There was an articles in the local paper about Greenies ( http://www.greenies.com/ ) and
the fact that when eaten they do not digest or whatever and that they have been numerous
cases where vets have had to operate to remove them because the animals could not pass
them!!!

Here are some articles about them from http://quikonnex.com/channel/item/15576

"I fed my Pomeranian greenies for about a year. Last Thursday night I gave her one (petite
size) . I found her on the floor about an hour later. She was already dead. The vet who
performed the Autopsy said that there was no way the chunk of greenie in her throat could
have been removed by me. I have since learned of a Doberman and a Golden that had
intestinal problems. Do not give these wretched things to your dog."

And here are a few more, in fact, the next ones were found online under customer reviews
for greenies products!

The following comments were listed on an online forum:

"Hi,

Michelle just posted about her dog throwing up a big piece of a greenie. I have seen on
other forums that they can choke and kill your dog. On their site, they do say to monitor
your dog so they don't gulp them, but they don't say what to do if your dog is choking on
one. I think they are some what irresponsible for not warning about that specifically.

To say to monitor your dog does not seem like enough of a warning, but of course they
don't want to say your dog can choke on them. They make it seem like they may just eat a
bigger chuck than they should, but don't mention the ramifications.

If you still want to give your dog greenies which are supposed to cut down on a dog's
tartar build up, then don't leave them alone with it. For me, I don't even want to risk my
dog getting it lodged in her throat. You really can't tell they are eating a big chunk
until after they do it. "

"

WARNING:
Green "toothbrush"-shaped dental chews prove deadly

It has taken me since Monday evening to write this message to you. That is the night that
our little 17-1/2 year old Chihuahua mix, Peanut, died as Dr. Bell and Dr. Iannone of
Evesham Vet Clinic worked valiantly to save her life. It was a death that never should
have happened, and I will forever have to live with knowing that because of what I did NOT
know, my wonderful little girl would lose her life. I only hope that this E-mail will save
the life of someone else's precious companion.

Peanut died after having swallowed a chunk of what is known as a "greenie". " Click here
for the whole story

These so called "treats" are touted as being "the Original Smart Treat for Dogs and Other
Pets". They are not looking so smart to more and more dog owners.

ingredients listed: processed wheat gluten, glycerin, natural flavor, powdered cellulose,
monosodium phosphate, monoglycerides of edible fatty acids, magnesium stearate and
chlorophyll.

So, what is so smart about that? The ingredients are pure junk and then not digestable on
top of that!

Let's face it, dogs can and often do choke on a lot of things including kibble but if we
know a product to be unsafe and that needs to only be given to our dogs under supervision,
the manufactor should have a warning label large enough to see and they sure should not be
advertised as a "smart treat". Please warn your friends.

Just my two cents worth! lol

Jeannie

Below is another article I found on http://www.snopes.com/ :

I have a warning to pass on with a story to tell of my own.....

On the way back from the Dobe National this year, I was walking one of the dogs at the
airport waiting for the owner to return our rental car when the dog decided to throw
up.....I was shocked to see a mass of green rubber-like material and immediately called
the owner. The mass looked like something you would see in the pad under a carpet. I was
assured the dog did not shred anything...and that the only thing the dog had been given to
eat recently was a "Greenie"...one of those formed green dog treats that look like a
toothbrush.....I couldn't believe one of those pressed dog treats would reconstitute into
what looked like a mass of foam rubber pieces!

Well, after getting home my friend did an experiment....cut up one of those things and
soaked it in water overnight....low and behold a mass of foam rubber crap! Certainly NOT
digestible! We both made a note to never feed those things again...and then last night in
the Seattle area the newscast did a piece on...you guessed it GREENIES! A whole story
about how dogs are DYING from blockages after eating those stupid things! Here is a link
to the article....turns out they are NOT 100% digestible....DUH!

SO PLEASE pass this info on....permission to cross post!!

Articles from
http://www.wrgb.com/iteam/investigation/investigation.asp?selection=article_43888

Greenies Dog Treats Pose Problems For Some Dogs

(Schenectady) — Imagine...you think you're giving your dog an all natural treat and then
you end up rushing him to the vet for emergency surgery.

Mary Jarvis is a Vet Tech at the Guilderland Animal Hospital. She almost lost her own
sweet Bull Terrior Harry, to this product which prides itself on being made of all natural
ingredients and claims to freshen dog's breath.

If you get a magnifying glass and read the tiny print on the package, you will find a
disclaimer suggesting that Greenies are best suited for small dogs that will chew on them
rather then larger dogs that are more likely to chomp and swallow.

But most dog owners don't see the fine print and are unaware of the danger that Greenies
may cause.

An X-ray revealed that a Greenie was lodged in poor Harry's esophagus making it impossible
for him to breath. An emergency veternarian was forced to perform surgery right away to
try to save Harry's life.

Dr. Michael Casler, a vet for the Guilderland Animal Hospital, still sells Greenies, but
he told CBS-6 that he is very selective and recommends that Greenies be given under the
supervision of the pet owner. Harry has since recovered well from surgery.