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In a new consumer class action lawsuit, a woman from California claims certain PetMatrix dog treats aren’t as digestible as the label says they are.
Plaintiff Charlotte Docken says PetMatrix LLC of New Jersey falsely represents its Dream Bone dog treats in an effort to get sales from consumers who wouldn’t have bought the treats otherwise.
Docken says the label for PetMatrix Dream Bone treats says the product is “99 percent digestible.” The packaging also features a picture of a small dog, implying that the product was safe for small dogs to digest, she argues.
In fact, Docken alleges, PetMatrix Dream Bone contains many indigestible ingredients. She says the third ingredient listed on the ingredient list is sorbitol, which according to her is not digestible. Docken claims sorbitol is widely used as a laxative, and she says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies it as an “indigestible sugar alcohol.”
Docken claims other ingredients in PetMatrix products were placed there to function as a laxative, to give pet owners the illusion that the overall product is more digestible than it really is. She believes PetMatrix has known since it first started making Dream Bone treats that the product contains a large proportion of indigestible ingredients.
Docken says she purchased PetMatrix Dream Bone dog treats at a Walmart in California. After giving a Dream Bone to her dog Maxie, she says, Maxie didn’t respond well to it. Docken says Maxie began showing symptoms of a digestive blockage, including vomiting, avoiding food, and bloody discharge.
X-rays at her veterinarian’s office revealed a large obstruction in Maxie’s abdomen. After surgically removing the object, the veterinarian discovered it was a large piece of a dog chew that matched the Dream Bone Docken had given the dog earlier.
Docken says that the Dream Bone was the only new food item she had introduced to Maxie shortly before the surgery. According to her veterinarian, had they not quickly performed the surgery, Maxie would have died.
Docken now argues that PetMatrix’s conduct violates several provisions of California consumer protection law. Her PetMatrix class action lawsuit raises claims for unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business acts and practices, misleading and deceptive advertising, and untrue advertising. She also includes one claim for violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The plaintiff seeks to represent a nationwide Class of all persons who purchased PetMatrix Dream Bone dog treats since May 2012. She also proposes a subclass consisting of all Class Members who purchased Dream Bone treats in California. She anticipates both the Class and subclass will number in the thousands.
Docken is asking the court for certification of the proposed Class, damages, restitution, disgorgement of profits, attorneys’ fees and court costs. She also seeks a court order forbidding PetMatrix from continuing the conduct she complains of here.
Plaintiff’s counsel are Todd M. Friedman and Adrian R. Bacon of the Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman PC.
The PetMatrix Dream Bone False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit is Charlotte Docken v. Petmatrix LLC, Case No. 8:16-cv-00994, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
UPDATE: PetMatrix Dream Bone False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on February 23, 2017.
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101 thoughts onPetMatrix Class Action Says Dog Treats Are Dangerously Mislabeled
Had to take our Shit Tzu to emergency Vet. She had blood in her poop, throwing up. No energy. Dehydration. Took her to vet. $900.00 later she was given an IV and 3 different kinds of medicine. All this because she ate the Dream Bone treats. If possible we would like to be on the class action also.
Cassava is the second ingredient in the DreamBone kabobz. If this vegetable root is not cooked, it contains cyanide! Deadly! They are manufactured in Vietnam. Who knows if proper preparation of this ingredient is followed! Jump on the Class action suit!’
Gave my dog peanut butter dream. Started acting sick wouldn’t eat. Blood started running out of her took her tovrmergrncy. Put her on iv did xrays bloodwork . Asked vet if ut could of been bones . Said recalls everyday. They kept her for a couple days kept working on her. Bill over 1000.00. If there is a lawsuit want in on it
My dog loves these treats but he has been refusing to eat his food and only wants these treats. Now, I know why. I have 5 or 6 bags. Some are partial bags. I decided he wasn’t eating his food because of the treats. He will be upset but I can’t take a chance by continuing to give them to him. He is too precious for me to lose him. So no more dream bones. I hope he will be okay. He’s been eating them for several years, but I am very worried about his future health.
I, too, have been giving my two precious Dachshunds Dreambones Sweet Potato bone and their Kabobs! Not anymore! Made in Vietnam. Not USA. I called the company and the guy got snippy and hung up on me! Whatever the reason, my pups are like little Dreambone crackheads!! One of my pups got sick after eating the kabobs! Hope they take them off the market!
OMG same! My dog eats about 4 or 5 of these Dream Bones a day and will not eat his regular food. I didn’t know this was the reason. How is he now that you have taken these away from him? Is he eating his regular food again? Did you find an alternative treat that he likes? I am just reading about this today because my dog threw up last night and it looked like plastic, but it was the Dream Bones.. I need to stop today and i too have about 6 bags here.
