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Author
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Topic: rawhide chewer
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ebbyshuman
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posted September 04, 2003 07:54 PM
i've got a 2 year old blue heeler/lab mix and she chews on rawhides like crazy. she will sit and chew a rawhide for hours. is this unhealthy for her. and if so what can i give her to chew? if she doesnt have a rawhide she will chew anything.
shoes, screwdrivers, cat toys, stuffed animals etc.
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Cristina L. Rogers
Posts: 8 | From: Billings, Montana | Registered: Sep 2003
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Dawn
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posted September 04, 2003 08:44 PM
Give her a fairly hard rubber chew toy or a nylabone. If she eats too much rawhide, it will make her sick. It will also cause her to not eat enough of her dog food.
Posts: 428 | Registered: Nov 2002
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DogExpert
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posted September 05, 2003 02:01 PM
She needs lots of toys to keep her occupied. The chewing will be caused by boredom. If you don't sort it out she may start to chew on everything she sees.
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¤Dog Expert¤
Posts: 140 | From: England | Registered: Aug 2003
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ebbyshuman
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posted September 05, 2003 05:49 PM
good deal i will try the nylabone and some toys for her. thanks.
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Cristina L. Rogers
Posts: 8 | From: Billings, Montana | Registered: Sep 2003
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Vicki20_2004
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posted September 05, 2003 07:47 PM
Rawhides are terrible things to give to your dog. Not alot of people know this but they are a choking hazord and just plain unhealthy for your dog. Please give your dog a knuckle bone or just some toys. If he tends to rip things apart then buy him a toy w/ out a squeky toy becuase he could also choke on that also. i find that kongs are the best toys. You can find them at almost any petstores. And to really occuppy your dog you can put treats in there as well.
Vicki
Posts: 3 | From: Virginia | Registered: Sep 2003
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DogExpert
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posted September 06, 2003 01:10 AM
No problem at all Ebby! I'm always here to help. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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¤Dog Expert¤
Posts: 140 | From: England | Registered: Aug 2003
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honeynuggets
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posted October 08, 2003 07:43 PM
My dog died today at 4am.
About a week ago she was strong as an ox and ran 5k with me like she often did.
About 5 days ago my mother fed the dog some squares of rawhide chews that came in a clear plastic bag.
One day after, the dog started puking up everything. When there was no food then the **** was foamy and white. There were strands of drool hanging from her mouth. She lost all appetite.
The vet said it was an intestinal blockage but I happen to be a surgeon and frankly there is no way that can be possible.
Then I read about arsenic being used as a preservative in some rawhides and the general lack of regulation when it comes to animal foods.
My dogs symptoms suggest acute poisoning to me. If not by arsenic then by one of the countless other poisons which serve double duty as "preservatives."
I write this as a warning to dog owners. I would never give ANY food to my dog that hasn't been approved for human consumption, including bagged dog food.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Dawn
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posted October 08, 2003 08:11 PM
Okay, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to say you're wrong as you probably know more about it than I do. However, if they were using arsenic as a preservative, wouldn't all dogs that ate it die? Also, just curious, how do you know that it wasn't an intestinal blockage? From the symptoms you described, that is sort of what it sounds like. Although it could possibly be poisoning. Rawhide can cause intestinal blockage, and that is why it is not recommended to be used often. I believe that that warning is even on the rawhide products, but I am not sure.
Posts: 428 | Registered: Nov 2002
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honeynuggets
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posted October 09, 2003 02:59 PM
quote:
However, if they were using arsenic as a preservative, wouldn't all dogs that ate it die?
If they used a more expensive/involved dispersal system then each piece of chew might get the same amount of "preservative" and all the dogs would get the same dose. If they just dump a bucket of dissolved solution on a pile of chew pieces then some can get a more deadly dose.
quote:
Also, just curious, how do you know that it wasn't an intestinal blockage?
I know it wasn't an intestinal blockage because it's nearly impossible for that kind of material to cause a blockage. Between: Chewing, Peristalsis, Digestion, and Running it is unreasonable to think that rawhide could stay in there for long.
Anyway, my opinion remains the same. Stick to un-processed foods and treats if you want to play it safe.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Dawn
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posted October 09, 2003 06:35 PM
I agree with you about the food. I do think that everyone should be aware that rawhide commonly causes blockages if consumed in "large" quantities. Large, however, is not as large as some people might think.
Posts: 428 | Registered: Nov 2002
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binka_nugget
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posted October 11, 2003 10:02 PM
I stay away from rawhide. An employee at a local pet supplies store told me that it's basically a bone soaked in chemicals. Plus, I've heard many stories about dogs dieing from something caused by rawhide. I'm a big fan of kongs and other strong rubber toys. We had a nylabone at one point but we lost it somewhere. We also have a tire like toy that kai seems to like.
Posts: 23 | From: BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2003
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Freckles
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posted October 25, 2003 08:56 PM
Our bordercollie/red heeler mix loves to "herd" as many or her stuffed toys she can find in the den when we are all in there after dinner. She has her toy box and she drags them all out. She is 2 1/2 and is not at the puppy chewing stage anymore, but she does like to gnaw. When she was cutting teeth I would get the knuckle bones and freeze them...seemed to be soothing for her. Also the KONGS stuffed with peanut butter, cheese and a few doggie chews crammed in will keep them content for ages. It is the one thing she cannot destroy. She does get an occasional square of the thin rawhide to give a good workout for her jaws and gums, but she is not like some who will go at them with such vengence as not to chew before swallowing...she relishes hers and it will last all evening. Just like kids...deal with them on an individual basis. Some dogs I would not give rawhide especially if they are gobblers of their food.
