Rawhide: Is It Safe?

Is  it just us or do other people have Christmas stockings for their dogs?   A few little treats and a toy in there to let them be included in the  family fun on the big day!

Whether  you’re looking for stocking fillers, presents or just something to keep  your hound out your hair while you’re prepping the Christmas dinner,  everywhere you look there is some form of rawhide treat!

It’s  usually pretty innocuous, a boring brown or white looking bone-shaped  treat on a bottom shelf in the pet shop…but at this time of year it gets  its festive make-over.  Dyed bright festive colours and shaped into  candy canes or Christmas trees, then dressed up further in bright  packaging to entice you into buying it, there is no escaping it.

Rolled  out with all the other Christmas stock, this previously ordinary  looking treat gets pride of place on the shelves and it’s relatively  inexpensive!  Coupled with claims of being a long-lasting treat, and  high value dental aid, it’s not hard to believe that it’s gets a lot of  attention at this time of year!

So, what’s the catch?

It  is one of the most dangerous dog chews available with countless horror  stories from dog owners warning people against buying it and annual  appeals to ban it.

Rawhide is a  highly processed by-product of the leather industry that are about as  healthy as eating your own boot, dirt and all.

The  problem lies in the fact that it is a by-product of the leather  industry and not the meat industry.  This key difference means that  Rawhide is not classified as a ‘food item’ and as such it doesn’t fall  under the laws of food labelling or testing.  

This  means the list of chemicals, bleach, glues, preservatives, artificial  additives, and colourings don’t need to be declared on the  labelling...nor do there need to be any health warnings on there either.   All of which is rather concerning given your dog is expected to chew  it!

Due to the processes in which  Rawhide is created, the product itself is largely considered to be  indigestible.  While there are different qualities of Rawhide available  on the market, some more digestible than others, there are still  numerous risks associated with giving your dog Rawhide, all of which  outweigh the limited benefit of being an inexpensive long-lasting chew.

Rawhide risks include:

-  Choking Hazard: It is strongly recommended that no dog be left  unsupervised with a Rawhide chew, particularly if care has not been  taken to have a size appropriate version of it as they can swallow it  whole or break off and swallow large pieces that can get stuck.

-  Blockage: Due to its indigestibility, larger pieces may not break down  in the stomach and in moving through the body intact, can cause  intestinal blockage.

- Torn  Bowels: As consequence of the previous point, any sharp chewed edges are  highly dangerous to the lining of the stomach or intestines.  A tear to  any part of the digestive system can very quickly turn life  threatening.

- Sensitivities  & Slow Poisoning: The chemicals used in the production of Rawhide  are all individually toxic and any traces left on the product can cause  gastrointestinal upsets or allergic type reactions.  They can also cause  kidney damage, particularly in puppies.

Too many dogs die, or end up having emergency surgery, because of Rawhide each year.

Don’t buy into it’s bright Christmas makeover.  It just is not worth the risk!

With  multiple long-lasting chew options on the market, including a host of  natural and unprocessed ones, you have more than enough alternatives to  Rawhide to keep your dog happy this Christmas!

If  you are reading this having bought your dog a Christmas stocking full  of Rawhide, chuck it in the bin now and save yourself a trip to the vet  later!