Dogs love to chew; it is a natural activity that keeps them entertained, assists with dental health and provides an outlet for stress. Rawhide treats are popular chew toys made from the inner layer of cow or horse hides pressed into various shapes for easy consumption.
Traditional rawhide contains chemicals like preservatives, ash-lye, bleach and chemical puffers which may lead to digestive upset and even blockages for dogs. This could potentially increase health risks.
Contents
Chewability
Chewing is an instinctual behavior for dogs and provides them with the satisfaction of clearing away snags or any imperfections from their teeth. Rawhide strips made from untanned animal skin come in various lengths, thicknesses, shapes and sizes to meet all chewing styles.
Pet owners may worry that rawhide could cause their dog an upset stomach. According to Whole Dog Journal, chemicals used during tanning–particularly arsenic, formaldehyde and excessive lime use–can contribute to this discomfort in dogs by way of bloating, diarrhea, vomiting or other digestive issues.
Additionally, if a dog bites off too much rawhide chew and swallows it, this could result in choking or obstruction if it lodges itself in their throat. To decrease these risks, always watch while your pup is chewing – make sure it fits their size properly; additionally avoid chemically-flavored and colored rawhides which could add unnecessary gastrointestinal distress for them.
Durability
Rawhide strips are sturdy enough to withstand an intensive chewing session, but be sure to supervise your pup while they chomp down to minimize risk of choking and intestinal blockage.
Notably, rawhide should not be confused with hide. Rawhide refers specifically to animal skin that hasn’t been tanned while hide refers more broadly to any leather product.
Bully sticks are another popular alternative to rawhide chew toys. Constructed of 100% beef muscle, these odorless and highly digestible treats satisfy dogs’ natural urge to chew while helping reduce plaque and tartar buildup. Available in multiple sizes and textures to meet all levels of chewerdom – light chewers to super chewers! Plus they’re easy to clean – though this chew toy should not be given to puppies under six months due to possible risk of choking or intestinal obstruction.
Flavor
An accidental shoe-chewer or furniture leg-chewer doesn’t necessarily indicate bad behavior – dogs need to chew! Chewing helps relieve anxiety, stimulate their jaws and gums, and keep teeth clean; but chewing the wrong things may lead to problems; rawhide chews provide one way of channeling that natural instinct into something useful.
Rawhide is made up of animal hides from cattle, buffalo, elk and other species; typically these skins are tanned for leather goods production while their inner layer serves as dog chews.
Rawhide comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes and styles. Some varieties feature meat flavors like beef or chicken or peanut butter to increase their appeal to canines; it can even be baked or smoked for additional texture and taste! As rawhide may contain large pieces that could potentially swallowed by your pet and cause digestive irritation or even chokeing risks, supervision while chewing should always be provided; dehydrated bull trachea or hard rubber toys might make healthier, longer-term alternatives than rawhide strips.
Safety
Rawhide bones and chews are a favorite choice among pet parents as they last a long time, are inexpensive, and help their dog clean his/her teeth. Unfortunately, however, leather industry leftovers often prove unsafe for pets, leading to choking incidents, digestive issues, or even death in some instances – which is why the ASPCA and Humane Society warn against their use while Petco recently stopped offering traditional rawhide products altogether.
Salmonella contamination poses a significant health threat. Furthermore, rawhide has long been known to cause choking or blockage when swallowed unchewably by dogs; once swallowed these chunks can lodge themselves in their esophagus, stomach, or intestines and require surgery in order to be extracted.
Rawhide contains toxic preservatives and glue, which may be toxic for your pet if consumed. Such chemicals include arsenic, mercury, lead and chromium salts as well as formaldehyde; for this reason I strongly advise opting for chews such as Himilayan or sweet potato chews without additives, bleaches and preservatives as safer options.
