Veterinarians are warning pet owners about common dog treats and foods that, despite their popularity, can lead to emergency surgeries, dental damage, and organ issues. Popular items such as bully sticks, yak chews, antlers, smoked bones, and rawhide are frequently cited as causes of these preventable problems.
Dr. Stephanie Liff, a New York City-based veterinarian, notes that 26% of dogs suffer from fractured teeth, often due to chewing on excessively hard items. She advises that any treat too hard to be dented with a fingernail poses a risk. Liff has treated dogs for blockages caused by yak chews and has seen dogs incur over $2,000 in dental repair costs from chewing on hard items.
Smoked marrow bones can splinter into sharp shards, as experienced by Katherine Bailee, who found a large piece lodged in her Doberman's mouth. She explained that smoking removes a bone's flexibility, making it brittle. For breeds prone to bloat or with sensitive gastrointestinal tracts, these types of bones can be an internal hazard.
Rawhide, a byproduct of the leather industry processed with chemicals, also presents significant risks. It softens when chewed and can be swallowed in chunks, potentially causing life-threatening blockages. Caleb Johnstone's golden retriever required emergency surgery after swallowing a large piece of rawhide that swelled inside its stomach.
Dr. Ezra Ameis, a veterinarian and owner of Paw Priority veterinary clinic, performs gastrointestinal surgeries regularly to remove rawhide, cooked bones, and hard dental chews from dogs' digestive systems and throats. He cautions owners to avoid giving dogs anything harder than their own teeth.
Beyond physical blockages and fractures, some treats can cause invisible damage. Dr. Jordyn Zoul, a veterinarian at Seaside Veterinary Hospital, has treated dogs for Fanconi-like syndrome, a kidney disease, linked to jerky treats. While some dogs recover when the treats are removed, others suffer permanent kidney damage.
Grain-free diets have also been identified as a potential risk factor for heart disease in dogs, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy. Zoul explained that this dietary trend, driven by a misconception that dogs are carnivores, has led to enlarged and weakened hearts in some pets. Switching to a grain-inclusive diet has shown recovery in affected dogs.
Vets also warn about specific ingredients, with xylitol being a major concern. This artificial sweetener, found in some peanut butter and yogurt-based treats, can cause life-threatening low blood sugar and liver failure in dogs, even in small amounts. Other flagged ingredients include BHA, BHT, and excessive salt. The term "natural" on packaging is often a marketing tactic and not a guarantee of safety or digestibility.
Veterinarians recommend simpler, safer treat options for pets. Dr. Liff suggests single-ingredient, softer treats, while Dr. Ameis offers blueberries, carrot slices, and small pieces of lean meat. A key guideline from these experts is the fingernail test: if a treat cannot be dented with a fingernail, it is likely too hard for a dog. Treats should also constitute no more than 10% of a dog's daily caloric intake, and chewing sessions should always be supervised.