I just know from years of experience with our pals that you are asking for trouble if you have a bored dog with nothing appropriate to mouth...they will find something and it is usually not what you would choose! Keep chewables available and avoid the inevitable. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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Lou in Texas
Posts: 122 | From: Southlake, TX | Registered: Oct 2003
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fullhouse9873
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posted October 28, 2003 12:29 AM
Like a coffee table, or end table, or shoes, or slippers, or vaccuum cord!
(My pup chewed my vaccuum cord in half - he just got bored during the middle of the night and went at it. I guess that's what I get for picking up all his toys and putting them downstairs! At least my brother-in-law is an electrician - it was an easy fix for him!)
Posts: 247 | From: Jefferson, WI | Registered: Sep 2003
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doggirl
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posted November 27, 2003 02:02 PM
What about pig ears?Can these hurt them?
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Got a Horse......Got a Dog.......dont need know Cowboy
Posts: 7 | From: Ohio | Registered: Nov 2003
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fullhouse9873
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posted November 28, 2003 12:36 PM
My last dog didn't chew them - he broke off the pieces and swallowed them. Then he trew them up. If you're going to give them to your dog - supervise him - make sure he's not just eating whole pieces.
Posts: 247 | From: Jefferson, WI | Registered: Sep 2003
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LTdog
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posted November 30, 2003 02:10 PM
im pr etty sure pig ears are ok they are pretty much just pig ears dried. I make my own dog treats my dogs do get some rawhide every now and them but they are not avid chewers they have all sorts of real bones to chew on like the kind tht have meat on them and are then salted yep thats what they get and they love them and even after they chew the meat off they chew on the bone but sdeer bones and cowbones dont splinter but we still take them up when they start looking rugged. I dont know much about raw hide but I make my own treats and then bake then till they are really crispy and my puppy hasnt chewd anything since!! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posts: 22 | From: Alabama | Registered: Nov 2003
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lou3
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posted November 30, 2003 04:49 PM
i have to say that on the advice of my father who is a vet human food is NOT suitable as dog food. Feeding a dog the same food you eat yourself may seem kind but is actually quite the opposite. The best food you can give a dog is a good brand of dry dog food that is solely in nugget form so you can actually feed it DRY as this is best for their teeth.
go for a reputable brand such as pedigree chum, eukanuba etc and you can garuntee its got exactly the right balance of nutrients for your dog - far healthier than any diet you can mush together yourself.
Rawhide chews arent dangerous, If they had poisons in them every dog that ate them would die, in moderation they are good for your dogs teeth, any food is a choking hazard rawhides are no worse than anything else. Just dont give them in excess as any treats in excess are bad for your dog.
If your dog is bored and chewing things INCREASE ITS EXERCISE, tire a dog out and it will want to sleep not chew.
Lou
Posts: 461 | From: uk | Registered: Nov 2003
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kmtell
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Member # 323
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posted December 02, 2003 01:07 PM
Our dog chews when he's excited. When we first got him, we gave him a nyla bone that lasted about 2 hours; now it's all raggedy and makes his gums bleed, so we don't give him that anymore. We also got him a kong to put biscuits in..that too was ruined after about 20 mins. on the packaging, Kong says that you should not continue use if the rubber breaks or cracks. So, we're struggling to find something for him to chew on that will last. He doesn't chew anything that isn't a toy, so it's not an issue of keepting the house in order, but we would like him to be able to chew when he wants. So, the Kong and nylabone suggestions seem to not have worked for our dog.
Posts: 11 | Registered: Nov 2003
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lou3
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posted December 02, 2003 01:45 PM
you can get super kongs which are really indestructable designed specially for really chewy dogs with strong jaws like labradors.
LOU
Posts: 461 | From: uk | Registered: Nov 2003
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LTdog
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posted December 03, 2003 05:09 AM
I have asked several vets about what I feed my dogs and they wish that they could get all of their patience to do it. I know a dog thats life was increased by 4 years because he was on this.
It cleaned out his system and gave him the will to eat and live. We do not feed them people food they are given what they would naturally eat with some other things thrown in like some vegetables. Grease is abig no no in our house unless its a litte buttor for their coats our dogs are perfectly fine thank you. I do not feed them many treats only when tramp does something really good like comepleting an agility course and rawhide is only given every once in a while.
Posts: 22 | From: Alabama | Registered: Nov 2003
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bearsmom
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posted December 04, 2003 09:57 AM
Our dogs LOVE cow hooves. We get them at the feed store, next to the pig ears. They eat the things down to nothing. They even last with our chewer. The Kongs are also terrific. Opie likes to chew the rubber mat in my husband's pickup, so we fill up a Kong with peanut butter and dog bones before road trips.
I've fed rawhide for years and not had any problems. I think it's a lot like everything else, it all depends on the situation.
Posts: 90 | From: Oregon | Registered: Dec 2003
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