Note: This article was written and published in 2005. For up-to-date information, see Greenies Dog Treat NOT Dangerous Now. The product has been reformulated and is as safe for dogs as any other “dental chew” or chewable treat.
Dog forums, pet blogs and and pet-related list-serves continue to be a-buzz with stories of dogs who have required serious and expensive surgery after being given a Greenie dog treat. There seem to be two main issues, as I noted in yesterday‘s post on this topic:
- Do Greenies pose a choking hazard to dogs who gulp or fail to chew properly, or who have been given a Greenie that is too small for the size of the dog?
- Can dogs digest Greenies properly, or is there is a significant risk of undigested material from some ingredient that may cause an intestinal blockage?
My growing sense, the more I read, is that the two issues may very well be related.
Can Dogs Choke on Greenies?
Dogs can choke on anything they chew, the same way that a person can choke on chewing gum or a hastily-gobbled breakfast bagel. Eat too fast and a piece can get caught in the throat, blocking the passage of air. The choking hazard for dogs is not restricted to Greenies but extends to any “chewy” that can break into small pieces. Supervision is important. It wouldn’t hurt to brush up on doggie first aid techniques, too.
Can Greenies be Digested Properly by Dogs?
Here’s what S&M NuTec (manufacturers of Greenies®) says about Greenies on its product information page:
Some chew products contain other inert materials which are not digestible. All ingredients in Greenies® the original green smart-treat® are highly digestible, are human food grade prior to being processed in pet food plants.
Here’s a link to actual photographs of the green material removed from a dog’s blocked intestine during emergency surgery, as well as the section of bowel removed. (These are real photographs, so be forewarned if you are squeamish about medical things.)
And in case anyone goes getting unduly alarmed, because these are quite alarming pictures, do please remember that anything that is ingested by a dog can cause the occasional problem. That includes socks, stuffed toys, real bones, dead mice, tuna casserole… anything can “go down the wrong way”.
It may be useful to check the Greenies.com FAQ, newly expanded, which has answers to about any question imaginable.
And here’s a letter posted on Boxer Rescue, dated 9 November 2005, from Jody Hanson “on behalf of the manufacturers of Greenies®“:
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.
For what it’s worth, the bottom line conclusion that I reached yesterday — to return to what we did before they invented Greenies — has not changed as a result of what I have learned here today.
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