Are rawhide chews safe?

Rawhide is not digestible. If a large piece is swallowed, it can cause an intestinal blockage, which can be fatal if not caught in time. Also, a lot of rawhide is imported from other countries. There are no standards for importing rawhide, and the rawhide may have been dipped in bleach to whiten it or even other harsher, more dangerous chemicals.

Many dogs eat rawhide their entire lives with no ill effects, but I personally don't like the risk.

Here are the fully digestible alternatives I use for my dog:

- bully sticks

- moo tubes (dried beef trachea)

- tendons

- dried salmon skin rolls

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ADD:

I personally stay away from Greenies as wel.

There was some hype about Greenies causing internal blockages not too long ago. (News article: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/14/dangerous.dogtrea... )

They have reformulated since then and are supposedly more digestible now, but I still don't trust them.

I got one for free a few months ago and gave it to my dog. Even with the reformulated kind, I could identify pieces of undigested Greenie in her poop the next day.

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Rawhide's ARE safe in moderation. A dog should not have unlimited access to rawhide. If they eat too much rawhide it will give them the runs and upset their tummy. My Bichonpoo likes Mini Dingo Bones. I give her one or two a day this is what my vet recommended. There is a product available at grocery stores called Chewlotta which is another type of bone (not rawhide) that I give her on occasion. Also she likes bully sticks, again these should be given in moderation. I may be overly cautious but I NEVER give my dog any kind of bone or even food when I am not home. The safest bone or kibble can be swallowed wrong and an animal can choke, just like a human can choke on food. I only give things to eat when I am home to supervise. Also NEVER give real meat bones as they can splinter easily.

For most dogs yes, but some dogs, when the rawhide gets really wet and slimy will stop chewing and swallow the rest whole. I've had a few dogs do this and get sick so just supervise your dogs the first time you give it to see how they eat them.

I think you are very wise to be concerned. My choice is to never give rawhide, pig’s ears or hooves to my dogs. While they would LOVE any and all of them, I prefer to err on the side of caution. This season I had to disappoint my son. He brought a package of rawhide treats to my dogs for Christmas. When he gave them to me, I politely thanked him and put them in the kitchen. However, he later said, “Let’s give them their treats.” That was when I had to be honest and tell him that I am afraid of rawhide for dogs. I felt terrible because it made him feel bad. But he would have been devastated if his good intentions had harmed one of our precious dogs.

Here is a good article that goes into some of the dangers of some dog treats. If you like, you can read it and make a more informed decision.

http://www.k911.biz/Petsafety/RawhideandChewyTreat...

Happy New Year

A friend of mine had a dog die because a peice of rawhide caused a blockage.

Alot of rawhides are also made with dangerous chemicals to preserve them.

Billy sticks, pig ears, snouts, tracheas are all edible options that a much safer than rawhides.

In any given situation, focus on what you do want your dog to do instead of on whatever he’s doing wrong. Learn how to train your dog https://tr.im/gPKax

For example, suppose that on many evenings, your young dog gets busy looking for trouble just as you’re digesting your dinner. He grabs a boot from the mat by the front door and gallops through the house with it. You yell at him and take it away. He grabs its mate. You yell and take it away. He heads for the kitchen and starts checking out the counters in case something tasty’s been left behind. You chase him away. And on and on, until you’ve lost your temper and torn out clumps of hair you can ill afford to lose.

i personally know of an 11 month large dog that choked to death on one of these, you know how they like them better when they are all chewed and a little softer, well it cost him his life and it was heartbreaking. i took my dog off them straight away. They may appear good for teeth etc but the risk is just too much for me.

They can be dangerous, and they aren't exactly healthy. Dogs can choke if they try to swallow big pieces.

Best bet is to go with something more safe, like nylabones or kongs.

Well in my opinion i think they are perfectly safe. my dogs love them to and they have never had any problems. but thats MY dogs. Your dog may not need to eat them any more. you should try taking them away for a while and see if anything gets better. if nothing changes, then i guess you could give them back to him. I would recomend you talking to your vet.

I do not like them, because as you predicted, they cause digestive problems and are VERY easy to choke on a small piece. Try soft squeky toys or an OCCASIONAL greenie.