The canine deal with aisle of your favourite pet retailer is undoubtedly stuffed with rawhide chews in numerous shapes, sizes, flavors and types. Despite its recognition, there are conflicting opinions about rawhide for canines primarily based on the way it’s made, whether or not it’s protected to your canine and what alternate options exist. Fortunately, in the event you want to keep away from rawhide chews altogether, there are numerous nice rawhide alternate options together with issues like dental chews and bully sticks. Let’s paw by way of it.
What is rawhide?
Rawhide chews are dried animal skins, comprised of the leftovers of the leather-based trade. Rawhide is the inside layer (hypodermic interstitial tissue) of cow, horse and pork hides and is separated on the slaughterhouse.
How is rawhide made?
Most rawhide is made abroad, and it’s preserved in a high-salt brine to sluggish decay throughout transport. When it’s prepared for processing, it’s handled with lime to separate the fats from the conceal, after which different chemical compounds are used for hair removing. Next, it’s rinsed and, if wanted, bleached to seem whiter and canopy the indicators of decay. Afterward, the conceal is sanitized, normally in a hydrogen peroxide bathtub, rolled into sticks, or shredded and molded right into a form, and dried. Finally, the rawhide is packaged and shipped to shops.
Where is rawhide made?
Today, there are solely about 30 U.S. tanneries in operation. Most tanneries use an unlimited quantity of water and produce giant volumes of wastewater. As a consequence, a majority of rawhide merchandise are made in China, Mexico and South America, which have fewer environmental regulation restrictions.
U.S. rawhide merchandise are usually more energizing as a result of they journey a shorter distance by truck, as a substitute of throughout the ocean on container ships, and are frozen for transport as a substitute of positioned in salt brine.
Photo 2: Dog rawhide chews are made sometimes comprised of cow and pork hides and are available in many shapes and sizes. ©Rachel Phelps
Should I give my canine rawhide?
Most canines are a fan of this in style go-to chew. Their homeowners are too, as a result of
- Rawhide satisfies a canine’s pure intuition to chew. It is a wonderful optimistic various to your pup chewing up your sneakers, TV remotes, furnishings and different home goods.
- It helps hold a canine’s tooth clear. Rawhide acts like a doggie toothbrush that helps cut back plaque and tartar buildup and retains their gums wholesome.
- Canines have been consuming dried animal hides for 1000’s of years, so it’s an effective way to encourage a canine’s scavenging intuition and stimulate your canine.
- Rawhides are cheap treats.
Is rawhide dangerous for my canine?
Of course, there’s all the time a draw back, even to canine chews.
- Due to the manufacturing course of, there may be hint components of poisonous chemical compounds and micro organism contamination, similar to Salmonella or coli, that would make you or your canine in poor health.
- Your canine could also be delicate to rawhide and even allergic to the chemical compounds used to make it. This may result in digestive points similar to diarrhea.
- Rawhide chews generally is a choking hazard. Not solely can rawhide trigger severe gastrointestinal upset, explains Dr. Whitney Bruce, accomplice veterinarian at Wills Animal Hospital in Owensboro, Kentucky, however they will even result in emergency surgical procedures. Pets can undergo obstruction, or a severe blockage of their abdomen or intestines, which may end up in dying if not handled appropriately, says Dr Bruce.
- Rawhide may cause tooth breakage. The rawhide is tough and dense as soon as dried and rolled into canine chews. If a canine is an aggressive chewer, or already has broken tooth, chewing the powerful conceal may result in tooth breaking or cracking – typically requiring surgical procedure to take away the damaged tooth. The rawhide may additionally trigger cuts and scratches within the mouth and esophagus.
- There could also be subpar high quality and a scarcity of security requirements on the manufacturing plant. Since most rawhides are made in China, they don’t have to abide by the U.S. legal guidelines regarding product purity and security. Also, the tanners are usually not required to reveal or recall merchandise that could be unsafe.
What are rawhide alternate options?
There are many glorious rawhide chew alternate options. These merchandise are sometimes comprised of elements extra simply digestible than rawhide however have an analogous look and texture. Since rawhide just isn’t beneficial for canines beneath six months of age as a consequence of tooth breakage and smaller mouths and digestive tracts, these alternate options are nice for a teething pet.
- Beef and Pig Ears – Bring out your canine’s pure scavenging intuition with flavor-packed pure ears. The Farm Hound model even has ears that also have the hair on them. This hair acts as a digestive support and a pure dewormer. However, ears usually, have greater fats, so they don’t seem to be appropriate for canines who require a low-fat weight loss program. $3.49 – $6.99.
- Bully Sticks – These single – ingredient sticks are a highly digestible chew comprised of beef pizzle (a muscle). These sticks are available in numerous sizes, shapes, flavors and even three braided sticks. $2.09 – $13.09
- Cod Skin Rolls – These low odor chews from Tickled Pet are nice for a lot of canines with allergy symptoms. These chews are made with just one ingredient, dehydrated salmon pores and skin, and are stuffed with wholesome Omega-3 oils. Available in eight to 10 roll packages for $16.99.
- Collagen Chews – Collagen is a protein discovered within the pores and skin’s inside layer referred to as the corium. It is likely one of the essential parts in an animal’s connective tissue. “Collagen chews are glorious to your furry buddy because it offers protein that’s naturally ample in your pet’s physique,” explains Traci Mierzwa, model supervisor for the Barkworthies canine chew model. “While rawhides present an incredible distraction to your pet, our 100% digestible collagen chews are minimally processed to make sure the important thing vitamins are there to advertise wholesome pores and skin and coat, support in bone and joint well being, and the easy act of chewing prevents tartar and plaque buildup.” Chews begin at $9.99.
- Dental Chews – One of the large advantages of a rawhide is to maintain your canine’s tooth clear and tartar free. There are some nice rawhide chew alternate options designed particularly for dental well being, just like the model Loving Pets Ora-Bone Dental Treats. Their distinctive design contains a central bulb that cleans behind the canine’s tooth and the roof of the mouth whereas the nibs therapeutic massage gums and scrape the tongue. These chews are available in three sizes. Ten chews for $13.99.
- Tough Toys – Goughnuts model canine toys are made for essentially the most aggressive chewers. These 100% pure rubber toys are excellent for the hardest chewers and have a lifetime assure. These also have a chew toy security indicator (a coloured rubber strip within the heart) that allows you to know when it’s time to interchange the toy. According to president and founder Amy Rockwood, the rubber recipes are developed by an in-house engineer, and the molds are designed for even the hardest chewers. The toys can be found in several power ranges for all totally different sizes and varieties of chewers. $10-$25 every.
Dogs ought to all the time be supervised when chewing on rawhide – it doesn’t matter what chew you choose – in case they gag or choke on the merchandise. If the chew turns into too small (sufficiently small to your canine to swallow it complete), take it out of your canine instantly and promptly eliminate it.
Now that you simply perceive how rawhide chews are made, the advantages of giving rawhide and the potential dangers, plus the various nice rawhide alternate options, you can also make a better-informed determination on the most effective chew to your pet.