Recalls started

Panic attacks in dogs: Chewing products in focus

Nibbling on chewing bones is a delicious activity for many dogs.(Bild: stock.adobe.com/JAROMIR CHALABALA)

In several European countries, severe neurological symptoms have been occurring in dogs for several months: Howling, barking, sudden panic attacks and uncontrolled movements. In some cases, epileptic seizures also occur later on. The reason for the so-called werewolf syndrome may be toxins in certain bovine chewing bones.

It cannot be ruled out that other products are also affected. It is clear that this is a Europe-wide problem - and that it is still ongoing, explained Nina Meyerhoff from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover on Tuesday.

Recalls in several European countries
There have already been recalls for certain products of various brands in Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), for example, warned against certain chewing bones of the "Barkoo" brand. The authority announced at the end of the year that they had been sold in the country through online stores operated by Zooplus. The chews were suspected of causing serious neurological disorders in dogs and investigations were underway.

Barkoo chew bones are also available in the Zooplus online store in Austria. In Denmark, the manufacturer Chrisco recently recalled certain chewing products for dogs that had been sold in various markets throughout the country as a precautionary measure. The background to this was reports of behavioral changes in dogs that ate the products. 

The term "werewolf syndrome" for the abnormalities in dogs is used colloquially - because, according to the owners, the dogs often howl like a wolf - and is not a technical veterinary term.