Going through all of this right now with my dog in intensive care at the vet, dehydrated, bloody diarrhea, ALT elevated, eosinophils elevated, they may have to do a transfusion tonight to save her life. All from damn dream bones that she likes and I did not know that they were not good for her. The vet says the signs lead to toxicity. I am so freaking upset right now. She is my reason to get up in the morning and without her I have no further reason, my husband had a stroke 2 weeks ago and is going to go to a care home and now my house will be really empty and I do not think I can go on without her. I am in Surrey, BC Canada email hollealarochelle@gmail.com
Hello Larochelle
We have 12 week old cavapoo puppy. I saw DreamBone at my local Walmart. She choked on the treat she was able pass the treat into her stomach. It just happened so we will watch her closer. I live in Edmonton, I’m upset because their is no warning on the bag of treats. Plus the puppy was a gift to my 12 year old daughter. Has anything done to take these treats off the market.
My dog for 2 days in a row has been vomiting up the smart bone smart chips as if they didn’t digest at all. We have been giving her the smart bone treats for a couple of years and it is as if all of a sudden there is something not right about those treats.
My Aussie /Border Collie mix loves Dream Bones (especially the Peanut butter flavor). However recently I have been buying the chicken flavor and she has been vomiting from them. Mostly greenish mucous, but once she actually threw up something that resembled Ravioli. Then I remembered she had eaten 2 small Dream bones the day before. I have been buying these for years for my dogs, but all of a sudden have had problems with them.
My 4 year old Aussie Blue Heeler died after $2000 trying to savr her cuz of this. Heartbroken n pissed!!! I lost her within 3 days.
My Pomeranian died after chocking on one of these bones. It was lodged in his throat & I tried to save him to no avail. This was the most loyal beloved dog. I tried to contact the company. They wanted a receipt & barcode of product which of course I threw that crap out in anger. Most of my friends said I should have contacted an attorney.
My dogs have just had their first bag of these treats. My 3 year old has been sick, puking and not feeling well. Thank goodness we seen someone’s story about their dog being sick. We have now thrown out the rest and will never buy them again.
My three dogs have been eating dream bones since I found them at the store; a long time ago. I have not had a problem with them. They digest them fine, have never been sick and absolutely love them. They get one of the large bones a week for a treat. I don’t over do it. Everything in moderation. My dogs are now all seniors; 11, 15 and 16 1/2 years old.
i have given my dogs these as well for years and they love them but yesterday had to have a dog i had for 10 years put to sleep in surgery because it shredded her intestines and had massive bleeding. It was one of the worse days of my life and when getting home threw away any i had left over. Will never give any of my dogs these type of treats again even on the chance this can happen to one of the others
Our 6 year old Shih Tzu gets one every morning after his first potty walk. We’ve also never had a problem with them. He’s been getting ONE everyday for a couple years. We get him the DreamSticks.
Well, I gave my four month old mini poodle the mini bones—just one a day. Got up one morning and he has thrown the bone up, was very lethargic, wouldn’t eat and not at all his normal energetic self. Took him to the vet and they gave him nausea meds and fluid under the skin. Said if he was not better to bring him in the next day. That visit was over $100 and maybe morr, just cannot remember. Well, he was not better so they took x-rays and thought they saw something in his tummy. So, they did exploratory surgery, found a very tiny piece of left over bone and a very red and inflamed stomach lining. Spent two nights in the hospital and came home with pain pills, antibiotic, nausea meds and anti-diarrhea meds along with an E-Collar. He has to be crated fir ten days, can only go outside on a leash, and was given boiled chicken and a few cans of sensitive food. That experience cost me almost $1400+. Vet said to throw the bones away, which I did. On tv the other night two ladies dogs had passed and they blamed these bones, as did the vet. Wish the company would reimburse me the $1600 in vet bills because of their bones.
By the time I got home at 3 a.m. and got her to the emergency vet there wasn’t much they could do for her she had died through the night they were surgically removed a stash of non digested green Bones from her stomach. I really wish these damn bones would be taken off the market.
My 1.5yr old jug pup is suffering after eating half a Dreambone Stuffed Twistz treat. She has been vomiting and having diarrhea for 2 days. She can’t keep food or water down. She was spraying pink bloody water out of her behind. Took her to emergency vet who took X-ray, gave her fluids and anti-nausea meds. Prescribed her antibiotic and gave her 7 days probiotic powder. No obstruction found with X-ray. Vet said she saw consumer reports that indicated many dogs had GI issues from Dreambone brand treats. Now I have to monitor her closely next 24hrs. If she throws up, there’s an issue and to rush her back to emergency.
First I’d like to give my apologies for lil ones should never have to worry about haven to go thru anything like this and or worse god helping hand Im thankful shared it maybe with few ppls help may save lil ones or maybe give m idea clues to help vets may identify problem maybe if I would have seen saved my lil ones life if I would have known could have been a problem
I’m sorry I didn’t see this earlier
My friend bought these bones for my dog and since it states non rawhide I gave my dog two of them. That night I awoke with her vomiting and diarrhea all over the house! That day she went from shaking to dry heaving. The next day I thought she might be feeling better because she ate her dinner. The next day she had bloody diarrhea all that day. I rushed her to vets. He said it had to be the bones and took an X-ray .that showed severe inflammation!
I’m hoping she pulls through. So far it has cost me 200 dollars for X-ray and a shot and medicine. I’m spreading the word around for everyone not to give these bones to their dogs!