Dogs instinctively need to chew, and raw hide bones satisfy this urge while helping clean teeth at the same time.
However, it’s essential that you consider the safety of rawhide for your dog as some canine are known to gulp down large chunks that may lead to choking or blockages in their digestive systems.
Contents
Size
Rawhide bones should be tailored specifically for your dog. Select one that can be chewed over time by their pet so small pieces are torn off gradually and over time, to prevent fast chewers from swallowing entire treats at once and leading to intestinal blockages or other serious health complications.
Your dog needs the appropriate hardness of rawhide bone for their chewing habits; aggressive chewers may damage teeth on stiffer rawhide, while its rough surface could result in mouth sores and bleeding gums.
Softer rawhide bones may be safer, and those made in the USA meet stringent production standards that ensure their production meets strict safety measures and don’t contain harmful chemicals or last as long. To determine what chew to buy for your dog, speak to their vet or pet store merchant about his or her size, chewing habits and needs.
Shape
Rawhide is the untanned inner layer of animal skin, typically from cows but also other hoofed animals like pigs and sheep. Before becoming dog chews, rawhide must first be washed and sterilized using various toxic chemicals like sodium sulfide, lime, chromium salts, bleach and hydrogen peroxide before it’s sold for commercial sale.
Pressed, dried rawhide is notoriously tough and difficult to tear apart, meaning that dogs often swallow large chunks that become lodged in their stomach or the smaller passageways of their intestines, potentially leading to blockages and more serious health complications such as perforation.
If the risks associated with rawhide concern you, there are safer options available to you. Deer and elk antlers provide many advantages over conventional rawhide: scrapping away plaque and tartar and helping remineralize teeth are just two benefits; antlers are all-natural US-made chews never treated with hazardous chemicals; most owners find their dogs enjoy chewing these chews!
Durability
Rawhide bones tend to be less durable than some other dog chews, posing a significant challenge to dogs that tend to consume chews quickly or “gulper,” like their owner does. Furthermore, digestive distress or even choking risks are present should large pieces be swallowed unknowingly.
Rawhide can swell to four times its original size when consumed and cause blockage in the stomach or intestines, leading to pain, fluid loss and dehydration, intestinal rupture or even death in extreme cases.
Nothin’ to Hide twist sticks offer a more digestible alternative made of beef gelatin, tapioca and vegetable glycerin that will break down in your pup’s stomach rather than cause it to expand like rawhide does. Furthermore, they’re less costly than most alternatives and come in various sizes that will appeal to most pups; furthermore they are slow-baked for maximum flavor! You’re sure to find one with one or more delicious flavors that’ll suit every pup perfectly.
Safety
Dogs love to chew, and without proper outlets like rawhide bones they may get into mischief by chewing things that shouldn’t be chewed such as shoes and chairs. Rawhide treats help maintain dental health, relieve teething pains, and provide positive chewing outlets so your pup won’t take to chewing furniture or woodwork instead.
Rawhide can pose serious dangers. When chewed too quickly or broken off into large pieces, dogs can choke on it or it can lodge itself in their throat and intestines causing intestinal blockage which is life threatening for pets.
To avoid this from happening, always monitor your dog while they chew and only give them rawhides that fit their mouth size. Rinsing rawhides with water beforehand also helps reduce toxins present and facilitate digestion for easier chewing experiences for dogs.
