If you're a knowledgeable dog owner, you're already aware that giving your dog bones, can be an iffy and sometimes deadly proposition.

Now, the Food and Drug Administration is warning all dog lovers about buying what are being referred to as "bone treats." So before you shop for Fido's Christmas stocking, beware!

No these aren't the regular bones you may get from your butcher, (although that isn't always a great idea either, as regular bones can damage your dog's teeth too). These bone treats are real bones which have been "processed, sometimes flavored and packaged for dogs".

Additionally from the FDA:

A variety of commercially-available bone treats for dogs—including treats described as “Ham Bones,” “Pork Femur Bones,” “Rib Bones,” and “Smokey Knuckle Bones”—were listed in the reports. The products may be dried through a smoking process or by baking, and may contain other ingredients such as preservatives, seasonings, and smoke flavorings

So far the FDA has received reports regarding 90 dogs, 15 of which have died after ingesting these "bone treats".

Several of the reports indicated the products splintered when the animal was chewing on them, or that the products appeared to be moldy.

Some of the illnesses reported by veterinarians and owners included:

  • choking
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • digestive blockages
  • cuts and wounds in the mouth and throat
  • bleeding from rectum

and

  • death

If you've already experienced an issue and want to report a problem, go to the FDA's How to Report a Pet Food complaint page.



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