Greenies.
By an informal show of hands, he says, "a significant
number said, 'Hey, we have problems.'"
Concerned about such cases in his own practice,
McKiernan set out to study reports of obstructions
from 1999 to 2004 in the Veterinary Medical Database,
which records cases from two dozen vet schools.
The results, outlined in a multi-authored article soon
to be submitted to the Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association, found that, after
bones and fish hooks, compressed vegetable chew treats
were the third-most-common culprit in obstructions.
McKiernan notes that the cases mostly involved small
dogs.
But big dogs have their issues with compressed
vegetable chew treats, too. Elaine Gewirtz of Westlake
Village, Calif., says she fed Greenies to her
Dalmatians and "never had problems" - until Jimmy went
to live with her daughter and started getting more
than his usual ration.
The 5-year-old Dal had three bouts of unexplained
vomiting. As Gerwirtz walked him outside the vet's
office that last time, "he vomited, and there was all
this green stuff.
"I really think it's hit or miss," Gerwirtz says,
noting that voracious chewers like Jimmy may be prone
to problems. Still, she no longer gives her dogs
Greenies.
It's a decision that Eastwood wishes he had been given
the opportunity to make.
"We always felt if this product had fair warning and
fair labeling," he concludes, "we would never have put
our dog in harm's way."
WRITE TO Denise Flaim, c/o Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd.,
Melville, NY 11747-4250, or e-mail denise.flaim@newsday.com
. For previous columns, www.newsday.com/animalhouse
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.
Update on Greenies!
-------- Original Message --------
Subject:
Greenies
Date:
Fri, 09 Sep 2005 19:14:50 -0400 (EDT)
Unfortunately, my dog died 5
weeks ago from complications brought about by an emergency
exploratory surgery. He wasn't a Boxer. But, that doesn't
matter. He was a great dog - a 4 year old Daschund in the
prime of his life.
The surgeon had to remove 3
1/2 feet of my dog's intestines as well as the
"foreign body obstruction" which was a partially digested
greenie.
My dog died 48 hours after the operation.
My wife and I are devastated.
Follow Up!
Greenies and Enzymes Can digestive enzymes solve the problems with Greenies?
"I stopped giving my dog Greenies after I read
your article about dangerous chewies. But after reading
about enzymes last month, I wonder if they could help
digest the Greenies? I wouldn't mind giving one to Tinker
every once in a while if I knew it was safe." Helen
M., Hartford, CT
Thanks Helen, this is a great question. In the
August 2004
issue of the Bakery News, we talked about the dangers of
some popular chews. In this article, we shared some
reports from people who have experienced problems with
Greenies causing esophageal and bowel obstructions in
their dogs. In some cases, with lethal consequences. We
had run our own simple experiment, and discovered that
after 24 hours in an acidic solution, there was absolutely
no change in the appearance, consistency or texture of a
Greenie.
Since we wrote that article, several people have sent in
feedback that they too have had similar experiences with
Greenies. Including one person who wrote in to tell us a
tragic story about her German Shepherd who had continual
digestive problems for eight months. Her vet could not
solve the riddle, and her dog eventually passed on. The
vet performed an autopsy and found a large green mass in
the dog's upper GI. This dog had not recieved any Greenies
the whole time he was having problems. That's eight
months in an active digestive system.
The primary volume of a Greenie is cellulose, and
cellulose is not directly digestible by most mammals.
Cellulose can however be digested with the aid of a
digestive enzyme called (surprisingly enough) cellulase.
Prozyme is one of the leading canine digestive enzyme
supplements on the market, and we checked the label...
sure enough Prozyme contains cellulase.
With high hopes, we shredded (particle size very similar
to shredded cheese) a Greenie and placed it in a solution
of water and Prozyme (the recommended dosage for a
complete meal). After four hours of intermittent
agitation, nothing. The Greenie particles still retained
their shape, size, and plastic-like consistency. But, we
weren't about to give up. We acidified the solution,
raised the temperature to 100°F, and increased the rate of
agitation. Four more hours went by... still nothing. We
put the experiment aside, and forgot about it until the
next day. Twenty-four hours in an acidic solution loaded
with digestive enzymes, and there was absolutely no change
in the Greenie particles whatsoever.
Sorry Helen. Our advice to you is still avoid Greenies
generally, and especially so if your dog is a gulper.
Sandy,
I was talking to an
owner of a local pet store after she offered my dog a
greenie about the warning that we have posted. She asked
if she could inquire about the issue with the
company-making no reference to AABR.
The response is
attached.
