The Dangers of Rawhide and 5 Safe Alternatives
Rawhide chews have been a popular choice amongst pet parents for years. They last forever, they’re reasonably priced, and dogs seem to love them. Despite their popularity, rawhide is incredibly dangerous for your pet. They’re made with toxic ingredients and pose as a choking hazard. Today I’m going to share the dangers of rawhide and alternatives you can buy instead.
What Is Rawhide?
Rawhide is the inner layer of cow or horse hides. They’re cleaned and stripped of hair and go through a similar manufacturing process as leather. The process of cleaning rawhide uses chemicals, such as sodium sulfide, that are toxic to dogs. They are then soaked in hydrogen peroxide to whiten them before being pressed into dog chews. Rawhide is often coated in a meat flavoring to make them more appealing to dogs.
The Dangers of Rawhide
Choking
Choking is the biggest of the dangers of rawhide. Rawhide starts out as a durable chew but as it gets wet it becomes soft and stretchy. It’s common for dogs to accidentally chew off a piece that is too large to swallow. When this happens the rawhide can get lodged in its throat, blocking the airway, resulting in a choking dog.
Signs of choking in a dog include:
- Distress
- Pawing at the mouth
- Drooling
- Gagging and retching
Blockage
Another one of the dangers of rawhide is blockage. If a piece of rawhide is successfully swallowed, it can swell up in the stomach or intestines and cause a blockage of the digestive tract. When this happens surgery is often required to fix it. Because rawhide is not digestible, dogs must pass it should they swallow any. When they don’t, a blockage can occur.
Contamination
Salmonella is a danger of rawhide chews because they are made from animal skin. Humans and their pets can contract salmonella from infected rawhide chews. It’s not uncommon for rawhide to have traces of salmonella in them and there have been multiple instances of rawhide chews being recalled due to salmonella contamination.
So are you convinced that you shouldn’t be giving rawhide to your pet yet? Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives for those dogs who love to chew.
Rawhide Alternatives
Bully sticks have been one of my dogs favorite treats since she was a puppy. They are a natural chew and easily digestible making them a great treat for dogs of all ages. They come in a variety of sizes to suit every dogs chewing styles.
Himalayan yak chews are a thick chew that are great for tough chewers. They are made of hardened yak and cow cheese and will last longer than most natural chews.
3. Marrow Bones
You can purchase marrow bones at many pet stores or from your local butcher shop. They are the larger bones of animals, such as the hip bone, making them less of a choking hazard.
Fish skin sticks are chews made from the skin of fish. They are one of the healthiest chews you can give to your pup and most dogs absolutely love them. They are a smellier treat though and may best be enjoyed outside.
5. Dental Chews
There are tons of dental chew options on the market so it is best to research thoroughly to find the best one for your pet. Dental chews are generally 100% digestible and will remove plaque from dogs teeth while giving them the satisfaction of chewing.
4 thoughts on “The Dangers of Rawhide and 5 Safe Alternatives”