In a recent CNN story, it was revealed that at least 13 dogs have died after being fed “a greeny,” which is the top-selling dog treat in America.
The Greenies brand dog treats can become stuck in a dog’s throat or intestine where, according to some veterinarians, they do not break down properly for swallowing or digestion.
Despite the fact that Greenies are marketed and packaged as being easily digested, a veterinarian from Denver, Colorado told CNN “Certainly the ones that we’ve taken out, esophageal or intestinal, that have been in for days are still very hard”.
At least one set of dog owners, Michael Eastwood and wife Jenny Reiff, have filed a lawsuit against Greenies. They will be taking the dog treat company to court for $5 million in New York, blaming Greenies for the death of their dog Burt.
My Maltese has been eating these for a while, but this morning was choking and vomited up several pieces of an undigested greenie he had eaten 24 hours before. The greenie was very rubbery.
My shih-tzu had an episode after consuming a greenie. He was in obvious pain, hardly able to move on the first day. Days 2-5, he was placed on chicken and rice diet. He didn’t have any bowel movement for 5 days. He went to the vet 3 times in those 5 days, had an x-ray, a rectal exam, multiple meds, and lotsa love. The vet didn’t believe it was a greenie. I have never fed them to my dog since then. We now go to a new vet, who also said she never heard of greenies causing distress. I guess now she will!
after using greenies,i switched to grennies smart biscuit because it was supposed to be safer.it killed my mini schnauzer,or so i believe very strongly.she was up todate on all her vet checks,very healthy,happy and playful until she ate a smart biscuit.
I gave my 5 pound chihuahua a petite sized one and it got stuck to the top of her mouth like cement.My dog was under alot of stress with this and i will never buy those misable greenies ever agan and going to tell every one else how dangerous they are.The wheat glutten is not good for your animal.Stay away from wheat or rice glutten as most likely made in chinia and that melamine crap has been added
All anecdotal “evidence” aside, Greenies are safe for MOST dogs. My Italian Greyhound has one a day for YEARS with no issues. He, too, once got one stuck to the roof of his mouth and I easily extracted it.
As with ANY such treat, it’s important to monitor your dog to assure he CHEWS it well, which my dog always has. If your dog doesn’t chew such treats, AS THE DIRECTIONS STATE, don’t feed him Greenies, that simple.
IGs are notorious for requiring good dental care. For mine, the Greenies GREATLY increase times between expensive dental cleanings at the vet and mine has a FIT until he gets his after dinner! He holds his between his feet and chews them as if doing a demonstration for the company, alternating from one side of his back teeth to the other–takes him about 10 minutes to finish.
Without trying to cast aspersions on any of the other reviewers here, it’s difficult to take seriously the review of a woman who feeds the wrong size to her chihuahua…. A 5 lb. dog should be given a TEENY WEENY Greenie, which would greatly reduce the chances of it becoming wedged in her dog’s mouth. It would also be MUCH easier to extract in the event it still happened.
I am extremely glad I read this article!! I am getting a goldendoodle pup and was going to use Greenies as her treat. I know now to never buy this dog treat!
Nobody loves dogs more than me, but people have choked to death on a hottdog, and dogs have choked on other things to. Don’t use if you wish but 5 million dollars!!!!! please
Today 3/7/11 I took my Pekinese to the vet because of high fever pain in stomach and constipation. My dog is 15lbs. They did an X-ray on her and found a partial greenie lodged in her intestines. I have to pay $2000.00 for a surgery due to the a Greenies I am pissed these things caused my dog HELL.>>>NEVER BUY GREENIES FOR YOUR PET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will post receipts and proff that the surgery was due to Greenies!
I am an ER veterinarian and I can personally attest to having to perform emergency surgery to remove greenies from the GI tracts of dogs due to the greenies causing an obstruction. I will never feed them to my dogs and recommend my clients do the same.
