Keep your pet’s teeth clean and breath fresher with natural chews that are safer and longer-lasting than rawhide bones. From deer antlers for power chewers to trachea and beef pizzles for sensitive stomachs, there is sure to be something suitable to meet every pet’s chewing needs.
Rawhide can swell in pet’s stomachs and remain undigested, leading to digestive distress, diarrhea, vomiting or intestinal blockage in some instances requiring surgical intervention for treatment. This may result in serious consequences that necessitate surgical intervention for optimal care.
Contents
Chewability
Chewing is an inborn canine behavior that offers great psychological satisfaction for both owner and pet alike. Not only can chewing strengthen teeth and jaws, it can also relieve stress and anxiety in certain breeds of dogs. But left unsupervised, chewing can become destructive behavior such as chewing on woodwork or furniture – rawhide alternatives offer relief without the potential risks associated with destructive chewing behavior.
Traditionnal rawhide is typically composed of poorly digestible cow hides that have been treated with harmful chemicals in order to make the chews soften in the stomach, potentially leading to choking or blockages if large chunks are not chewed down prior to passing into the intestines.
Pressed rawhide bones can be difficult for dogs to break apart, leading some to swallow large pieces at one time, potentially becoming lodged in their stomach or smaller intestinal passages and leading to vomiting, diarrhea and salmonella poisoning. Puffed rawhide poses less of a choking risk but still is not fully digestible.
Durability
Rawhide is made from the inner soft hide or skin of animals with cleft-hoofed teeth (cows, sheep and pigs), processed into dog chews with artificial flavors and colors added for flavoring or coating purposes. While these coatings aren’t recommended as they could potentially lead to digestive issues for your pups.
Rawhides can be difficult to digest, which may cause choking and intestinal blockage in dogs. If they swallow large chunks without chewing first, these pieces could get stuck in their intestines requiring surgery for removal.
Rawhide alternatives exist! Natural chews such as bully sticks, deer/elk antlers and beef trachea bones offer your pup healthy alternatives that won’t splinter, have no odor and won’t upset their stomach – all while being produced right here in America! Ideally these chews would fit with your dog’s size, chewing style and appetite; helping keep teeth clean, busy and out of trouble!
Safety
Rawhide bones and chews present a serious safety risk to pets. Without careful supervision while your dog chews, rawhide bones and chews can damage teeth, fracture jawbones and choke them if swallowed in large chunks. In addition to being potentially deadly choking hazards, they often contain chemicals or dyes which can harm digestive systems or cause stomach upset in pets.
Rawhide can vary in digestibility depending on both dog breed and chew type; however, in general it does not break down easily by digestive enzymes in your pup’s stomach, making it highly susceptible to blockages requiring surgery as it becomes stuck inside its esophagus.
Salmonella contamination is another major risk with this product and there have been six FDA recalls between 2008 and 2011. Therefore, I recommend opting for deer or elk antlers which don’t splinter, have no smell and won’t damage your pet’s teeth or gums as well as not contain any chemicals or artificial flavorings that might damage or displease their digestive systems.
Nutrition
Rawhide bones are made from poorly digestible cow skin and coated in toxic chemicals that may leech into your dog’s system and be harmful, including liver damage, kidney disease and even gastrointestinal upset.
No-hide chews differ from rawhide in that they do not come from animal hides and contain no chemical residues, while being softer means they take longer to break down, thus satisfying your dog’s desire for chewing without risking esophageal or intestinal blockages.
No-hide chews offer multiple advantages over traditional rawhides, including being more nutritious. Made of gluten- and lactose-free yak’s milk-based rawhides, no-hide chews are gentler on digestion than many long-lasting chews that contain artificial flavors or are harder than rawhide, as well as being free from fillers like gummy fillers that could potentially cause stomach upset for sensitive dogs. You’ll find no-hide rawhides available in various shapes and sizes to suit every dog’s chewing habit!
