Vets urge approaching potentially deadly dog treats with caution ahead of Christmas

Vets are warning Australian pet owners about a widely available but potentially deadly type of dog treat ahead of Christmas.

Mitchell Van Homrigh

less than 2 min read

December 15, 2021 - 12:22PM

Vets are warning Australian pet owners about a widely available but potentially deadly dog treat ahead of Christmas. Picture: Facebook.

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Vets are warning Australian pet owners about a widely available but potentially deadly type of dog treat ahead of Christmas.

Dog owners have been told to stay away from cheap long-lasting dog chew treats if they are planning to spoil their pooch with pressies this festive season.

The treats are made out of the inner layer of cow or horse hides which are then pressed into chewable dog treats of different shapes and sizes

The warnings come after a social media post detailing the near-death of a dog after consuming the treats went viral.

Rawhide treats extracted from Charlie. Picture: Facebook.

Clifford is happy after eating appropriately sized treats. Picture: RSPCA.

“Please, do not give rawhide treats to your dogs this Christmas, or anytime,” the post said.

“If you want to treat your pets this Christmas, please only get safe treats from a good pet shop or your local vet clinic.”

Aside from the scare, the ordeal cost Charlie’s owners almost $2,000.

“The vet’s bill for Charlie came to $1600, which luckily we could pay, but not everyone could afford this and it would be heartbreaking for them if their only choice was to put their pet to sleep.”

RSPCA NSW chief veterinarian Dr Liz Arnott told 7 News some cheap treats can obstruct a dog’s airways.

“These products are designed for your dog to chew and to keep your dog entertained, which is great so long as they are good quality products,” Dr Arnott said.

“But the low-quality ones are filled with chemicals and can fall apart very easily inside a dog’s stomach and cause major problems.”

She added you should try to find treats that suit your dog’s size and breed.

“You should be looking at finding something that hasn’t been chemically treated and is an appropriate size,” she said.

“Monitoring your dog when they are enjoying any new treat is important too. Especially for large dogs who tend to be particularly tempted to try and gulp or swallow a treat in full.”