Prickly fibers are showing up in pedigree dog treats

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Dog owners have been on a heightened state of alert lately with all the pet food recalls and some extremely dangerous dog treat linked to ingredients sourced in China. So it’s no wonder that one consumer was extremely concerned when he found something that resembled a plastic fiber in the treats that he purchased for his dog.

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Brian Walsh was feeding his black lab, Sarah, Pedigree’s Marrobone treats when he saw what resembled a paint brush bristle poking out of one of them. He opened the bag further to examine the rest of the treats and found fibers poking out of a few other treats in the bag as well. Walsh said the fibers were sharp and he was actually pricked by one.

His concern was understandable. He decided to check online to see if anyone else had experienced issues with the Marrobone dog treats. Online postings about the fibers dated back more than a year. Consumers described the fibers as looking like toothbrush bristles, a fish bone, or a piece of fishing line. Walsh became very worried until he found out what Mars Pet Care, the company that makes Pedigree products, said the fibers are.

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They said the fibers are pig fur and are commonly found in their Marrobone treats. A spokesperson for the company said that pig fur occasionally gets blended in with the products during the cooking process. She said that it is safe for dogs to ingest, the hair is digestible, and that the company’s Marrobone treats meet all United States Association of American Feed Control Officials standards.

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One local news station in western Washington took the treats to a local veterinarian to be analyzed. Dr. Jordan Albrecht analyzed the mystery fibers under a microscope and agreed that they were not plastic, but animal fur. She said that they could certainly be consistent with pig hair.

These treats are made in the U.S.A. and Mars Pet Care assures their customers that Marrobone treats are 100% safe for canine consumption. The treats not only meet US AAFCO standards, but they meet the requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration as well. Still, Walsh says that he will be cutting back on the number of Marrobone treats he feeds his dog.

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