Rawhide and your Dog - Christmas

| Brighton Dog Grooming & Shop, Guides & Resources, Healthy & Wellbeing, News

At Bone Idol do our best to share our experience, knowledge and research into products. As we approach Christmas many novelty and festive dog treats are released on to the pet products market that contain rawhide or ground rawhide products. 

This concerns us at Bone Idol as Rawhide has been discussed in the news recently regarding the potential risks it poses to our beloved pets.  

As a health risk we want to be sure you know the facts.

 

Why is rawhide bad for your dog?

What is Rawhide? 

Rawhide is an animal byproduct and is created from the inner layer of hides/skins of cows and horses, generally obtained from the tanning leather making process.

These layers are then either cut, shaped and dried, often into the recognisable bone shape as shown above. Alternatively this layers can be ground up.

Ground rawhide of different grades of coarseness is then pressed into shapes and sold as dog chews of different sizes. To make them more appealing for dogs some manufacturers then add things such as beef, chicken, or liver flavourings to attract human attention colouring and novelty shapes are used.

If in doubt read the packaging to be sure you know what you are buying.

So why is rawhide dangerous for your dog? 

Leading vets around the world have spoken out regarding some of the dangers they believed are associated with rawhide consumption specifically for dogs. 

These include: 

Contamination:

As with some poorly manufactured dog toys, rawhide chews can contain trace amounts of toxic chemicals. 

Digestive irritation:

Some dogs are simply sensitive or allergic to rawhide or other substances used in their manufacture. This can cause problems, including diarrhoea. 

Choking or blockages:

Rawhide bones and can pose a choking and blockage risk for dogs. This is regarded as the most serious potential risk with rawhide. 

If your dog swallows large pieces of rawhide, the rawhide can get stuck in the oesophagus or other parts of the digestive tract.

Depending on its size and where it is located, a vet may be able to remove these pieces fairly easily through the throat. But sometimes, abdominal surgery is needed to remove them from the stomach or intestines. If it isn’t resolved, a blockage can very sadly lead to death. 

What about Bone Idol and rawhide? 

As a result of our research and veterinary and industry expert advice, Bone Idol does not stock any rawhide products either online or in our Brighton store. 

Your pet's health, happiness and safety is our number one priority and we have stuck to our principles and don’t sell anything that could harm a dog’s health. 

Fabulous, healthy treats this Christmas

This Christmas you can create a perfect present for your pet with treats and toys included they are the perfect way to kick start your dog’s Christmas stocking.

We have a wide range of gifts, toys and treats in store and we are sure you’ll find the perfect finishing touches to your stocking!

We also have our doggy deli in our Brighton store, which includes 100% natural treats, you can read more about here

To find out more about our Bone Idol Grain Free dog food take a look here.

Bone Idol wants to ensure your dog is healthy, happy and fabulous from puppy to senior. 


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