I spend more on food and treats for my pugalier Rocky than I do on my children, and I used to think that meant I was doing everything right. Premium chews, “all-natural” jerky, grain-free biscuits and fortified dental chews. Lots of special treats for my special boy.
Americans spend almost $70 billion on pet food a year, and I’ve been doing my part. But veterinarians say some of the most popular products are leading to emergency surgeries, tooth problems and organ damage.
Dr. Stephanie Liff, a New York City-based veterinarian and practice owner, sees the damage firsthand, noting that “26% percent of dogs will suffer from fractured teeth, usually from chewing on hard things.” The products responsible are ones most owners would consider safe, such as bully sticks, yak chews, antlers and smoked bones.
“Any treat that is not soft enough for you to make a dent with your nail is technically too hard and could break a tooth,” she said.
Liff recently had to surgically remove a Himalayan yak chew from a dog’s stomach. Another of her patients, a labradoodle, cracked both of its large back molars on a hard chew so forcefully the owner heard it across the room. Repairing the damage cost the owner over $2,000.
