Guest brit1 Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Hi I bought a pricey deer antler from an upscale dog supply store (in other words its the real thing). Now I am concerned as my dog is chewing the heck out of it and actually seems to be getting little pieces off, is this ok?? Thanks, I am really worried in case its not ok. Brit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PawPrintsLife Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 (edited) I wouldn't take the chance. There are safe chews out there. I avoid all deer antlers, rawhides, Greenies, and natural bones. I use only holistic chews, made in the US from all US-inspected ingredients. No chemicals, no preservatives. No little (or big) undigestible pieces to swallow. Edited April 12, 2011 by PawPrintsLife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I wouldn't worry about deer antlers but I feed a raw diet so am coming from that background. I'm jealous! My girls were very uninterested in antlers... Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brit1 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Its strange because he was not interested in prior ones. Seems this one he is trying to get to the marrow. I guess he chewed off a few tiny pieces, would that be similar to any bone? We feed raw too Brit I wouldn't worry about deer antlers but I feed a raw diet so am coming from that background. I'm jealous! My girls were very uninterested in antlers... Which chews do you use? I certainly agree with you about greenies and rawhide but usually feed raw knuckle bones with no problems. Brit I wouldn't take the chance. There are safe chews out there. I avoid all deer antlers, rawhides, Greenies, and natural bones. I use only holistic chews, made in the US from all US-inspected ingredients. No chemicals, no preservatives. No little (or big) undigestible pieces to swallow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyhound9797 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I wouldn't take the chance. There are safe chews out there. I avoid all deer antlers, rawhides, Greenies, and natural bones. I use only holistic chews, made in the US from all US-inspected ingredients. No chemicals, no preservatives. No little (or big) undigestible pieces to swallow. You can't get much safer than something as natural and unprocessed as a deer antler! They are obviously from the US and wouldn't have any chemicals or preservatives. Any chew will have small pieces break off but antlers are cartilage (I think?) and totally 100% digestible so please don't worry. And give your grey his antler back! Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pabozem Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) A friend gave a deer antler to our pups, and it's almost like it's petrified. Four dogs have really chewed on this for months, and it looks the same as the day I got it. Here's a picture of GiGi with the antler, that I played with in Picnik. Edited April 13, 2011 by pabozem Quote Waiting at the bridge: Blaze, Rodney, Lady, Spice, Sarahlee, Callie and Baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickchick2000 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 We give deer antlers to our bulldog who can chew threw the emergency brake of a car (don't ask how we know this) and she LOVES them. We've discovered the more notches and knots the antler has the more she loves it. Quote Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog) 2004 - 6/19/2019 www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KsFrets Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Great picture Pat! Our greyhounds LOVE deer antlers. We get them from a friend who gets them from the deers! They do get smaller, but it takes a long time and they really have to work at it! Never any problems. The way our pack goes through rawhide or any other chew toy/gizmo/pig-part/cow-part/bullysticks/jerky anything/anything else you can think of/etc..... the deer antlers are an answer to our chew prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KsFrets Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 The antlers we get from our hunting and rendering plant friends are totally hard and pretty much indestructable. I have read here, several times now, that antlers aquired from pet stores get chewed up. It is possible that the store bought antlers are somehow processed/boiled/baked or something that makes them softer than they naturally are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pabozem Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 That might be the answer Dean. I swear this one doesn't even have any scratches on it! Quote Waiting at the bridge: Blaze, Rodney, Lady, Spice, Sarahlee, Callie and Baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mariah Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 The antlers we get from our hunting and rendering plant friends are totally hard and pretty much indestructable. I have read here, several times now, that antlers aquired from pet stores get chewed up. It is possible that the store bought antlers are somehow processed/boiled/baked or something that makes them softer than they naturally are? I know some companies sell naturally shed deer antlers, I would imagine these would be softer, but not sure? Either way, I think it's totally fine if the pup is working off small pieces of antler. Antlers don't splinter the same way bones might and as others mentioned, are totally digestible! I wish we could get Chips to touch his. They're packed with minerals and nutrients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyfriends Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Antlers are composed of calcium and are bone-like structures. They are very hard and much less likely to splinter than the internal bones we sometimes give. A dog with good health and healthy teeth can handle them without difficulty. I always carefully monitor bones and antlers my girls have. The store I work at sells reindeer antlers (when they drop, which is seasonal) from a local reindeer farm and deer and elk antlers from American Antlers. The company cuts and packages antlers which are naturally shed and collected. They are all equally hard. I have seen some packaged antlers which have been cut length-wise, exposing the spongey looking interior. I would think these might be chewed faster. A tip I've heard for dogs who have lost interest in chewing is to soak the antler in beef or chicken broth, wipe them off and give them again. This might give it just enough flavor to make it interesting again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I've given antlers countless times for years now. As long as they aren't cracking off giant splinters of the hard outside shell it should be a problem. The only issue I've ever had was with the flat slices of moose antlers. The dogs LOVE them because they can easily get to the softer spongier "marrow" park in the middle. One of them really went to town and ate like 1/2 of the dang thing in one sitting! Of course he got some loose poops and didn't feel too well for a day or so. Other than that... no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iconsmum Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 We give deer antlers to our bulldog who can chew threw the emergency brake of a car (don't ask how we know this) and she LOVES them. We've discovered the more notches and knots the antler has the more she loves it. 1. I almost fell of my chair laughing, so 2. please, please can I ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gacaseys Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Where does one purchase (online) safe deer antlers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Whistle Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) Where does one purchase (online) safe deer antlers? I haven't purchased antlers from this site, but I have been very pleased with all of the treats and chews we have gotten from them. The prices are very reasonable as well. Best Bully Sticks Edited April 21, 2011 by Whistle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brit1 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) well I decided to take away the antler. I have bought them before but this one apparently is more enticing because he can get to the marrow. However in order to do so he is chipping away at the outside layer of the antler and that is what worries me. In other words, chewing off tiny pieces around the edge so that he can get his tongue down to the marrow. If I had a hacksaw maybe I could just level it off but for now it has a couple sharp edges where he chewed away around the outside. Hope that makes sense. Have it sitting on top of fridge for now. brit Edited April 21, 2011 by brit1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawna Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 And now I have another reason to go traipsing around in the woods near the house, to see if I can find some shedded deer antlers. Cool! Quote Missing Hiro, Tank, and Tractor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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