The FDA has issued a serious warning about dog bone treats. The agency has received several reports of pets becoming very sick or even dying.
Just like going to the dog park, giving furry companions a treat is a daily routine for some pet owners.
"Anything that's as durable as possible," said Matt Crowle.
Rachel Smith of Milwaukee thought the same with her previous pet.
"He was very sensitive to food so we would feed him rawhide treats and stuff like that and it got stuck in his intestines so we had to have surgery," she said.
Smith said her 5-year-old dog made it out of the procedure but remembers the fears that came with it.
"It was really sad because you never know if they're going to come out or not," Smith said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent out a warning this week to not give your dog bone treats after 90 dogs got sick and 15 others died. Glendale veterinarian Pete Gaveras isn't surprised.
"Not at all, in fact I think 90 or so was probably underestimating the number of cases that have been seen," he said.
The FDA lists ham bones, pork femur bones, rib bones and smoky knuckle bones that are sold in most pet and grocery stores as the main treats to avoid.
"The bone can get caught anywhere along the intestinal tract and it can cause irritation, or cause irritation to the lining of the rectum or colon," Gaveras said.
Smith said after learning the hard way, she sticks with soft and chewy organic treats for her dog.
"I would say just try to get the healthiest, even if it's a bit more expensive,” she said
Gaveras said your safest bet is to keep your dog away from all bones.
