Re: raw hide bad for puppies?

In Reply to: Re: raw hide bad for puppies?
Posted by:  Linda
Posted on:  March 31, 2001 at 17:13:26

: : Hi, I have a 4 month old JRT and man, does he love to chew, especially anything that has flavor in it. Did that go without saying? Anyway, someone at Petco said that I shouldn't give him ANY raw hide bones because it would absolutely make him sick to his stomach, the little fragments that he'd swallow. Then, at Petsmart, I asked another helpful employee the same thing, and she said rawhide is fine. Then, I read a book about puppies that said they're basically okay as long as you don't get the ones with the knots on the ends that the puppies can pull off and then choke on. But she also said that alot of raw hide in the stomach could cause g.i. track problems. Does anyone have a definitive answer?
: : Thanks,
: : Andrea

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: Hi Andrea,
: None of us recommend using rawhides, because of the choking and also some don't disolve and end up causing big blockage problems. My Vet says that he can't even remember how many surguries that he has had to do because of rawhides getting stuck and causing blockage. Your puppy can also choke on a small piece that has been chewed. Please don't use them also you may want to use our seach engine for more information.
: Regards,
: Linda

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Continuing with what Linda said, do you have any idea of the chemicals that are added to actual raw (as in uncooked) hides to make them so stiff and unable to rot or decompose like natural flesh actually would? I shiver at the thought! Most of that stuff comes from countries where there is no organization to oversee the production of it. Formeldehyde (yes the stuff science class frogs are preserved in before disection) is a common ingredient and packages don't even have to list it.

I'd pass on the raw hide.