Hau-Hau Champion dog chews under scrutiny after health concerns raised in Finland

In the coming days, additional test samples of Hau-Hau Champion dog chews will be submitted to Finland’s Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) amid claims that they have caused health issues in dogs. The specific cause of the symptoms remains unclear.

In August, Hau-Hau’s light rolls, manufactured by Prime Pet Premium Oy, were pulled from shelves due to a suspected product defect. CEO Timo Pärssinen indicated that the company continues to investigate the possibility of a product flaw. Initial results from Ruokavirasto, released last week, showed no abnormalities in the product. New test samples are expected to be sent to Ruokavirasto soon. The company is also conducting its own investigations with Finnish laboratories and plans to send samples abroad for more specialized testing.

Pärssinen expressed hope that the reason behind the symptoms reported by consumers will be identified, regardless of whether it points to issues with the product. “The worst-case scenario would be to find nothing in the lab tests, leaving the question of whether there was an issue or not,” he stated.

The company has received hundreds of inquiries related to this issue in recent weeks, mostly concerned questions regarding product safety, with dozens linked to suspected symptoms in dogs. Some pet owners reported observing neurological symptoms, panic attacks, breathing issues, and diarrhea.

Pärssinen noted that while he has personally discussed cases with concerned customers, emphasizing that the primary concern is the health of pets, he also highlighted that some reports indicated dogs were being fed significantly more chews than recommended. Hau-Hau advises that such chews should only make up a small part—ideally no more than ten percent—of a dog’s daily energy needs. Pärssinen pointed out that feeding a medium-sized dog four or five rolls per day is excessive and could lead to digestive problems.