Two Western Australian families are calling for the recall of a popular dog treat after it led to two dogs being rushed to intensive care.
Sasha Wadham and Graham Torpy, residents of Perth who live just 15 minutes apart, didn’t meet until both experienced similar distressing incidents involving their dogs.
On January 4, Wadham’s sister gave her dog, Tucker, a Bow Wow Dog Treats Prosciutto Bone, a product currently unavailable at Coles. Within 48 hours, Tucker was admitted to ICU at a local animal hospital, where scans revealed bone splinters inside his digestive tract. The vets suspected the splinters were from something he had eaten, prompting Wadham to investigate further. She found a series of negative reviews online, with pet owners claiming that the prosciutto bone product had caused their dogs to fall ill.
A spokesperson for Bow Wow Dog Treats acknowledged a small number of incidents related to the product in the past 12 months. The company confirmed it would phase out the Prosciutto Bone by the end of Q1 2025 following consultations with industry experts.
Tucker spent a week in ICU, facing life-threatening complications, and his treatment amounted to nearly $14,000. Wadham, whose sister’s pet insurance did not cover the full amount, launched an online fundraiser to help cover the expenses.
Not long after, Torpy reached out. His dog, Lido, had suffered a similar fate after consuming the same product in September 2024. Within 72 hours, Lido was rushed to the ICU, where a risky surgery was performed to remove a foreign body causing an intestinal blockage. Veterinarians had given him a less-than-20% chance of survival. The bill for Lido’s treatment totaled $12,000, forcing Torpy to dip into his savings set aside for his upcoming wedding.
Torpy had previously contacted Bow Wow Treats’ parent company, Nova Concepts, to report the issue. He claims he was told Lido’s reaction was an isolated incident. Upon seeing Wadham’s post about Tucker’s condition, Torpy knew that was not the case.
Both families have now launched a Change.org petition urging Bow Wow Dog Treats to recall the Prosciutto Bone and calling for major retailers like Woolworths, Big W, Coles, and Aldi to stop selling the product. Wadham expressed her disappointment that the product wasn’t pulled from shelves months earlier, when Torpy first raised concerns about Lido’s experience.
“If something could have been done then, we wouldn’t have gone through all this,” she said.
Bow Wow Dog Treats responded, stating that its products are developed in consultation with scientists and animal nutrition experts. The company maintains that its treats, including the Prosciutto Bone, are designed to support dental and joint health in dogs but acknowledged that not all treats are suitable for every dog. They emphasized that all industry guidelines are followed, and necessary disclosures are included on packaging.
The Australian pet food industry, however, remains largely unregulated. Despite a 2018 senate inquiry calling for greater oversight, little progress has been made. The Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) has been advocating for regulations and better systems to manage consumer complaints, but their efforts have yet to lead to substantial changes.
Currently, vets can report health issues linked to pet food through PetFAST, a non-government alert system. However, there is no mandate requiring manufacturers to investigate or recall products, even if they have been reported multiple times.
As the case continues to unfold, both families are hopeful that their efforts will lead to greater accountability and safer products for Australian pets.
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