# Whats wrong with rawhide?



## babydoll (May 18, 2006)

My dogs love their rawhide chews. Ever since i found out that they were bad i have stopped giving it to them, but i just realised that i dont actually know what is bad about them. My vet said that they were ok but i trust that you guys also know what you are talking about.


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## SCRAPPY (Sep 4, 2005)

Who told you they were bad? I never heard that.


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## guinnypigsmom (Feb 9, 2006)

I think they can choke on them. If my rottie gets one, it's the ones that are rolled up and he gets them in the house. Guinny gets the little sticks that crumble.


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## Lorisbabychi (Apr 3, 2005)

I was told that it is bad for little dogs because it expands in the stomache so I give Minka and Rory synthetic rawhide for small dogs, they love it


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

Where do you get synthetic? I have to say, Dolly LOVES her rawhide. I just watch her pretty closely, but I still worry. Also, be sure to get "made in America"...NOT China!


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

I got Carl a small rawhide bone for Christmas and he loooved it. I limited his time chewing it, because I know it can make their poop runny :shock: (at least it did with our old dog)
I've heard people say "rawhide is bad" but Carl NEVER gets rawhide unless he's supervised.

Has anyone ever tried the pressed rawhide? http://www.pet-shop.net/assets/images/W16146.jpg


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## Lorisbabychi (Apr 3, 2005)

I get the CET chews at the vets. I think you can get them online also. I will look for a link in a second.


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## Lorisbabychi (Apr 3, 2005)

CET chews


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Oo thanks for the link!!


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

I, personally, would not give my dogs rawhide. I do give them Merrick Flossies and Bullysticks. They are really good for their teeth, and way better than rawhide. I read on a website that rawhide is made with a lot of gross ingredients (like cat skins) and the process isn't regulated.


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Ooo yeah Carl looves his bullysticks!! 
I'll have to get him some flossies, I'm sure he would love those too.
I agree that there are better alternatives to rawhide.


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

i read on another forum that as its not regulated rawhind has lots of bacteria in it ... twig loves chewing her rawhind rolled stick and shoe she only has them when supervised but i am struggling to find an alternative that is similar in texture as i dont really want to give it to her anymore after all ive heard about it


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## sullysmum (Mar 6, 2004)

~Jessie~ said:


> I, personally, would not give my dogs rawhide. I do give them Merrick Flossies and Bullysticks. They are really good for their teeth, and way better than rawhide. I read on a website that rawhide is made with a lot of gross ingredients (like cat skins) and the process isn't regulated.


Also made of dog skins, i wouldnt give it to my dogs either.My husband knew of a dog that died from a strangled intestine after eating Rawhide!


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Lorisbabychi said:


> I get the CET chews at the vets. I think you can get them online also. I will look for a link in a second.


I've seen these at the PetSmart too before I think...


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## MyLittleTroubleMaker (Apr 20, 2006)

dolly'sgrandma said:


> Also, be sure to get "made in America"...NOT China!


In fact, I think any rawhide NOT made in the states are not good (e.g Mexico, Indonesia). My neighbor's vet told her so since any rawhide not made in the states could have very bad additives in them that are harmful, such as Arsenic...:shock: (sadly, I heard that corrupted show dog handlers give their dog Arsenic to make their fur extra shiny...)

So, to be safe than sorry I'd try alternatives than giving my dog any rawhide...


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Feeding your dog something that has poison in it so the coat will be shiny? WOW. I think a little fish oil would do that too. I agree though...I give the flossies and bully sticks, which my baby LOVES!! I wish they would make them a little smaller though. I always have to break everything up into smaller edible pieces. =/


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## lecohen (Feb 13, 2005)

OMG - Scruffy loves raw hide sticks, I didn't realise they were so bad :-(

I just can't bring myself to give him a pigs ear or bully stick (that's an animal's male organ right?)


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

I seem to be resurrecting older posts today, but, oh well what can I say :lol:

Anyway, for those of you not object to giving your babies rawhides, providing they are made in the USA etc.etc. you can order them from the American Kennel Club website.

http://www.akcstore.org/akcstore/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemClassId=0&parent=yes&productID=54530


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

I bought my dogs these beef tendons at the pet store today. They are long and stringy. Dolly hasn't stopped chewing on hers since we got home, so they are a success. However, at $1.99 each, I was hoping that they would last a bit longer. With three dogs to give one each to, that's a $6.00 evening's entertainment...if they don't last.

I would love to find something that they could chew on that would last as long as rawhides did. Some people have mention big raw beef bones from the butchers. I might try that. 

It is fun to get them their little treats. I agree, the whole bully stick "thing" makes me blush. How could I tell people what they were chewing on? ew.....Although, I have no doubt they would LOVE them.


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## stephybooboo (Apr 2, 2006)

i didn't know that's what a bully stick was! ewwww!!! mine like pig ears they are cheap and they have no problem chewing on them there are also these rolled bone things with filling in them i buy em at walmart the big dogs love them. but kujo can't fit them in his little mouth :lol:


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

I buy Gizzie rawhide discs, there thin like a credit card (jus a lil thicker) and are 100% natural, I buy them from this pet boutique that is near me. They are made in the USA, from pig skin. They don't smell or stain. Expensive though, but at least I know where it's coming from. I tried bullysticks but the scent drove me nuts, like a smoked jerky smell...yuck..lol...Gizmo did like them but I mentioned to hubby they might be errr...male organs he was like oh heck no...lol and that was that.


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## Clek1430 (Mar 7, 2006)

Look for 'free range' bully sticks. They are odorless they are the same as regular ones minus the smell. I don't feed raw hides to my dogs at all. They do not break apart properly and get way to soggy and unravel making them a choking hazard to me not worth the chance. I am sure in some other countries they are made out of skins of animals but not here in the US. I would not think they would be sold here at all. I tried doing a search and came up with nothing for the US just other countries.


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

Well Gizmo is not a gulper, meaning he just bites it and rips off the chunk when it gets soggy and leaves it, he doesn't swallow it. Just like when I give him the nylabones, he rips the chunks off and spits them out, I find little pieces everywhere! Also he eats them with me around. He is finicky about eating stuff, like he'l shred paper, but not eat it..lol... I'll have to look into the free range ones because the smell was driving me nuts. He did like them though. I just wish I knew what kinda "tendon" I was buying..lol


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## Clek1430 (Mar 7, 2006)

SunnyFLMum said:


> I just wish I knew what kinda "tendon" I was buying..lol



Sweetie it's a bull penis


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

Oh dear lord I better not tell my husband...LOL
Some say it and some don't that's why I was wondering


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## MSBOOTS (May 4, 2006)

Ike likes the pig ears as well as the bully sticks, but what he really likes are the chicken tenders that are like jerky. 
Only thing is they don't last as long. Lilly likes them too and with her they last longer. I do limit them to like 2 a week.


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

Well, the "tendon" I bought for the dogs was a disaster (pricey too). They LOVED them and chewed all day. Then they threw up huge hunks all night...even Dolly threw some up and I would say she mostly chews, doesn't swallow. This has never happened with the rawhide.

A rawhide bone (made in USA) lasts her for weeks and she never gets it to where I worry about her swallowing it, because by then, one of the big dogs has eaten it. I do worry about THEM. I need something that they can't chew in five minutes, doesn't cost $2.99 each, and isn't some part of a bull that is going to come back up on my carpet. Ewwwwwwwwww.

Right now, no one has anything and they are all so depressed. Just sitting around, bored with nothing to chew. Oh wait, Dolly can always bark at every leaf that floats by the window.....


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