Rawhide for dogs is one of the most popular chews sold in pet stores. However, many experts caution against giving it to dogs due to possible health risks. Find out what these concerns are and whether you should give rawhide to your dog.
What Is Rawhide?
Rawhide is a by-product of the leather industry. It is made from the inner layer of an animal’s hide, particularly cows and horses. To make this dog chew, the hide undergoes a cleaning process and is, later on, cut up or ground.
Rawhide for dogs is produced in various shapes and sizes, but the most popular choice is rawhide bones. It is formed by layering rawhide until it is shaped like a bone.
Is Rawhide Good For Dogs?
The answer to this question is not so simple. Rawhide does have a good impact on a dog’s health and behaviour. However, the potential dangers it possesses cannot be ignored.
To come up with a good answer, we need to take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of rawhide for dogs.
The Benefits of Rawhide for Dogs
Rawhide for dogs is beneficial in many ways. It is great for their dental health and satisfies their urge to chew. Get a clearer picture of how rawhide is good for dogs as you read on.
Provides stimulation for your dog
Dogs love to chew. It is a part of their natural behaviour, thus there is no way to put a stop to it.
However, this dog chewing behaviour can be managed by giving them something appropriate to chew on, and rawhide for dogs is a good option.
This helps them relieve stress, keep them stimulated, and prevent the development of undesirable behaviour.
Keeps your dog from destroying household items
Rawhide is a dog chew that is specifically made to be long-lasting. It will keep your pooch preoccupied for hours.
Thus, he will have less time and energy to unleash his chewing habits on unfortunate items at home. You do not have to worry much about him wrecking your furniture, shoes, clothing, and other belongings.
Helps clean your dog’s teeth
One of the top benefits of rawhide for dogs is preventing plaque and tartar accumulation. When your pooch gnaws on rawhide chews, it scrapes the plaque and tartar off and reduces the chances of teeth and gum infection occurring.
The Dangers Lurking in Rawhide for Dogs
Rawhide chews are beneficial for dogs in several ways, but they also have bad sides. Pet parents must know what these are to help them decide if they should get rawhide for their pooches or not.
At the risk of bacteria contamination
In 2008 and 2011, several rawhide treats were recalled due to salmonella and E. coli contamination. This is likely caused by failing to adhere to sanitary preparation protocols.
This puts both dogs and dog owners in danger since these bacteria are transmittable from animals to humans. Healthy pets and people have lower chances of getting infected. However, those with weakened immune systems may easily contract salmonella and E. coli.
May have undergone chemical treatment
It is not uncommon for some companies to give rawhide chemical baths. This is done mainly for 2 reasons: to cleanse rawhide chews and slow down their decay rate.
These are the chemicals that are commonly used in treating rawhide for dogs:
- Lye solution
- Bleach
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Sodium sulphide liming
Apart from these dangerous components, adhesives, artificial colouring, and flavouring are also applied to rawhide chews.
Therefore, pet parents should be meticulous when buying rawhide for dogs. Avoid purchasing products manufactured by other countries because they do not have stringent manufacturing standards, unlike the US.
In the 1890s, a shipment of imported rawhide dog chews was found to have residue of toxic chemicals, specifically arsenic and formaldehyde. In another incident, it was found that rawhide chew toys contain bits of skin from inhumanely killed dogs from Thailand.
Difficult for dogs to digest
Does rawhide break down in a dog’s stomach? No. When ingested, it does not break down in the digestive tract but expands instead.
A vet described rawhide for dogs to be as digestible as shoe leather. It can last for months in their stomach and may cause stomach problems such as diarrhoea.
Research has been done about the digestibility of rawhide for dogs. In this particular study, it pits pork skin against beef rawhide chews.
The results show that it took around 24 hours to digest up to 85% beef rawhide. On the other hand, the pork skin was fully digested within the 24-hour mark.
The low digestibility of rawhide for dogs makes it a potential deadly obstruction to the stomach or intestines. On the brighter side, some companies considered this and created digestible rawhide for dogs.
Poses a choking hazard
Rawhides for dogs was made to be long-lasting chew treats. However, this does not eliminate the possibility that it might break into large chunks when chewed.
If your dog swallows large pieces of rawhide, it can get stuck in the esophagus and cause choking. This is highly possible for dogs who love to gnaw on something constantly.
For this reason, rawhide chews are not suitable for aggressive chewers. It is more suitable for pooches with soft mouths who will not break it into pieces when chewing.
Tips to Remember When Choosing Rawhide for Dogs
Rawhide chews have a lot of drawbacks. Thus, it is natural for pet parents to wonder, “Is rawhide bad for dogs?” Not necessarily, as long as you choose a safe and appropriate rawhide for your canine friend.
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind should you decide to get rawhide dog treats or chews:
- Manufacturers are not required to declare the chemicals they use to treat rawhide for dogs. Avoid products that do not state anything about using chemicals because, chances are, they were chemically treated.
To narrow down your options, look for rawhide chew treats with “preservative-free” or “100% natural” labels.
- Lower the risk of intestinal blockage by selecting rawhide for dogs that are specifically made to be digestible. You can easily distinguish this by looking for 99% or 100% digestible labels on the packet.
- Avoid unnaturally white rawhide for dogs. The extremely pale colour is a sign that it is bleached excessively. Natural or lightly bleached rawhide dog chews often have a light tan colour.
- Check the smell of the rawhide chew. Make sure that it is free from any rotten smell. The presence of a pungent smell means that it has become a host for harmful bacteria.
Also, avoid buying rawhide for dogs that are devoid of any scent. This means that it has undergone too much chemical treatment, which erased its aroma.
- Take a look at how the rawhide for dogs’ outer layers is formed and knotted. Single sheets of rawhide should be used. This ensures that it will not easily peel off when chewed.
Do not go for rawhide dog chews made up of separate small pieces. They will not hold up for long and may loosen eventually, making them potential choking hazards.
- Mind the size of the rawhide chews. These should be twice the size of your dog’s mouth. This prevents him from accidentally swallowing and choking on it.
Can I Give My Dog Rawhide Every Day?
No. Satisfying your dog’s instinct to chew does not mean letting him gnaw on rawhide every day. Constant gnawing on rawhide dog chews can damage his teeth.
Give your dog rawhide only twice a week. 1–2 hours of chewing will keep him happy.
How Many Rawhides Can a Dog Have in a Week?
It is fine to let your dog have 1–2 rawhide chews in a day. Since it should be given biweekly, then he can have a maximum of 4 rawhides in a week.
Always be there to supervise when your dog is chewing on rawhide. Once the dog chew becomes small enough to fit in his mouth, it should be replaced with a larger one.
What Can I Give My Dog Instead of Rawhide?
Rawhide for dogs undoubtedly has more drawbacks than benefits. Hence, it is not the best choice as a dog chew. Pet parents are better off looking for alternatives to rawhide.
Vegetables like large frozen carrots are good chew treats for pooches. Sweet potatoes can be turned into dog chews too by dehydrating them in the oven or dehydrator.
Kong toys that can be stuffed with peanut butter or other healthy dog-safe treats like bully sticks are great rawhide alternatives too. It is durable but easy on your dog’s teeth and just as stimulating as other chew toys.
