If you’re planning on giving your dog a stocking full of bones this year, you may want to reconsider, after a warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says several dogs have become sick or even died from dog bones.
The FDA has received about 68 reports of pet illnesses related to “bone treats,” treats that are processed and packaged for sale as dog treats. That includes treats described as ham bones, pork femur bones, rib bones and smokey bones.
“Giving your dog a bone treat might lead to an unexpected trip to your veterinarian, a possible emergency surgery, or even death in your pet,” said Carmela Stamper, a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA.
Some of the illnesses reported by owners and veterinarians include gastrointestinal obstruction, choking, vomiting, diarrhea, cuts and wounds in the mouth or on the tonsils, bleeding from the rectum, and/or death.
Those reports involved about 90 dogs, with 15 reportedly dead after eating a bone treat. Some reports included more than one dog.
The FDA says dog owners should avoid giving their pets chicken bones or other bones from the kitchen table, and be careful of what they put in the trash can, as dogs are notorious for helping themselves to the turkey or steak bones put in there.
For more information, visit the FDA’s website.
