At Pet Circle we pride ourselves on being pet centric - we believe in putting what's best for pets first. This includes our product range. We only want to sell products that will enrich pets' lives and further strengthen the bonds between them and their pet parents.

To put our philosophy into practice, we are guided by the Pet Circle Vet Squad, our team of over 30 experienced Australian veterinarians. After reviewing our dog treat range, the Vet Squad advised that rawhide and bone treats could pose a number of health risks including:

• Mild to severe gastrointestinal upset: Bones and rawhide are difficult for the gastrointestinal tract to digest.This can result in vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases pancreatitis.
• Gastrointestinal blockage or injury: Pieces of bone or rawhide can cause blockage of the oesophagus or intestines which can be a life threatening emergency. Bones may also splinter causing further injury if consumed.
• Dental fractures: Chewing of bones of all descriptions can result in fractured teeth that often require surgical removal.
• Bacterial contamination: Any uncooked meat or bone product (including air dried and freeze dried) can carry harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. While not necessarily a cause of disease in the pet, contaminated products can lead the pet to become an infection source for human members of the household, particularly small children, elderly and immunocompromised people.

The Pet Circle Vet Squad's recommendation is that bone and rawhide treats should be removed from our product range as they pose too many health risks to the dogs that consume them. These products are now currently in the process of being phased out, and will no longer be available from Pet Circle from 1 August, 2022. While we can appreciate this may cause inconvenience for some pet parents, we feel that this is the right decision to help prevent pets from becoming unwell or being injured.