Veggie Dent dental chews recalled in Australia — Are they safe for dogs in the US?

Could Veggie Dent® dental chews cause kidney disease in dogs?

After the recall of Veggie Dent® dental chews in Australia, dog owners in the United States are now beginning to wonder whether Veggie Dent®'s sold here in the United States are safe for their pets.

Veggie Dent® brand dental chews suspected of causing kidney disease in dogs in Australia

Virbac, the manufacturer of Veggie Dent® brand dental chews announced several days ago that they were voluntarily recalling the product after researchers in Australia discovered a possible link between recent outbreaks of kidney disease in dogs and the Veggie Dent® dental chews.

According to Virbac, the action was taken as “a precautionary measure in the interests of animal welfare and the veterinary profession" and there is no concrete proof that the kidney disease, which is also being referred to as a Fanconi-like syndrome, is caused by the Veggie Dent® treats.

Australian Veggie Dent® dental chews differ from those sold in the United States

Veggie Dent® dental chews which were being sold in Australia differ from those being sold in the US. Australia's food safety regulations require irradiation of the product before sale. Veggie Dent® dental chews sold in the United States have not been irradiated.

At the current time, it is not definitively known whether the Veggie Dent® dental chews are the true cause of the outbreak of kidney disease being noted in Australia. It is also not entirely understood how and if irradiation of the dental chews may relate to causing the kidney disease being seen in affected dogs.

History of Fanconi-like kidney disease in the United States

In September of 2007, similar cases of Fanconi-like kidney disease were reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While most cases of Fanconi disease in dogs are considered to be inherited disorders, these cases of Fanconi-like kidney disease did not appear to have a heritable or genetic cause.

Symptoms reported with this Fanconi-like kidney ailment included:

• increases urination
• increased thirst
• decreased appetite
• vomiting
• diarrhea

Many of the dogs suffering from this kidney disease required extensive veterinary care to survive and not all affected dogs did survive.

These cases of kidney disease in the United States were originally believed to be due to chicken-based pet products imported from China but no definitive cause was ever named and no contaminant could be found in any of the suspected pet products. At the time, Veggie Dents® were not suspected or investigated.

Kidney disease outbreak in Australia linked to Veggie Dent® dental chews

As cases in the United States began to diminish, new cases began to appear in Australia. Though originally chicken-based Chinese products similar to those implicated in the United States were suspected, more recently Veggie Dents® have proven to be a common denominator which were consumed by all of the sick dogs.

Investigation into the Australian kidney disease outbreak is ongoing and thus far, the proof that Veggie Dent® dental chews are causing kidney disease is entirely circumstantial.

Has irradiation of pet food products caused disease in pets before?

Irradiation of pet foods has been implicated in causing disease and/or illness in pets, even in the recent past. In early May of 2009, governmental officials in Australia ordered an immediate stop to using irradiation to sterilize cat food after having reviewed veterinary studies which linked irradiation of foodstuffs to neurological disorders. Neurologic signs seen in affected cats were reported to be incoordination or paralysis of the legs, usually the hind legs.

There are a number of different theories which explain how irradiation may be causing these medical conditions, but none of these theories has been proven at this point and the mechanism of cause remains a mystery.

Are Veggie Dent® dental chews sold in the United States safe for dogs?

At this point, the verdict is still out on that question. Certainly, there is no direct evidence that Veggie Dent® dental treats are causing disease here in the United States. Though Virbac has announced a recall on Veggie Dents® which they marketed in Australia, there are no recalls on dental chew products sold in the United States.

Pet owners are advised to gather all the facts before electing to offer Veggie Dent® dental chews to their canine pets, so that an educated, well-thought-out decision can be made. Dog owners who observe signs of illness in their dogs subsequent to feeding Virbac's Veggie Dent® dental chews to their dog are urged to contact their veterinarian. Doing so will insure that the dog gets the medical care he/she needs and will also allow reporting of the symptoms to the proper authorities for further investigation.