Today we found out that Greenies — the #1 selling dog treat in America; which helps fight bad breath — is actually bad for dogs. Not only is it bad, it can cause death. In a Newsday.com article, there was talk about a dog who had three feet of necrotic intestine removed and later died.
"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."
We're not sure if this is in any way related to Chester's illness, but we have decided to stop giving him greenies.