For everyone's info from Snopes.com:
Origins: Greenies are a brand of
green, toothbrush-shaped dog treats developed to keep dogs' teeth and gums
healthy and control "doggie breath." Dogs have to do a lot of chewing to get
through one of the biscuits, which helps to keep their teeth clean and control
tartar, and the ingredients are touted as providing better nutrition and bad
breath control than other alternatives (such as rawhide chews).
In
November 2005,
the above-quoted e-mail began circulating, warning readers that Greenies did not
appear to be fully digestible. A 15 November 2005 consumer investigation by Seattle's KIRO-TV reported that
Greenies and similar products could "pose a real danger to dogs." KIRO offered
three accounts from dog owners whose pets had to undergo veterinary treatment
for intestinal obstructions after being fed Greenies or other teeth-cleaning
biscuits; two survived after surgery, and the third died. All in all, they found
nine people who claimed their dogs had died after eating Greenie-like products.
S&M NuTec, the company that produces Greenies, furnished us a copy of the complete statement they sent toKIRO-TV, which touches on
some of the cases discussed:
products ?
from teeth-cleaning chews to doggie biscuits to chew toys ?
can potentially injure or sicken dogs under certain conditions and
circumstances; we don't yet have enough information to know whether Greenies
pose a greater than normal danger to dogs under ordinary use than other similar
products, or whether we're just seeing a confluence of exceptional anecdotal
reports.
In
|
|
S&M NuTec, the company that produces Greenies, furnished us a copy of the complete statement they sent to
Our Commitment to Healthy
Pets
Our company was founded and is staffed by people who are deeply passionate about pets and their welfare. In fact, my wife, Judy, and I developed Greenies® to solve our own dog Ivan's problem with bad breath. Ivan had kidney problems from birth and we did not want him subjected to anesthesia to have his teeth cleaned. Toothbrushing, as many dog owners will agree, was simply not a practical solution. Greenies® not only cleaned his teeth, but freshened his breath as well. Since its introduction, Greenies® have helped clean teeth and freshen breath for millions of dogs all over the world.
Doggie breath, along with many health problems in pets, can be avoided with proper dental care. Our product is proven to promote healthy teeth and gums. Also, Greenies® reduces the need for teeth cleaning via sedation, which carries its own unique risks and is quite costly.
Greenies® were the first dog treat in the world to earn the Veterinary Oral Health Council's Seal of Acceptance for both plaque and tartar reduction. The VOHC website states that the cause of gum disease is the same in dogs as it is in people. Gum disease is an infection resulting from build up of soft dental plaque on the surfaces of the teeth around the gums. If allowed to accumulate, the bacteria in plaque irritate the gum tissue which often leads to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth. Tartar (calculus) consists of calcium salts from saliva deposited on plaque. Tartar starts to form within a few days on a tooth surface that is not kept clean.
Untreated, the gums become irritated, leading to bleeding and oral pain. The roots may become so severely affected that some teeth become loose and fall out. Bacteria surrounding the roots gain access to the blood stream. Research studies have shown that dogs with severe periodontal disease have more severe microscopic damage in their kidneys, heart muscle and liver than do dogs with less severe periodontal disease.
VOHC.org also states that the key to management of gum disease is prevention of tartar and plaque build up that can result in gingivitis and periodontal disease. As long as the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned frequently, the gums will stay healthy. Excellent oral health is maintained by daily oral hygiene, whether by brushing or by chewing. Daily use of products that have been awarded the VOHC Seal ? such as Greenies® ? will help to keep your pet's teeth clean and the gum tissues and bone around the roots healthy.
The digestibility testing that we have with Greenies® show them to be about 85% digestible when adequately chewed ? more digestible than the average dry dog food. The primary ingredient in Greenies® is wheat gluten, which is very digestible. 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. This would be similar if a dog swallowed a large piece of meat or vegetable.
Our Priority to Educate Pet Owners About Smart Treating
It is very important for pet owners to read the labels on any food or treat they feed, and follow the feeding guidelines. We suggest that pet owners monitor their dogs when feeding any food or treat. Our feeding directions can be found on our packaging and on our web site. The directions instruct dog owners to provide the correct size Greenies® for the weight category of their dog.
Greenies® are not appropriate for all dogs. The feeding directions state that Greenies® should not be fed to dogs less than six months old, dogs less than five pounds, and dogs who gulp food and treats. We offer an alternative called Greenies® Lil' BitsT. Lil' BitsT are made from the same ingredients as Greenies®; we simply chop them into smaller pieces for smaller dogs, puppies under six months, dogs with very poor teeth, or dogs that tend to gulp food or treats. Though injurious incidents with our product are rare, more often than not, the pet is not fed according to our feeding directions.
Our Responsibility to our Customers
This summer we were concerned when we learned about Matthew Balkman's dog, Beau. We completed a thorough investigation, including having our technical services veterinarian review Beau's medical file and speak with his veterinarian. Unfortunately, Beau, a Bernese Mountain Dog, ingested a large chunk of our product without sufficiently chewing it. Beau's veterinarian successfully removed the piece and we hope Beau has recovered well from his surgery.
In September, we were extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gilbert Wright's dog. We replied to his e-mail expressing our sorrow and offering to begin an investigation a few times, but our e-mails were not answered. In early November we were able to get in touch with Mr. Wright via regular mail and have offered to start our investigation. He has asked us to hold off for now. Because we have not yet conducted an investigation, we can't comment on this specific incident. We do wish his family the very best.
