Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO Food Forum => Food Discussion & Information => : Gill August 04, 2007, 03:49:49 AM
-
On a couple of occasions I have given Monty a rawhide to chew. He spends quite a bit of time chewing and then gets them to a certain size and then swallows it. I can't think that this is good for him, do you think I should not let him have them any more
-
We do the Bullysticks and marrow bones instead of the rawhide. I was told the pressed pork chews are a similar alternative to the rawhide but more digestible. I worry too much about the choking hazard of rawhide but that's just me.
-
I always advise my students at orientation about the dangers of rawhide. Dogs should only be allowed to chew on it when there is someone to supervise them. As previously mentioned, only buy rawhide labeled that it is made in the USA to avoid deadly toxins. When the rawhide gets small enough that your dog may try to swallow it whole, discard and give a new one. Compressed rawhides are bit safer than traditional since they crumble more when chewed on, but they also require supervision and discarding of when worn down.
Alternatives to rawhide I use in my orientations are:
Nylabones-dogs either love these or hate em. Our first pair of Springers hated them, my last Springer *LOVED* them!
Nylabone edibles-these are meant to be completed consumed & digested by your dog and are made from many different foods from turkey to carrots.
Kongs-they come in 3 natural rubbers (soft blue or pink for pups & seniors; original red for average chewers; dense black for tenacious chewers). Kongs can be boiled in broth to tempt your dog to use it, my last Springer *ADORED* his Kong as-is! Speadable cheese or creamy peanut butter can be added to the center of the Kong. Put the Kong in the freezer overnight, then let your dog have it the next day. You can add things to the cheese or peanut butter such as baby carrots or small dog treats. When the center gets dirty, the Kong can be put in the top rack of the dishwasher. It would then need to be re-boiled in broth.
Raw bones-these are actually safer than sterilized or smoked bones since they do not splinter. Most butcher shops are glad to get rid of things like knuckle bones or leg bones at little to no cost.
Hope some of that helps ;)
-
Thank you. Yes, it has been helpful. Monty is always supervised while he has one I use it to get a bit of peace and quiet in the evenings. The ones that I have given him are about 8 inches long and is a sheet rolled up into about 2 inches in diameter. It takes him less than an hour to get through the whole thing. he has maybe one a week. But I think I may have to find something else for him. He doesn't like his Kong, with or without treats/peanut butter in it. Also he sems to have lost interest in the Nylabone unless I am holding it for him!!!!!
-
We just got into the Bully sticks. Expensive though! Nearly $5 a piece! I like real bones for the boys too but they are hard to find. The butcher here isn't a real "butcher." He gets the meat and then cuts to the size and amount you want.
-
We have given rawhide to teething puppies and set a timer for 5 minutes, then took that chewie away and gave another. That way they don't get soft enough for pieces to get chewed off. Loose areas got removed with scissors and once they were swallowing size they were thrown away.
We only get American-produced ones because we lost all trust for foreign products after the toxic Chinese pet food disaster.
-
I had a very bad experience with raw hide and Noah. He inhaled the whole bone pretty much and it was stuck in his stomach. We almost had to do surgey because nothing was staying down. The vet gave him a shot to prevent vomiting and put him on soft food. This went on for a good week and finally the raw hide softened from the stomach acid and he passed it in his poop. So I have never give my dogs raw hide again for fear of them doing the same thing. They get nyla boned and marrow bones now.
-
Well I think after reading all this Monty has had his last rawhide!!!! TRhank you everybody.