A Trader Joe's shopper is warning other pet owners to be on the watch for the chain's bully sticks for dogs.
Chewing helps clean your dog's teeth, strengthen their jaws, and keep them mentally stimulated. However, depending on the brand, they can also pose serious health risks to your pet.
TikTok user Reece Lopez (@reecelopez) shared a video with over 168,900 views, warning fellow pet owners after her dog nearly had a medical emergency from a Trader Joe's chew treat.
Lopez starts her video by holding up a pack of Trader Joe's Bully Chewers.
"So I just bought these from Trader Joe's," she says. "They're the Bully Chewers."
Since her dog usually enjoys their yak chews, she decided to try these instead when they were out. She explains that her dog weighs 50 pounds, so she figured the chew would be safe as long as she supervised.
"I gave it to her and made sure to check her progress on how much she was chewing," Lopez says.
Twenty minutes later, she checked again.
"She basically had like all this left still. It was just kind of white, and she had chewed it open. I was just keeping an eye on her."
Then, suddenly -- she swallowed the rest whole.
"I was like, what was that noise? And then I obviously see she's not chewing it anymore, so I assumed that she had eaten the entire thing."
At first, Lopez wasn't too worried.
"I was thinking that if it really is a bully stick and there's like really only a few additives for color and preservatives, it would probably just digest in her stomach."
But when she looked it up, she realized it wasn't that simple.
"If your dog swallows like a whole bully stick, it could impact their digestive system and get stuck in their intestines and all this stuff."
"So I made her throw it up," she says. "Thank God, I just bought the hydrogen peroxide a few days ago."
She explains that when her dog vomited, the chew was "fully intact still."
"I didn't even realize how much of it was fully hard still," Lopez stated. "I touched it out of her throw-up, and it was almost as hard as the original ones."
Bully sticks are a popular chew treat, but swallowing large pieces can cause serious problems. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), dogs should never be left alone with chews, especially if they tend to swallow large chunks.
Some vets recommend taking bully sticks away when they get too small to prevent choking or blockages. Others suggest choosing a chew appropriate for the dog's size and chewing habits.
After this experience, Lopez says she won't be buying the Trader Joe's chews again.
"I'm just going to stick to the yak chews, and then obviously when they get really small, I'm just gonna throw them in the microwave like I usually do," she says.
Yak chews are made of a combination of yak and cow's milk, among other ingredients. She ends the video with a final reminder.
"Just keep an eye on your dogs. And if they somehow eat something that they're not supposed to, hydrogen peroxide, 3%, literally just saved me a very expensive and scary trip to the vet," she concluded.
Looking down at her dog, she adds, "I'm really glad you're OK, though."
In the comments, other dog owners stated they too are nervous to give their pet bully sticks. Others offered alternatives and solutions.
"This is so important!!!" exclaimed one user. "I just stick to the salmon skin and jerky because I'm nervous."
"I had to stop buying bully sticks and made frozen enrichment treats instead," shared another. "Lasted longer and healthier."
Another commenter offered a solution. "We have a bully stick holder and has been the best $20 on Amazon I spent," they wrote. "I still watch her even with the holder, though, but not as closely."
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lopez via email and Trader Joe's via contact form for official comment.