From a
Seattle news station investigation
Is your dog biting off more than he can
chew?
The KING 5 Investigators have learned of a troubling
pattern among one of the most popular dog chews on Seattle area store
shelves.
One of the most trusted names in dog chews is Nylabone.
For 40 years they've made some of the most popular dog chews.
But there is growing evidence that some of their product lines
- like one made from a gummy material - could be harmful, even
fatal, to your dog.
At the Renton
veterinary hospital she manages, Gail Scott has declared some chew toys
off-limits. "I gave this one - one similar to this - to my own dog,"
she said, holding up a Nylabone. Now added to her list is the Nylabone "plaque attacker," the kind that she gave to
her Doberman Sting.
"He had broken the
whole end off and it was going down this throat. But I retrieved
it quickly, and of course took it away from him," Scott said. "Had it
been swallowed, probably within days, this could have been lodged
somewhere in the intestinal tract and probably had to be retrieved
surgically."
But even surgery
couldn't save Timber. It was only
after the champion Alaskan malamute died in Virginia that a vet
discovered a chunk of plaque attacker lodged in his stomach.
In Texas, the same fate was in store for Rambo, a little
poodle.
The vet retrieved two
pieces of what appeared to be Nylabone products, after Rambo's agonizing
death. "What really got me is when
the vet told me he screamed, and then died," said Harvey Hannah,
Rambo's owner. Virginia attorney Debra Corcoran said she's uncovered
more than a hundred cases where dogs may have
been injured or killed after swallowing Nylabone products.
She blames the company's line of flexible chew toys. They're
marketed under names like Gumma-Bone and Plaque Attacker.
Some vets say they're made of an indigestible material, and
plaque attacker has a knobby surface that can lodge in the digestive
tract.
"This is a gas pocket in the stomach
outlined here," Rambo's vet said, pointing to an X-ray.
Rambo's x-ray highlights another problem. Nylabones don't show up on X-rays, so vets, like Rambo's can't
tell what's making the dog sick.
"When it
hung up - the intestine keeps moving - so it kind of knotted up like an
accordion," the vet said.
The KING 5
Investigators have obtained a half dozen letters Nylabone sent to
customers
whose dogs were injured. The company calls the cases "...most
unusual..." or an "...isolated incident..."
In a letter to KING
5, Nylabone said "...the Plaque Attacker (registered trademark) is safe
... however, all polymer dog chews, regardless of
manufacturer, can present problems when they
are inappropriate in size, or have become old and worn."
In Timber's case, Nylabone settled for an undisclosed dollar
amount the day of trial.
Attorney Debra Corcoran is now preparing
a class-action lawsuit, but some people who've lost their pets want
quicker action from Nylabone, whose products can be found in pet shops
just about anywhere.
"Take it off the market - or at least change
your packaging and put on warning labels," asked Harvey Hannah, Rambo's
owner.
Late this week - that's exactly what's happened. Nylabone
sent KING 5 this letter saying that
after ten years on store shelves it's pulling the Plaque Attacker.
The
company says it will replace Plaque Attacker with "...a new, improved
product shortly."
But it won't say how soon
- or exactly what changes will be made. We'll be watching for it - and
we'll let you know how it compares.
The following is the text of
the letter sent by Nylabone to the KING5
Investigators:
Nylabone
products, a division of T.F.H. Publications, announced that it is
replacing its Plaque Attacker line of dental dog bones.
"When used properly, the ASPCA approved Plaque Attacker Bones are a
safe and effective aide in reducing problems associated with periodontal
disease in dogs," said Glen Axelrod, President and C.E.O. of T.F.H.
Publications. "However, all polyurethane dental dog bones, regardless of
manufacturer, can present problems when they are inappropriate in size,
and have become old
and worn."
The Plaque Attacker line of dental dog bones included
the four sizes of Dental Bones made from polyurethane plastic which
were introduced in the early 1990's. The produce is designed to massage a
dog's teeth and gums through specially designed dental tips on a
traditional dog bone shape to prevent canine periodontal disease. When improperly monitored during use, the bones can become
frayed and worn, with the possibility of large pieces being bitten off
and becoming lodged in a dog's intestinal tract.
"We are highly committed to pet safety and, while a typical
small piece of the product will normally pass through a dog harmlessly,
we take any amount of customer concern seriously. As such, we are
discontinuing and removing all four sizes of our Bones in the Plaque
Attacker line from stores and will introduce a new, improved product
shortly. We will continue to work very closely with
our veterinarian experts and the ASPCA to define, circulate and publish
guidelines for the proper use of polyurethane dental pet products
industry wide," said Axelrod.
Nylabone Products, a division of
T.F.H. Publications, is a leading manufacturer of premium dog chews and
dental devices. Since their introduction in 1955, Nylabone dog chews
have grown to be the most recognized dog chew among veterinarians,
clinics and kennels. Nylabone Products carry the ASPCA seal of
approval.
###
Posts
