# Rawhides...advice from a VIP and VID!!



## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Bob and I got to visit and talk with Officer Brad Sepell and his Police dog, Cash. We sat and talked at great length...while I hugged and loved Cash.
What a dog, WOW!!! It was amazing to just feel him and how big he is and the power he possesses. What a sweet and loving "guy" he was with me, while in my mind I picture him taking down a criminal and tearing at him arm or leg!!!!
When Brad would talk to him he would snap to attention and do what Brad told him.
I asked how Cash goes from being a sweet loving boy to a working, drug sniffing, criminal chasing, bomb sniffing dog. Brad said that when he (Brad) puts on his uniform or puts Cash into the Police vehicle....Cash's whole demeanor changes and he is working. No one messes with him at that time.

We talked about food etc and I asked what he could chew on such as a bone or rawhide.

Brad said......NEVER, EVER a rawhide!!!!! He was adament about this!!!!! Rawhides do not break down in the tummies and can cause distress or even cut into the tissue and cause bleeding. They never give the Police Dogs rawhides!!!!!! He stressed NEVER give our Maltese rawhides.

There is some advice for a very good source.....A Very Important Person and a Very Important Dog!!!


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

I had a friend whose chihuahua died from a rawhide..intestinal blockage.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Very dangerous--rawhide expands when it's wet. all it would take is a small chunk swallowed for it to expand and block a teeny-tiny digestive tract like a maltese.


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## donnad (Aug 22, 2006)

Last year while I was at my vet with Chloe, a couple came rushing in with their Yorkie who could not breathe because a piece of rawhide was lodged in the throat. The vet did an emergency tracheotomy and lucklily the dog pulled through. I will never forget the look of the dog when it was brought in ... I would never give any dog rawhide.


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## Cupcake2007 (Jan 22, 2008)

are rawhides the ones that are like curled like a pigs tail??? can someone explain this to me please because im confused between the difference of rawhides and flossies...


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## fredsmama (Apr 21, 2009)

QUOTE (CupCake2007 @ Oct 26 2009, 03:21 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=843913


> are rawhides the ones that are like curled like a pigs tail??? can someone explain this to me please because im confused between the difference of rawhides and flossies...[/B]



What exactly is a rawhide?? Gus chews on those flat square-like pieces all day long. Just waht can we give our Malties that is safe?? Help.please.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Rawhide sticks, squares, etc are just that.....Hides of a bovine. Processed with Formaldehyde to preserve them.
Bully Sticks are Bull or Water Buffalo Penises and are dried and also have preservatives. 

Any dog with gastrointestinal problems should never have any of these. 

They do not break down and can cause a blockage, tears or the dog can choke with a piece in its throat.

Pig ears, tails etc......any animal Hide or Part is not good.

Our guys have Nyla bones and do fine with those. Chase had a Flossy once and got a piece of string off..... it came "out" OK but was a long undigested string. Vet said that also can cause problems.


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## fredsmama (Apr 21, 2009)

QUOTE (theboyz @ Oct 27 2009, 05:00 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844113


> Rawhide sticks, squares, etc are just that.....Hides of a bovine. Processed with Formaldehyde to preserve them.
> Bully Sticks are Bull or Water Buffalo Penises and are dried and also have preservatives.
> 
> Any dog with gastrointestinal problems should never have any of these.
> ...



Thanks so much for the info. Fred has these little squares all over the living room! I have been throwing them away when they get grungry. I will try the Nyla bones as I would hate to have Fred choke. He loves to chew on the squares and has never eaten one, but I don't want to take a chance. I never gave him the Flossie because I was afraid of the strings. Thanks so much for sharing this info.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Nikki does fine with beef tendons. Never had an issue. She is supervised at all times while she is chewing them. They don't have preservatives, they are dried cow achilles tendons from South America that I buy online from Only Natural Pet Store.


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## pinkheadbaby (Jul 27, 2008)

I thought bully sticks were ok for the dogs? One of the doctors I work with had her 1 year old Welsh Corgi need emergency surgery due to blockage. Turned out that the nyla bone had splintered & pierced the intestine, caused pain, swelling, & infection. He had a few inches of necrotic bowel remove & has recovered.
I usually give carrot,apple etc but they need to chew. What is there?


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Oh no Anne, that is awful about the Nyla!!!! My guys don't chew them that much, just chew and leave them, chew and carry them around.

Kongs are good also, with a treat tucked inside.

Just giving info from the Policeman and his dog and what the overall view is about animal part chewies. Brad said they have so much invested in these dogs that they will not risk using these products. Don't break down, can cause a blockage or bleeding or can choke. I didn't ask him about the Nyla.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

For those that are looking for a safe alternative to both rawhide & bully sticks/flossies, try Antlerz. They are exactly that -- deer antlers that have been naturally shed, then cleaned up, sharp edges filed down, and cut to small sizes. They do not splinter, get gooey, or smell.  I've tried these first hand and they last nearly forever...they just slowly wear them down over time by chewing on them. There are a few different brands of the antlers (one being Antlerz) but I believe them all to be identical since they are 100% natural deer antlers. 1 medium sized antler (about 4-5" long) will cost between $5-$7 and will last WAY longer than any other bone.

