Bunnings removes pet treat from sale after dog needed emergency surgery

An Auckland woman is calling on Bunnings to pull a pork bone pet treat from sale after her dog required emergency surgery to remove a large lump of splintered bone from his intestine. Bunnings has since confirmed it has removed the product from sale as a precaution while it investigates.

Kat Thomas said she bought a Trusty 1 Piece Pork Bone Dog Treat for her 12-year-old Border Jack named Flash about a week and a half ago, while picking up other items at Bunnings.

"I normally grab like a peanut butter treat or something... I saw this and I said, oh, 'it looks like the pig's ears, I wonder if it's similar'," she told 1News.

Flash enjoyed the treat that evening and ate and drank as normal, but the next morning, Thomas said her son found the dog had vomited "big chunks" all through the hallway.

'They said he needed emergency surgery'

Flash became increasingly unwell the next day, refusing food and water, squeaking in pain when picked up and becoming unable to jump onto furniture as normal.

A first vet visit resulted in pain relief and a laxative but, by that evening, Thomas and her family took Flash to an after-hours vet in Avondale, where staff said he needed emergency surgery immediately.

An invoice seen by 1News showed the family paid $5000 for the procedure.

Surgeons removed a large lump of splintered bone from Flash's intestine. Vet records seen by 1News showed veterinarians were concerned the splinters might have caused further damage as they passed through his system but, given his age, they chose to wait rather than operate further, and sent him home to recover.

Since then, Flash has been readmitted to the vet several times with complications, including an infection and dehydration. He remained on antibiotics, pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication.

"We would have had them put him down over the weekend," Thomas said, had her family not been able to cover the cost of emergency treatment. They did not have pet insurance.

'Bones may splinter and pose a choking hazard'

Bunnings' product page for the treat carried several warnings, stating the bone "may splinter and pose a choking hazard", that dogs should always be supervised while eating it, and the product should be thrown away immediately "if this product splinters or develops sharp edges".

The listing also noted some dogs "can tend to chomp and gulp the product down without fully crunching or chewing", and recommended owners consider a softer treat if that applied to their dog.

The physical packaging carried a shorter version of this warning: "Always supervise your dog as bones may splinter and pose a choking hazard. Ensure fresh drinking water is available."

Thomas said she didn't read the packaging before giving Flash the treat, although he was with her in the house at the time.

"There's all these warnings on the product online, but not on the little bit of packaging," she said.

"He lives inside mostly, so I didn't think too much of it. We had a bit of a laugh because he was really enjoying it."

1News counted close to a dozen reviews on the product's Bunnings page from other owners describing similar issues with their dogs. One read the bone "splinters and shatters like a pane of glass"; another described it as an "incredibly dangerous treat".

After a complaint to Bunnings, Thomas then visited a store on Friday and removed all remaining stock from the shelf, placing it in a trolley and taking it to the customer service desk to request it be removed from sale.

"I said I was either gonna buy every single one and bin them, or I want you to take them off the shelf right now. He said, 'Nah, we'll take them off the shelf'. He went straight on the walkie-talkie," Thomas said.

She said she felt guilty about giving Flash the treat, but that it did not occur to her it would pose a risk, adding she wanted to raise awareness.

"What if someone's got them sitting in their drawer or their cupboard? ... I don't want any other dog to go through this."

Bunnings responds

A Bunnings spokesperson said the company took product safety concerns seriously and worked closely with suppliers on quality and safety.

"We understand how important pets are to our customers, and we take feedback and concerns about product safety seriously. We work closely with suppliers to help ensure the quality and safety of the products we sell."

The spokesperson said Bunnings sold a range of natural treats including air-dried bones, as did other retailers and specialty pet stores.

"As natural bone products can splinter, the packaging includes guidance on safe use, including supervising pets while they enjoy the treat.

"However, while we investigate concerns, we've made the decision to remove this product from sale as a precaution."

The maker of the pet treats has been contacted for comment.