What's wrong with rawhides?

**ksweber** · 08-06-2009, 09:23 PM

New to lab ownership, and trying to get 10 wk old pup interested in chewing (something other than my crocs or rugs). She doesn't seem too interested in the "safe" toys like kong, nylabones, ropes, etc. But I have let her have rawhides under strict supervision because she is so little I figure she can't do much with them anyway and I watch her closely. She loves them! It's the only thing she'll get into chewing. So, I'm wondering -- what are the risks with rawhides? Should they really be off the menu? Do any of you use them? Thank you!

**HersheyK's Dad** · 08-06-2009, 10:12 PM

If she swallows a large piece and it swells in her stomach, it can cause a blockage. Rawhide won't be digested. If you dog tends to chew everything up, and not swallow large pieces of anything, you may be okay. Not typical for a lab, HK will never have a rawhide again.

**BigBrownDog** · 08-06-2009, 11:58 PM

They can be dangerous as Ed says above. They are junk food. They sometimes are preserved with formaldehyde.

Have you tried a frozen wet wash rag (take an old wash rag, tie it with a knot in the middle, soak it and freeze it). Teething puppies like to chew on it - it is soothing.

And - most of teaching a puppy not to chew on other things is supervision, correction (verbal - remove object - offer alternate chew item) and redirection. If you leave little around that she can't chew, she will be simpler to supervise as well.

**ksweber** · 08-07-2009, 07:14 AM

Thanks - I'm sold on the problems with junky rawhides - chemicals, choking/intestinal hazard. One last question: Does anyone use the Virbac CET chews? My vet assistant said they are "digestible" and don't generally break into small chunks. Are they a better option, or not really?

**Buckyball** · 08-07-2009, 08:08 AM

Don't know much about Virbac CET Chews...

but as far as rawhides as the others said they are junk food. Also my Buck got a blockage from it when he was 6 months old. Never again is he getting raw hide!

You could try getting those sterilized bones from the petstore and stuffing them with a mix of bananas, peanut butter and yogurt and then freezing them. Buck LOVES chewing on those and trying to get all the goodies out from the center. No chance of blockage. Once he is done I just wash the bone and reuse it till it gets all gnawed up.

**millstonekennel** · 08-07-2009, 08:10 AM

My guy love to chew on kong toys. Some of these chew type bones are hard as a rock and you can hamer nails with them. So be careful that they are not to hard to chip teeth.

**cinderbay** · 08-07-2009, 09:42 AM

My personal experience was 20+ years ago with my Rottie. She was happily chewing her rawhide and was down to about a 4 inch piece. She stood up to do that toss and play she loved to do with her toys and down her throat it went and she choked! I could not see it but she was NOT breathing or getting it up. I did the Heimlich and she brought it up some but the slimey sucker started to go back down. I reached in full hand and pulled it out.
Never again.
They can also cause intestinal blockage in some dogs.
I prefer Nylabone Durables, raw femur bones or the Red Barn femur bones that are stuffed.
I just ordered 5 Nylabone Wolf Wishbones for the kids. That shape is one they seem to favor.