When London was a puppy we bought her a few "heavy chewer" nylabones and she was able to rip those things apart within 10 minutes. We decided they weren't safe enough for us to have in our household because if a chunk gets swallowed it could mean big trouble, and same goes for the Greenies.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Oct 28 2009, 01:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844675


> For those that are looking for a safe alternative to both rawhide & bully sticks/flossies, try Antlerz. They are exactly that -- deer antlers that have been naturally shed, then cleaned up, sharp edges filed down, and cut to small sizes. They do not splinter, get gooey, or smell.  I've tried these first hand and they last nearly forever...they just slowly wear them down over time by chewing on them. There are a few different brands of the antlers (one being Antlerz) but I believe them all to be identical since they are 100% natural deer antlers. 1 medium sized antler (about 4-5" long) will cost between $5-$7 and will last WAY longer than any other bone.
> 
> When London was a puppy we bought her a few "heavy chewer" nylabones and she was able to rip those things apart within 10 minutes. We decided they weren't safe enough for us to have in our household because if a chunk gets swallowed it could mean big trouble, and same goes for the Greenies.[/B]


I think I'm going to try those. At first I thought GROSS, but really, why is it any more gross than tendons or the "p" word? lol. Anyway, where do you get yours? Online? Specialty shops? I don't recall seeing them in the little shops that I usually do our shopping in...


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

QUOTE (camfan @ Oct 28 2009, 11:16 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844686


> QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Oct 28 2009, 01:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844675





> For those that are looking for a safe alternative to both rawhide & bully sticks/flossies, try Antlerz. They are exactly that -- deer antlers that have been naturally shed, then cleaned up, sharp edges filed down, and cut to small sizes. They do not splinter, get gooey, or smell.  I've tried these first hand and they last nearly forever...they just slowly wear them down over time by chewing on them. There are a few different brands of the antlers (one being Antlerz) but I believe them all to be identical since they are 100% natural deer antlers. 1 medium sized antler (about 4-5" long) will cost between $5-$7 and will last WAY longer than any other bone.
> 
> When London was a puppy we bought her a few "heavy chewer" nylabones and she was able to rip those things apart within 10 minutes. We decided they weren't safe enough for us to have in our household because if a chunk gets swallowed it could mean big trouble, and same goes for the Greenies.[/B]


I think I'm going to try those. At first I thought GROSS, but really, why is it any more gross than tendons or the "p" word? lol. Anyway, where do you get yours? Online? Specialty shops? I don't recall seeing them in the little shops that I usually do our shopping in...
[/B][/QUOTE]

Maggie @ www.LuvMyFurbaby.com originally ordered one for me, and Leslie here at www.WoofLife.com just put some on her website at a great price so I'm going to order some from her very soon.  Places like Amazon.com also sell them if you prefer shopping in one place for a bunch of different things.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

I would be interested to know more about Antlers. I see that they are good for dogs with food allergies. I did find this info and was concerned about sharp edges and breaking a tooth (with our luck!). Also chocking on small pieces.



Why Give Your Dog Antler Chews?

Antlers make excellent dog chews because they are made of a bony material and so are hard, long lasting, interesting to the dog and not smelly or staining. They are similar in hardness to a Nylabone, but tastier and healthier. Not all dogs will love chewing every antler. Older and picky dogs are generally not as interested in chewing antlers unless it happens to be a really "good" one (humans can not tell the difference!). The dogs that appreciate chewing antlers the most are young dogs and dogs that just love to chew. Chewing antlers is very good for dogs in many ways. It helps keep their teeth clean, it expends energy and keeps the dog out of trouble and out from under foot. Antler chews are also full of nutrients such as calcium.

Keep Your Dog Safe with His Antler Chew

Like any dog chew, you do need to be careful when allowing your dog to chew on an antler. The main concerns are for your dog breaking a tooth or choking on the antler chew. To prevent these things from happening, be sure to supervise your dog's antler chewing. Do not allow him to bear down forcefully with his molars on the antler chew and do not allow him to chew on a piece that is of a size he could choke on. Dogs do need to chew and since every chew has it's dangers it is important to still allow your dog to chew but to be as careful as you can. What you want to see is that the dog chews the antler and wears it down very slowly. Most antlers will last your dog weeks or months


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

Another good chew that isn't made from an animal "part" is the Himalayan Yak Cheese chews. They are just really hard cheese, formed into little rectangles. As the dogs chew, it just dissolves down into milk! Unless your dog is lactose intolerant or allergic to milk, it can't get much healthier. Here's the link. 

http://www.himalayandogchew.com/


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

QUOTE (theboyz @ Oct 29 2009, 05:17 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844997


> I would be interested to know more about Antlers. I see that they are good for dogs with food allergies. I did find this info and was concerned about sharp edges and breaking a tooth (with our luck!). Also choking on small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As you can see, all chews come with their own set of risks vs. benefits....but one factor that appears to be consistently recommended is to supervise your dog's interaction with whichever one you choose at all times. That's what we all do despite differences in our choices of chewing product. Find what works best for your little one's individual needs and _watch_ them while they enjoy it. Happy puppies get to chew, and happy mommies get to observe them safely enjoying themselves. :biggrin:


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