Canine Nylabone Warning
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.
With This warning
It highlights the fact that we should never leave our dogs unnatended with
these type of toys and that we should constantly check that they are intact
and the correct size for the dog in question.