Subject: RE: greenie concerns from a pet store owner
From: Jody H
Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:29:53 -0500
Thank
you so much for taking the time to contact us about what
your customer told you about Greenies®. We hope you find
this information reassuring.
Millions of Greenies® are sold each month. On rare
occurrences, we are troubled by an incident where a pet
owner has said that his/her dog has had a problem with
Greenies®. When we do hear of these reports, we always
conduct a thorough investigation. Typically, the results
of our investigations have revealed that the pet has been
given the wrong size Greenies® by its owner or the pet has
swallowed an abnormally large piece of Greenies® without
chewing it. As such, we strongly recommend purchasing the
correct size Greenies® according to the size and weight of
your pet. Additionally, we recommend all pet owners
supervise their pet's eating and chewing habits. And not
just with Greenies®, but when given dog bones, treats,
rawhides, and even while eating meals.
The
digestibility testing that we have with Greenies® show
them to be about 85% digestible when adequately chewed.
If a dog swallows a large piece or a whole treat the
digestion process will probably take longer because of the
decrease of treat surface area to digestive liquids and
stomach action. This would be similar if a dog swallowed
a large piece of meat, vegetable, or fruit. The length of
time it would take to digest would depend on the size of
treat compared to the size of dog. The primary ingredient
in Greenies® is wheat gluten, which is very digestible.
We hope
this has given you some peace of mind. If you or your
customer has any further questions they can be directed to
our technical services veterinarian Dr. Bradley Quest via
info@greenies.com.
Thank
you for you concern and have a wonderful day.
Sincerely,
Jody
Hanson
On
behalf of the manufacturers of Greenies®
Our advice to you is still avoid Greenies generally,
and especially so if your dog is a gulper.
Sent:
Tuesday, November 08, 2005 7:18 AM To:info@greenies.com Subject:
greenie concerns from a pet store owner
I own a pet store and sell your products. This
article was given to me by a customer. It was very
upsetting and I am emailing you to see what your
company has to say regarding their claims. Please
let me know. Thank you for your time.
Deborah
Reptile Rob's
PLEASE Keep All medications out of the reach of your PETS!
Today we lost Daphnie, a wonderful Boxer Girl. She
and her buddies got into a fully zippered gym bag, and
swallowed some quantity of Ibuprofen. She spent the
weekend at the emergency clinic, but the dosage shut her
kidneys down.
Her
Mom and Dad wanted us to warn everyone not to let down
your guard. Most of these medicines have a sugar
coating that animals are attracted to. They sniff
these things out.
How many of us keep a bottle of pain killers in our gym
bags or purses?
We will miss her dearly.
There
is one drug commonly used in anesthetic protocols that should not be
used in the Boxer. The drug is Acepromazine,
a tranquilizer, which is often used as a preanesthetic agent. In the
Boxer, it tends to cause a problem called first-degree heart block, a
potentially serious arrhythmia of the heart. It also causes a profound
hypotension (severe lowering of the blood pressure) in many Boxers that
receive the drug.
Recently, on the Veterinary Information Network, a computer network for
practicing veterinarians, an announcement was placed in the cardiology
section entitled "Acepromazine
and Boxers." This described several adverse reactions to the drug in a
very short time span at a veterinary teaching hospital. All the adverse
reactions were in Boxers. The reactions included collapse, respiratory
arrest, and profound bradycardia (slow heart rate, less than 60 beats
per minute). The announcement suggested that
Acepromazine should
not be used in dogs of the Boxer breed because of a breed related
sensitivity to the drug.
WARNING:
This
drug is the most commonly prescribed tranquilizer in veterinary
medicine. It is also used orally and is prescribed for owners who want
to tranquilize their dogs for air or car travel. I would strongly
recommend that Boxer owners avoid the use of this drug, especially when
the dog will be unattended and/or unable to receive emergency medical
care if it is needed.
Submitted by: Wendy Wallner, DVM July 1997
If
your vet needs more than your word that you do NOT want your dog treated
with this drug, tell your vet to get out their "Handbook of Veterinary
Drugs". Every vet has one. Tell them to go to the section on
ACEPROMAZINE.
In this section (1993ed) there is this section:
"Prolonged effects of the drug may be seen in older animals. Giant
breeds, as well as greyhounds, appear quite sensitive to the clinical
effects of the drug, yet terrier breeds appear more resistant. Boxer
dogs, on the other hand, are predisposed to hypotensive and bradycardic
effects of the drug."
il
your stories and/or funny pics to:
Monday,
October 11, 2010 at 9:12AM
Earlier
this week, the ASPCA issued an urgent alert warning pet parents to
discontinue use of recalled foods if they have not already done so.
Needed
