Pet Safety: How Rawhide Bones Can Harm Your Dog

Contrary to the unfortunately very popular belief, those yummy little rawhide bone treats we give our dogs to provide distraction for our pets are actually quite bad for them.

Pick up a rawhide treat now-they come in all shapes and sizes. Some come in the rectangular flat disks, while others are cleverly twisted into replicas of real bones. They all have one thing in common though-the ability to make a dog very, very ill.

Dogs eat the way fish do-until all the food is gone. Their instincts tell them that when the food is there it must be gorged upon as they never know when their next meal will be. Also, in the wild, dogs come in packs. First come, first serve, so stuff yourself and you will survive. While this is not the case for most domesticated dogs, the instinct to eat everything super-fast is still there.

Which is exactly why those rawhide treats are so dangerous.

Think about it-those treats are designed to be gnawed upon for at least an hour's time, leaving a mutt gaily chewing on his little rawhide delicacy until he bores of it and wanders away. The reality is most dogs will have those little bones half-consumed within just a few minutes, with the entirety gone in less than half an hour.

While that may sound like a simple piggish act on your dog's part, a serious complication may be in the making. Those pieces of rawhide, when swallowed in massive sizes, as they most often are, do not digest in the dog's body. This means the dog has to either pass a very large blockage or retain a very large blockage, both of which are extremely painful for the poor creature, with the latter being potentially fatal.

My advice is to NEVER allow your dog to have chewy rawhide bones, especially the ones that are purchased in the flat squares. Those sharp edges will remain sharp and tear through your dog's intestinal wall or stomach lining. Not a good thing.

If you are going to continue providing these potentially dangerous chewy distractions to your furry friend, please supervise your dog while doing so. Do not allow exceptionally gluttonous dogs anywhere near these treats, as no matter how you supervise them the treat will still be consumed in large masses much too quickly. Smaller dogs seem to have the least amount of trouble with rawhide bones, and the bones shaped into knots and twisted to resemble real bones are less dangerous to the animal as they have fewer sharp edges and have to be chewed longer due to their thickness.

The best treat you can give your dog is your attention, time, and activity. If you MUST give your dog something to chew on, stick with real bones, such as raw knuckle bones, or pig and beef feet. As these are naturally hard and cannot be easily swallowed, provided the actual bone is larger than your dog's mouth, the fear of ingestion is less of a worry.

Do not give chicken, turkey, or fish bones to your dog! Even if your dog chews these slowly and thoroughly, these bones are sharp and can splinter into the dog's esophagus, stomach lining, and intestinal wall. They also provide a great choking hazard.

Learn to recognize the signs of illness due to the improper digestion of any chewy treat. Lethargy, bloat, vomiting, the inability to defecate, disinterest in food or drink, or excessive interest in water are all signs your dog may be ill due to intestinal blockage or internal stress within their bodies. If your dogs yips or cries out when their belly is lightly palpitated or your dog expresses increased irritability or will not lie down or stand (pacing often, acting disoriented and distracted) the first thing you must do is call your vet immediately. An intestinal blockage that your dog is currently trying to bypass can cause his gut to twist on itself, leading to the toxicity of the body as the bowel leaks into the dog's bloodstream and dirties other organs. This is a VERY fatal infliction and can only be prevented by treating immediately after symptoms arrive.

If you believe your dog has ingested something and they are experiencing any of the above symptoms, action is your greatest defense. Tell your vet immediately that you believe your dog has a blockage so your vet can do xrays and rule out any other illnesses.

The best prevention against injuring your dog unintentionally with these treats is to stay away from them entirely! Stick with the real bones for your dogs. They are healthier, last longer, and are, for the most part, cheaper.

Your dogs, and their bellies, will thank you for it.