rawhide chewer

[ebbyshuman]

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.

[Dawn]

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.

[DogExpert]

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.

[ebbyshuman]

good deal i will try the nylabone and some toys for her. thanks.

[Vicki20_2004]

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

[DogExpert]

No problem at all Ebby! I'm always here to help.

[honeynuggets]

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.

[Dawn]

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.

[honeynuggets]

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.

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.

[Dawn]

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.