A highly popular dog treat, designed to clean the animals' teeth and improve "doggy breath," is getting a closer look by pet owners and federal authorities amid growing complaints they might be harmful.
Now, the company that makes "Greenies" dog treats faces a $5 million lawsuit by a New York couple who say their dog died after eating a Greenie.
Jennifer Reiff and Michael Eastwood say their minature dachshund died two days after they fed him a petit-sized Greenie.
The couple told WCBS-TV in New York that the day after giving the dog the treat, they took him to the vet where he underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine. Reiff and Eastwood say it was a portion of a Greenie that caused the problem. Their pet died two days later.
Various media reports say the $5 million suit alleges design defects, negligence, and the company's failure to warn of a possible danger. The plaintiffs reportedly have asked the company to recall and reformulate the product.
S&M NuTec, L.L.C., the company that produces Greenies, declined comment on the litigation but released a statement saying, "As a company started and staffed by pet lovers, this incident was devasting to us." The statement also claims that Greenies are more digestible than dry dog food when adequately chewed.
"We strongly recommend purchasing the correct size Greenies according to the size and weight of your pet," the statement said.
KIRO-TV in Seattle, which has also recently reported on alleged problems with Greenies, has reported that the Food and Drug Administration has begun an investigation of the complaints.
Greenies were developed in the late 1990s when two dog owners, Joe and Judy Roetheli, teamed with a well-known board-certified veterinary nutritionist to develop a dog chew treat formulated to control dental tartar, plaque and gingivitis, and formulated to taste great while reducing bad breath.
The toothbrush-shaped, green treat is the best-selling dog treat in America, with more than 300 million treats sold, according to the company Web site.
