Are rawhide dog chews bad for dogs?
Most dogs love to chew, and rawhide chews are a favorite among dogs and dog owners alike. But are they good for your dog? In general, the answer is "not really." When possible, choose alternatives to rawhide to satisfy your dog's chewing instincts. But, in small amounts, quality rawhides can provide some chewing satisfaction for your dog.
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Rawhide Chews
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Rawhide is the inner layer of cattle hide. The outside layer of the hide is the more valuable part, and is used to make leather. The inner layer is used to make rawhide, gelatin and glue.
Why Dogs Like Rawhide
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Rawhide chews help to satisfy a dog's natural chewing behavior. In the wild, dogs need to chew the meat from bones; this instinctual urge to chew is still present. Rawhide chews can satisfy that natural behavior.
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U.S. Rawhides are Better
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Use only rawhides made from American beef hides. Give your dog rawhide chews that are made from American beef hides. Imported rawhide chews are often processed with poisonous chemicals, including formaldehyde, to preserve the hides during international transport.
Give Your Dog Quality Rawhides
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Avoid pressed rawhide bones. A high-quality rawhide chew will be made from one piece of beef hide. Do not give your dog rawhide chews that are thin, have fragments rolled into the middle or are made of pressed chips of rawhide. Quality rawhides will have some color, so pure white rawhides are not recommended. These are often treated with bleach to resemble white bones.
Supervise Rawhide Chewing
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Even quality rawhides can cause choking or intestinal blockages in dogs. Nancy Kerns of the Whole Dog Journal states, "Rawhide chews--of even the finest quality--may not be safe for every dog." Rawhide chews are not recommended for dogs that are fast eaters or vigorous chewers. Consider alternative chewing toys for these dogs.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Miller Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jeffrey Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of off to London for a while) (Kathleen Conklin
