Rawhide dog chews and rawhide dog bones are commonly used treats for dogs and many dogs enjoy them tremendously. But are there dangers involved with these products?
Many dog owners give their dogs rawhide dog chews or rawhide dog bones as treats and many dogs seem to enjoy these rawhide treats. However, there are some concerns surrounding rawhide bones and chews which pet owners should be aware of and attempt to address if electing to give these rawhide bones and chews to their dogs.
Advantages of Rawhide Chews and Rawhide Bones for Dogs
Many people feel that rawhide chews and bones can help improve the dental status of dogs allowed to chew them regularly.
In addition, for many dogs, spending time chewing a rawhide bone or chew helps to break up the boredom of the day. Many dogs truly seem to enjoy the experience and look forward to rawhide chews and bones.
Concerns Involving Rawhide Chews and Rawhide Bones for Dogs
There are several concerns which rawhide chews and rawhide bones raise when used as treats for dogs. These concerns include:
the possibility of a dog developing a dietary intolerance to rawhide chews and rawhide bones.
the possibility of food allergies occurring in individual dogs in response to rawhide chews and rawhide bones.
the possibility of broken teeth occurring when dogs chew on rawhide chews and rawhide bones. This is more common with the rolled varieties of rawhide treats than with the flat varieties.
the possibility of chunks of the rawhide chew or rawhide bone breaking off while the dog is chewing on the treat and causing the dog to choke on the piece of rawhide.
the possibility that part or all of the rawhide chew or rawhide bone could be swallowed by the dog and be unable to pass through the intestinal tract, causing an intestinal obstruction which may require surgical removal.
the possibility of bacterial contamination of rawhide chews and rawhide bones with salmonella and other contaminants. These contaminants may cause disease not only for dogs, but for dog owners as well.
Minimizing Risks Associated with Rawhide Dog Bones and Rawhide Dog Chews
While electing not to feed rawhide bones and rawhide chews to dogs is the only completely guaranteed way to remove any risks associated with them, many dog owners may prefer not to stop offering these rawhide treats to their dogs.
If electing to continue to feed rawhide chews and rawhide bones to a dog, there are a few things that a dog owner can do to decrease the risk for their dog.
Always supervise a dog when allowing a dog to chew on a rawhide dog chew or rawhide dog bone.
Always remove the rawhide dog chew or rawhide dog bone from a dog's possession when the chew or bone becomes small enough for the dog to swallow.
Purchase top quality rawhide dog chews and rawhide dog bones produced within your country of origin to reduce the possibility of contamination.
Offer rawhide dog bones and rawhide dog chews which are appropriate for the individual dog's size and weight.
If a dog shows evidence of skin or gastrointestinal problems after chewing on rawhide chews or rawhide bones, consider discontinuing the rawhide product until the skin or gastrointestinal problems clear up.
If you wish to determine whether the rawhide bone or chew was the cause of the skin or gastrointestinal disease, reintroduce the rawhide bone or rawhide chew to the dog once healthy and observe for recurrence of medical issues. If skin or gastrointestinal problems repeat, this is strong evidence that the dog suffers from food intolerance or allergies related to the rawhide product and discontinuing the product permanently should be considered. This should only be attempted if the original complaint was mild and not life-threatening.
By taking some precautions when offering rawhide dog chews and rawhide dog bones, dog owners can considerably decrease the risk associated with feeding rawhide products to their dog. However, dog owners should be aware that risks can never be completely eliminated when choosing to offer these rawhide chews and bones to a dog.
The copyright of the article Rawhide Dog Bones and Chews - Safe or Dangerous? in Pet Nutrition is owned by Lorie Huston. Permission to republish Rawhide Dog Bones and Chews - Safe or Dangerous? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I was in the Absolute Dollar Store here in Canada when a man brought back a
package of "rawhide" chews, He showed the store clerk that when
he unrolled one after his dog started chewing on it that it was not rawhide
but rolled up newspaper from China. He was so mad and wanted to speak to
the store owners. I know you can't expect much for a dollar but please be
honest when you sell anything that can hurt animals or humans. We looked at
all the dog items in the store and no where did it mention newspaper. A
lesson learned.
