Member

Posts: 57
From:Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 01-03-2004 06:58 PM         

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Ok, this has been on my mind for awhile and I wanted to ask everyones opinion. On Christmas morning I woke up at my moms and she had lots of toys for Nala, one was this giant candy cane made out of Raw Hide (spelling?. Well anyways I then went to my dads to open gifts there and I told my stepmom about it and they have 3 dogs of their own. She told me that she never gives her dogs raw hide because they say it expands their stomaches. Well me being me, freaked about it but she loved it so I let her eat about 30% of it. My mom was told me that she was not a vet and that it would not be on the market if dogs were dying often of it, but has anyone heard anything about that?
If so I am really going to stop giving that to her!
Leslie

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Posts: 277
From:Nellis AFB, Nevada
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 01-03-2004 07:57 PM         

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I have never heard that one. As with any toy, you supervise them. You just need to make sure that they don't tear off pieces and swallow them. If you do that, everything should be fine.

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Posts: 1179
From:,Calif. U.S.A.
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 01-03-2004 08:13 PM         

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Nor I, As Karrisue said, just supervise. Let him chew on it for a certain amount of time, then take away. Once it gets to the point where he is chewing on it like bubble gum I would throw it away, preferably before he chews at it. Something to large can get stuck anywhere onlong the intestines to the anal area. I know a lady that has a friend that had to have it surgically removed from the anus of her dog. Just supervise and he'll be fine.

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Posts: 409
From:Los Angeles, Ca.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-03-2004 08:36 PM         

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Edit

[This message has been edited by GoodboysBaddogs (edited 01-03-2004).]

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Posts: 409
From:Los Angeles, Ca.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-03-2004 08:36 PM         

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... This one too...

[This message has been edited by GoodboysBaddogs (edited 01-03-2004).]

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Posts: 409
From:Los Angeles, Ca.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-03-2004 08:37 PM         

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Yeah actually giving raw hide to a dog should be a supervised thing. It's not just a "here munch on this for a while" and you go and do something else elsewhere.
Dogs aren't really suppose to consume it.
Some dogs do perfectly fine swallowing the whole thing, like if it were a piece of meat!
While those with sensitive stomachs (which is A LOT) have trouble with breaking it down.
So it just sits in the stomach a lot longer than it should. Giving upset stomachs, diarrhea, and possibly adding unwanted bacteria in the stomach and all.
I know there's a lot more (health problems/hazards) to this, but i'm not really too sure about it.
Personally i don't give raw-hide anymore, simply because of what i just told you.
A lot of raw-hides are sold unwrapped/not covered. This is another reason. I especially don't feed those.
Just monitor Nala while she chews away...

"it would not be on the market if dogs were dying often of it"

I'm not saying AT ALL that your Mom does'nt know what she's talking about, but this "saying" is really an old saying. It's kinda like saying "you know cigarretes aren't bad for you, otherwise the government would'nt allow it". There are M A N Y things like this... Very fortunately, we have a choice.

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Posts: 228
From:Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 01-03-2004 09:34 PM         

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We give Cameron rawhides often- many of which she ends up consuming part of. We have never had any related health problems- my parent's dog and brother-in-law's dog is the same situation- never any problems. If they were really killing dogs left and right, I doubt there would be a whole isle dedicated to them in almost every pet store. I know some dogs can't handle them, but I honestly think most do just fine.

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Posts: 944
From:Columbus, Tx ,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-04-2004 07:22 AM         

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There are many heated discussions on this question. From what my vet has told me, natural rawhide is fine. The chipped and press should not be used, it can splinter and chip off causing sharp peices to be injested and reek havock on the stomach and intestines.

He recommeded that we only use beef hide strips, hog ears, hooves and stuff.
Not to use the rawhide strips that come in the packages at the grocery store.

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Posts: 22
From:carroll, ia usa
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 01-04-2004 07:32 AM         

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I have recently had my 8 month old cocker at the vet w/ stomach trouble and believe that it all goes back to raw hide bones....seriously. She had been vomiting everyday for 10 days and we could not figure out why. Took her into the vet and they did stomach xrays and found that she has an sore stomach. She is currently on Zantac since they are calling her issue an ulcer and also on Vet Sensitive food (which is not cheap). We are going to slowing try to work her normal food (Imas puppy) back into her diet but she is and will continue to take Zantac every 12 hours (1/4 of a pill).
Anyway, I had been letting her chew on raw hides since we got her darn near and she LOVES them. But I honestly think that they are the reason for her ulcer. She was eating them and sometimes she would chew for hours. I always thought that they wouldn't be in the stores if they were bad for her.
In my opinion, I wouldn't give it to her. But that is your call.
Needless to say but Maddie has not seen one since she got home from the vet.