Millions of Greenies® are sold, and enjoyed by dogs, every week, without incident. I personally feed Greenies® to my dog, Max, every day. My children feed Greenies® to their dogs. Our employees feed Greenies® to their dogs. We receive testimonials from thousands of pet owners who love our product, and we receive story after story of how our product has saved their dogs' life by improving their oral health.
We are a responsible company, we love pets, and we continue to educate consumers on the benefits of treating your pets to smart products with healthy benefits, as well as the importance of feeding as directed.
Joe Roetheli
CEO of S&M NuTec LLC (manufacturers of Greenies®)
A number of different pet Our company was founded and is staffed by people who are deeply passionate about pets and their welfare. In fact, my wife, Judy, and I developed Greenies® to solve our own dog Ivan's problem with bad breath. Ivan had kidney problems from birth and we did not want him subjected to anesthesia to have his teeth cleaned. Toothbrushing, as many dog owners will agree, was simply not a practical solution. Greenies® not only cleaned his teeth, but freshened his breath as well. Since its introduction, Greenies® have helped clean teeth and freshen breath for millions of dogs all over the world.
Doggie breath, along with many health problems in pets, can be avoided with proper dental care. Our product is proven to promote healthy teeth and gums. Also, Greenies® reduces the need for teeth cleaning via sedation, which carries its own unique risks and is quite costly.
Greenies® were the first dog treat in the world to earn the Veterinary Oral Health Council's Seal of Acceptance for both plaque and tartar reduction. The VOHC website states that the cause of gum disease is the same in dogs as it is in people. Gum disease is an infection resulting from build up of soft dental plaque on the surfaces of the teeth around the gums. If allowed to accumulate, the bacteria in plaque irritate the gum tissue which often leads to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth. Tartar (calculus) consists of calcium salts from saliva deposited on plaque. Tartar starts to form within a few days on a tooth surface that is not kept clean.
Untreated, the gums become irritated, leading to bleeding and oral pain. The roots may become so severely affected that some teeth become loose and fall out. Bacteria surrounding the roots gain access to the blood stream. Research studies have shown that dogs with severe periodontal disease have more severe microscopic damage in their kidneys, heart muscle and liver than do dogs with less severe periodontal disease.
VOHC.org also states that the key to management of gum disease is prevention of tartar and plaque build up that can result in gingivitis and periodontal disease. As long as the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned frequently, the gums will stay healthy. Excellent oral health is maintained by daily oral hygiene, whether by brushing or by chewing. Daily use of products that have been awarded the VOHC Seal ? such as Greenies® ? will help to keep your pet's teeth clean and the gum tissues and bone around the roots healthy.
The digestibility testing that we have with Greenies® show them to be about 85% digestible when adequately chewed ? more digestible than the average dry dog food. The primary ingredient in Greenies® is wheat gluten, which is very digestible. 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. This would be similar if a dog swallowed a large piece of meat or vegetable.
Our Priority to Educate Pet Owners About Smart Treating
It is very important for pet owners to read the labels on any food or treat they feed, and follow the feeding guidelines. We suggest that pet owners monitor their dogs when feeding any food or treat. Our feeding directions can be found on our packaging and on our web site. The directions instruct dog owners to provide the correct size Greenies® for the weight category of their dog.
Greenies® are not appropriate for all dogs. The feeding directions state that Greenies® should not be fed to dogs less than six months old, dogs less than five pounds, and dogs who gulp food and treats. We offer an alternative called Greenies® Lil' BitsT. Lil' BitsT are made from the same ingredients as Greenies®; we simply chop them into smaller pieces for smaller dogs, puppies under six months, dogs with very poor teeth, or dogs that tend to gulp food or treats. Though injurious incidents with our product are rare, more often than not, the pet is not fed according to our feeding directions.
Our Responsibility to our Customers
This summer we were concerned when we learned about Matthew Balkman's dog, Beau. We completed a thorough investigation, including having our technical services veterinarian review Beau's medical file and speak with his veterinarian. Unfortunately, Beau, a Bernese Mountain Dog, ingested a large chunk of our product without sufficiently chewing it. Beau's veterinarian successfully removed the piece and we hope Beau has recovered well from his surgery.
In September, we were extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gilbert Wright's dog. We replied to his e-mail expressing our sorrow and offering to begin an investigation a few times, but our e-mails were not answered. In early November we were able to get in touch with Mr. Wright via regular mail and have offered to start our investigation. He has asked us to hold off for now. Because we have not yet conducted an investigation, we can't comment on this specific incident. We do wish his family the very best.
Millions of Greenies® are sold, and enjoyed by dogs, every week, without incident. I personally feed Greenies® to my dog, Max, every day. My children feed Greenies® to their dogs. Our employees feed Greenies® to their dogs. We receive testimonials from thousands of pet owners who love our product, and we receive story after story of how our product has saved their dogs' life by improving their oral health.
We are a responsible company, we love pets, and we continue to educate consumers on the benefits of treating your pets to smart products with healthy benefits, as well as the importance of feeding as directed.
Joe Roetheli
CEO of S&M NuTec LLC (manufacturers of Greenies®)
----- Original Message -----From: Reedialer1@aol.comSent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 11:58 AMSubject: [pyrnet] Do we think this is real?Greenies: A safe or deadly treat?
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This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-lspets4557714dec19,0,4163123.column
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com
Denise Flaim
Animal House
December 19, 2005
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 (c) 2005, Newsday, Inc.
--------------------
This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-lspets4557714dec19,0,4163123.column
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com