Aug 24, 2009 12:03 PM
Guest :
This was helpful, but you could have mentioned healthy alternatives such as
Flossies made from beef tendon that is possible to break down in the dogs
stomache, Cow Bones, Pig's Ears and Reindeer Antlers are all safe
alternatives. :)
Aug 24, 2009 1:36 PM
Guest :
I think that was very good info about thr e rawhide chews. I have always
supervised my dog with them, I also take a strong pair of scissors when
there are small pieces sticking out from the chew and cut them off so they
can't be swallowed too, I usually get the bigger bones for my dog though so
she can eat them for quite a bit before they are thrown away, and I never
look at where they are made, I will after this.
Aug 24, 2009 7:10 PM
Guest :
From what I understand, the only raw hide which is acceptable is
"alpo" dog chews. They come in a red box and are made by ALPO.
apparently they are digestable as well. This is the only raw hide that my
dogs are allowed, and only when I am with them to supervise, as they can
choke on this type of raw hide as well. this information came directly from
my vet.
Aug 24, 2009 7:14 PM
Guest :
we have four labs - we only give them 'busy' bones or 'mr' bone - they are
all natural with marrow in the middle and completely digestible - they only
get them when i am going out and no more than one or two a week - they tend
to make their poop alittle mushy - we have tried the rawhide but they chew
for awhile and then leave disgusting messy pieces all over - they all line
up at the cookie jar when they see i have my purse out - so i know they
love them - and our vet approves.
Aug 24, 2009 7:23 PM
Guest :
I was feeding my rottwieller rawhide roll up chew from sams club and she
would eat the whole thing then I went on a weekend trip and left her with
my dog trainer. My dog got really sick and was passing blood and throwing
up . Took my dog to the vet and it cost me $638.00 and I could have lost
Her, the rawhide was not digesting and was blocking her intestines. Never
again for me!
Aug 24, 2009 7:32 PM
Guest :
I used to give my dogs rawhide, but I had one dog who had behavior issues
and it triggered aggressive behavior, so I stopped. I've thought about
rawhide again (he passed), but it seems that the pros outweigh the cons.
Also, my two dogs now are very vigorous chewers, and are of breed prone to
bloat (one dog survived a bout of bloat), so I think I'll pass. We like
Nylabones. When they get too small, we toss them. But Nylabones, even if
the dog is a strong chewer, break off in tiny, digestible pieces. Thank you
for this article!
Aug 25, 2009 8:55 PM
Guest :
One thing I've always wondered about is how owner's supervision really
makes it safer for the dog aside from removing the rawhide when it gets too
small. I mean, when you see your dog choking, what are you supposed to do?
Bringing him to the vet may not actually be fast enough to save his life.
Is there like a dog version of the heimlich maneouver owners should know
about?
Aug 26, 2009 12:05 AM
Guest :
I am also questioning the rawhide dog bones frequency? I have a puppy 5
months old and she loves smoked pig ears. But I do not think she can eat
it on daily basis. I am trying to compare it to " would it be safe for
my stomach to have a every day smoked sausage'? And thank you I am going
to be close watching when she is finishing it and having just small piece
of it so to avoid choking on it.
Aug 26, 2009 8:21 PM
Guest :
One of my dogs had safely chewed the occasional rawhide for years. The
younger dog-a more avid chewer-began sticking out his tongue & pawing
at his mouth one day. When I looked, I could not see anything in his mouth.
After a few more minutes of this, I stuck my fingers into the back of his
throat & pulled out a whole rawhide! It got mushy & molded itself
to the shape of his throat & wouldn't go up or down! Thinking this was
just a fluke, I offered it once more later on while I watched him. Same
thing happened, so no more rawhide here ever!
Aug 31, 2009 2:18 AM
Guest :
i read your artical and all the coments. i will strongly rethink to give my
pittbull a rawhide again. i will find other things for her to chew on.i
thank you for this artical. although i have not have a bad experiance yet
with my dogs (i have 5 dogs altogether), i still think it over not to feed
them rawhide again.i don't want them to get hurt on something that that
claimes to be good and is bad after all. sighned a a doglover.
Nov 2, 2009 12:47 PM
Guest :
My dog is now dying from lymphosarcoma. She was a healthy 6-year old
samoyed when we got her from the breeder. She had been given bleached
rawhide chews almost weekly throughout her life and ate them completely
within minutes. I suspected the chews may have contributed to her cancer
and now believe it after finding out some off-shore products are treated
with chemicals like formaldehyde. She still enjoys a natural - not
bleached - chew.
Apr 15, 2009