The same is true for rawhide bones, particulary in small dogs. The ends of the bones become lodged in the esophagus, or swell to double in size once in the stomach. These cause more problems than greenies by far m
I worked as a vet tech for 3 years and we only give our dogs the pressed rawhide bones, not the white one that get gooey and nasty when they get wet. Ive never had an issue with the pressed rawhide but i never buy an kind other than that, and I wont ever buy another greenie.
I have been giving my 4 year old dog Greenies for several years. My female Pekingese was given a GREENIE treat and died 2 JAN 12 in distress.
The vet did an autopsy and removed a nickle sized piece of GREENIE that had become logged in her intestine. The GREENIE apparently did not break down in her stomach or intestine. What a treat I gave to my pet!
On 2 JAN 12, our 4 year old pet Pekingese MICHELLE had died. MICHELLE had been given a GREENIE treat and part this treat had ended up blocking her intestine which caused her death. We took her to the Vet immediately and Dr SAKIS did an autopsy.
Dr SAKIS discovered the undigested piece of GREENIE in her intestine which had herniated. We have in our possession the nickel sized piece of GREENIE that was the cause of her death. We are beside ourselves as she was a one of a kind member of our family.
I was appalled as to the number of dog deaths listed on the internet that were caused by GREENIES.
zIf we had only had knowledge of these happenings.
I am requesting that the above policy be cancelled.
Thank you,
I adopted an 8 month old Shih-Tzu and a friend suggested greenies to keep her teeth clean. I purchased only 3 teeny weeny size, I have been reluctant to give them to her, she is about 10lbs until I read these stories I thought it would loosen her bowl movements. Now, with a lodging/chocking possibility I’m not going to give these to my dog. She eats Blue Buffalo Puppy food and seems to be just fine, poop is always perfect and right after her meals, don’t want to ruin her perfect housebroken training with something that could harm her. She loves to chew but, is a very fast eater, so once again no greenies for my girl!
YOU NEED TO CHECK THE RECALLS ON BLUE BUFFALO PUPPY FOOD.
I agree with Dino: If you have a dog 5-15 pounds you should us “Teeny Weeny Greenies” (Period) and if you have a dog that gulps them down and does not chew then up, do NOT use any of the dental chews. I have a Toy Poodle and a Yorkshire Terrier; however, the Terrier had one “Teeny Weeny Greenie” and gulped it down, not chewing it properly. Needless to say, he NO longer gets any dental chews. My suggestion is to read the directions, monitor how your dog chews the dental treat, get the correct size treat for your dog and then decide if your dog should have dental treats.Talk with your veterinarian and you will find there other ways to clean your dogs teeth, short of having the vet do it.
I’ve been using these pill pockets now for a couple years with no ill effects at all. But I have the good sense to use no more than what it takes to hide the pill, usually that’s half of one or less. But with my dog I won’t use them as a treat simply because it’s the only way I can get him to take his medications. I love my dog dearly and with all my heart, he’s the best friend I could ever have asked for in life, so I have to be sure of getting his thyroid medication taken. It even serves to help me get him to lie on his side to get his insulin shot twice a day too. He sees it as a reward for letting me give him his shot when it’s really another dose of his medication. Without those pills every day he would lose all his fur (Trust me! A chow without their fur WILL stand out!) and turn very mean, mean enough that he’d probably bite someone and wind up getting put down by the authorities. These pill pockets have been a God send for he and I, maybe that’s why I’ve used them so sparingly with him, and from what I’m reading here I’ve been right to do exactly that. I guess I did the one thing most dog owners are either too lazy to do or not smart enough to see as something any dog owner should do above all first…. LEARN ABOUT THE BREED AND WHAT IT CAN AND CAN’T DO OR TOLERATE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE TO AVOID A LEATHAL MISTAKE. Remember all dogs are really different persons, and the breeds are like races, just like humans. And just like humans of different races they will prone to different afflictions “per race/breed” too. To me, to have someone in my life that gives me that much, makes me feel I owe them to learn all that I can to take care of him right back. I’d feel totally irresponsible if I did any less.