The veterinarian determined that there was a visible "lump" in the dog's neck along the cervical esophagus.  Anesthesia was administered.  First an injectable anesthetic was given followed by intubation of the trachea and gas inhalation anesthetic.  It required repeated attempts to grasp the object but in about fifteen minutes the the doctor was able to gently extract the hard, irregularly shaped esophageal obstruction.  It appeared to be a commercial "bone" treat... at first thought to be a Greenie.  The owner returned to the animal hospital with the package the chew treat was purchased in.  It wasn't a Greenie but rather a Nylabone® product called "Turkey and Rice Flavored Edibles".  Somehow the patient may have tried to swallow the treat but it was only partially chewed and was simply too big to go beyond the thoracic inlet.  The resulting esophageal obstruction, if it hadn't been for the observant owner, would have presented an ever-increasing health hazard the longer it remained in the esophagus.

According to the manufacturer's website on 2/15/06 the Nylabone® Healthy Edibles®  chew treat is stated to be "tasty, completely edible and digestible providing a safe and enjoyable alternative to traditional rawhide. NO plastic and NO added sugar."  The ingredients are: Potato starch, turkey, rice, calcium carbonate, natural flavor, soy flour, lecithin, rosemary oil.  The manufacturer also states: *From time to time, our formulas and ingredients may change, based upon availability of ingredients. The ingredients listing above is meant only as a guide. Actual ingredients in any product are clearly printed on all product packaging. They are packaged in six different sizes.

No matter what you feed your dog or cat, watch for potentially dangerous choking or swallowing issues.
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