Could your pet’s Christmas gift be deadly? Kmart shoppers warned against dog treats!
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With the festive season nearing, pet owners in Australia are gearing up to give their furry family members the best time of the year too. Gifts, festive outings, and delicious treats—what could be better?
Sadly, some pet owners have been warned to watch out after a dedicated pet care facility found serious health risks associated with festive dog treats sold at Kmart.
Pet Drs Therapeutic Pet Care examined the selection of festive dog treats available at the budget retailer, and according to them; much of the range is unhealthy or downright dangerous.
Pet Drs' Grace Thadani took to social media to share her concerns about the treats available in the store.
Kmart's dog toys gained Dr Thadani’s approval, but the food treats elicited a different reaction.
As an example, she said that a 25-piece Dog Treat Stocking contains ‘some of the worst ingredients’ for pet dogs, including wheat, dextrose, sugar, soy and rawhide, which can cause choking.
Her message was backed up by Pet Drs' Director, Kirra Graham.
'I know some people will argue that it's “just one treat”, but there are so many small brands out on the market that provide high-quality options that are safer for our pets,' she warned.
'Obesity is one of the most common diseases among pets and unfortunately, treats like these don't help the cause.'
‘Dogs are omnivores, meaning they eat meat and tolerate small amounts of fruit and vegetables. I can guarantee that a dog would prefer eating a delicious dehydrated beef treat over a treat made of wheat,’ she added.
Additionally, Ms Graham explicitly expressed her opinion on rawhide.
‘In regards to rawhide—this goes out to anyone selling rawhide—these treats are probably one of the worst things ever created for dogs,’ she said.
‘Rawhide is particularly dangerous as it is a by-product from the leather industry. The skin of the animal is removed, washed and soaked in chemicals, then gets separated. The first layer goes to the leather industry and the second layer makes up rawhide. From there, it is again soaked in chemicals, dyes and preservatives, with formaldehyde being a common one used.’
According to Ms Graham, rawhide should be avoided as it is not good for the dog's dental and gut health.
‘You'll notice that the end product of rawhide is quite hard. Once this gets chewed by the dog, it becomes chewy, making it prone to blockages and choking.’
Meanwhile, Dr Emma Wilkie, an emergency veterinarian from Sydney's Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH), affirmed the conclusions of the other pet experts.
She said that while most of the ingredients in Kmart's range of pet treats are safe, they're still not nutritionally complete or good for your pet—they should be regarded as junk food.
'The exception to this is rawhide, which poses a risk of choking or oesophageal obstruction, because of its slipperiness and difficulty for some dogs to break it up into small pieces. It's advised that pets should be monitored when being given rawhide treats, just in case they have any difficulty,’ she explained.
Dr Wilkie also shared her warning that pet owners should be on the lookout for other ingredients—like chocolate, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, garlic and onions—that could cause serious harm.
'If your pet has eaten any of these products, get in contact with a veterinarian for advice on the next steps forward,' she said.
Kmart's spokesperson offered the following statement in response to these claims:
'Our pet treats are designed to be treats. As with all pet products, we can encourage owners to make informed choices based on what is suitable for their pet.'
As for the rawhide, the spokesperson referred to the usage instructions, which state ‘long lasting treats require responsible supervision to ensure adequate chewing’.
It's absolutely essential that pet owners take the time to read nutritional labels and pay close attention to ingredients before giving their pets any kind of treat.
With that in mind, let's keep our furry family members safe this Christmas by doing research and selecting treats carefully.
Aside from pointing out which items in Kmart’s selection are no-nos for pets, Pet Drs also gave their approval for others. You can watch their full video below:
What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments below!
Sadly, some pet owners have been warned to watch out after a dedicated pet care facility found serious health risks associated with festive dog treats sold at Kmart.
Pet Drs Therapeutic Pet Care examined the selection of festive dog treats available at the budget retailer, and according to them; much of the range is unhealthy or downright dangerous.
Pet Drs' Grace Thadani took to social media to share her concerns about the treats available in the store.
Pet Drs said that these products are not healthy and can be harmful for dogs. Image: TikTok @petdrs
Kmart's dog toys gained Dr Thadani’s approval, but the food treats elicited a different reaction.
As an example, she said that a 25-piece Dog Treat Stocking contains ‘some of the worst ingredients’ for pet dogs, including wheat, dextrose, sugar, soy and rawhide, which can cause choking.
Her message was backed up by Pet Drs' Director, Kirra Graham.
'I know some people will argue that it's “just one treat”, but there are so many small brands out on the market that provide high-quality options that are safer for our pets,' she warned.
'Obesity is one of the most common diseases among pets and unfortunately, treats like these don't help the cause.'
‘Dogs are omnivores, meaning they eat meat and tolerate small amounts of fruit and vegetables. I can guarantee that a dog would prefer eating a delicious dehydrated beef treat over a treat made of wheat,’ she added.
Additionally, Ms Graham explicitly expressed her opinion on rawhide.
‘In regards to rawhide—this goes out to anyone selling rawhide—these treats are probably one of the worst things ever created for dogs,’ she said.
‘Rawhide is particularly dangerous as it is a by-product from the leather industry. The skin of the animal is removed, washed and soaked in chemicals, then gets separated. The first layer goes to the leather industry and the second layer makes up rawhide. From there, it is again soaked in chemicals, dyes and preservatives, with formaldehyde being a common one used.’
According to Ms Graham, rawhide should be avoided as it is not good for the dog's dental and gut health.
‘You'll notice that the end product of rawhide is quite hard. Once this gets chewed by the dog, it becomes chewy, making it prone to blockages and choking.’
Meanwhile, Dr Emma Wilkie, an emergency veterinarian from Sydney's Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH), affirmed the conclusions of the other pet experts.
She said that while most of the ingredients in Kmart's range of pet treats are safe, they're still not nutritionally complete or good for your pet—they should be regarded as junk food.
'The exception to this is rawhide, which poses a risk of choking or oesophageal obstruction, because of its slipperiness and difficulty for some dogs to break it up into small pieces. It's advised that pets should be monitored when being given rawhide treats, just in case they have any difficulty,’ she explained.
Dr Wilkie also shared her warning that pet owners should be on the lookout for other ingredients—like chocolate, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, garlic and onions—that could cause serious harm.
'If your pet has eaten any of these products, get in contact with a veterinarian for advice on the next steps forward,' she said.
Kmart's spokesperson offered the following statement in response to these claims:
'Our pet treats are designed to be treats. As with all pet products, we can encourage owners to make informed choices based on what is suitable for their pet.'
As for the rawhide, the spokesperson referred to the usage instructions, which state ‘long lasting treats require responsible supervision to ensure adequate chewing’.
It's absolutely essential that pet owners take the time to read nutritional labels and pay close attention to ingredients before giving their pets any kind of treat.
With that in mind, let's keep our furry family members safe this Christmas by doing research and selecting treats carefully.
Aside from pointing out which items in Kmart’s selection are no-nos for pets, Pet Drs also gave their approval for others. You can watch their full video below:
What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments below!
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and I won't by them I look for Australian made and don't give them rawhide at all