Good Luck

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From:
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posted 01-05-2004 08:52 AM         

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I have heard from many different sources that rawhide is bad and can be dangerous to dogs. There was a thread on it a few months ago, if you want to do a search.

I never give rawhide to our Nala. I have had great success with bully sticks, though, and it's the only thing I have found that it takes her a long time to chew.

Nala actually eats those velvet bones. The pet store people say it's fine, but I can't imagine it is good. I will probably not give them to her anymore.

Jamiya

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From:Columbus, Tx ,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-05-2004 09:31 AM         

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I let Smokey chew on the Nyla bones....I took it away when I figured out that he was actually eating it! Nylon can't posibly be good for them, and the pkg said that it was virtually UNDISTRUCTABLE to the toughest dogs!

Well Smokey chewed it right in half, and many peices....

I feed them natural bones, not chicken legs, and smoked hide strips, ears, and hooves. They can't destroy the hooves quickly, it takes them at least 2 months, to get it soggy enough to even chew...

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From:My IQ is higher than yours, I guarantee it.
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-05-2004 09:31 AM         

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I have heard so many good and bad things about rawhide. I give it to my dogs to chew on while supervised only. They like it the best of all their toys. If I do have a problem with it one day...that is the day I will stop using it. Until then...just keep an eye on your dog and make sure he isnt the type that tries to swallow anything it can fit in its mouth. One of my dogs likes to swallow things...so he has a GIANT rawhide bone with the knotted ends taken off because those normally come off fast.

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From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 01-05-2004 10:28 AM         

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I never give rawhide bones to my dogs becauseo fowhat I heard, well a few years back someone gave them the kind that is wrapped to look like a bone, I gave it to Jake, and was monitering a little bit, after 5 minutes I went to check on him and he had the thing unraveled and like this 12 inlong thing halfway down his throat gagging, so never again
Honeybear

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Posts: 57
From:Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 01-05-2004 10:38 AM         

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Thanks everyone for your advise. I do have a question though my mom keeps getting her these bones and they side they are Hide bones but not raw hide. Is that still the same. THey are flavored with beef. I am telling my mom not to buy her them anymore cause she is spoiling her with them!
Leslie

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-05-2004 11:58 AM         

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My understanding is that rawhide is hard for them to digest which can present problems. There is also a choking hazard. Alot of inexpensive rawhide is processed with chemicals that do not wash away, like formaldihyde, obviously this is not healthy for your dog. If you are going to give rawhide to your dog it should state on the label that no chemicals were used. Remember...just because the package says "Natural" doesn't mean it is. I used to give rawhides to my dogs all the time and did not have a problem other than they sometimes seemed to get constipated. I quit giving them because after doing my own research I discovered that the rawhides that are processed naturally are expensive, that coupled with the fact that is could pose problems made me search out other products that would provide the same enjoyment without the hazards and cost...even found some with nutritional value! LOL. I really like Natures Varietys chews...they are dehydrated tendons, pizzles and other parts like that. I also found these ropes that are strung with sweet potato chews, the dogs love them!
I also cannot use the Velvet chews as they are made with corn starch and my dogs have issues with corn.

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Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-06-2004 08:15 AM         

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Yes I have heard that rawhide is bad, especially rawhide that comes from outside the USA(they are made with formaldihide) which can not be very good for dogs. I was also told it does expand their stomach and it is hard to digest. Also the knots at the end of some rawhides have a tendencey to be choked on. I give my dog compressed rawhide, which doesnt cause these problems and it is easier for them to digest and much safer!

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From:Columbus, Tx ,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-06-2004 08:53 AM         

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We generally only buy rawhide and treats fresh from or feed store, and when we butcher a hog, deer, cattle, whatever, we always hang up a few strips of tendon, hide, stuff like that in the smoke house with our jerkey....

I would be more than happy to send some to some one if they'd like to try it out.

We scrape the hides so no "hair" or stuff is on them, then lightly salt them with Mortons "light" salt or sea salt, and hang them in the smoke house for 3 days.

THey don't get as hard and cruchy as the kinds you buy in the stores, nor are they deep fried first. Most are.
Betcha didn't know that!
So we don't have the worry of Breaking or shattering.

My dogs go nuts for them, and they have no flavorings put on them, only true natural!
It also takes them forever to chew...a total gift for a chew happy pup.

My family loves them as well. They wont' stain either.

I don't sell them. and we dont' ahve them all the time. Just on special occasions.

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From:Newark Ohio USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-06-2004 08:23 PM         

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my sister vet said that rawhide can cause the intestines to flip and possibly killing the dog. He doesn't recommend it. However, I give Mattie rawhide & then throw it away before she can start swallowing it.

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