Guest Bhamgreyt Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I'm just curious if a rawhide chew is good for the teeth or am I overthinking this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lillypad Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Interested to hear the opinion of others, but I personally don't like the idea. Have heard they can be hard to digest and the processing of the hide can be sketchy. I do feed a raw diet, raw turkey necks. As a matter of fact I fed a split raw pig foot for the first time just this evening. She enjoyed it VERY much and it kept her busy chewing for about 40 min, so I believe she got a good dental work out not to mention emotional enjoyment. Waiting to see how she digests the foot,(I am sure she will, don't anticipate any problems) I plan to give her more in the future. Thinking one a week or so. On a side note: Welcome to Greytalk and the wonderful world of greyhounds. Prehaps, you might research a raw diet for your new addition. There is a lot of information availabe these days that debunk all the myths and misconceptions of feeding a raw diet. It generally is not as difficult as you may think. Best wishes to you and your hound... looking forward to some photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bhamgreyt Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi Lillypad, Thanks for your reply and kind welcome! We rarely do rawhide as I've heard the same as you about the digestion. I was digging through the cabinet tonight and found one and Lila has been chewing for about 40 minutes on it which is what got me thinking about the dental aspect. Lila has a very sensitive stomach (hide has ok in the past) and it took us a while to find a quality food she can digest (been on totw prairie for about 4 years). I suspect she has allergies to salmon as she firmed up almost immediately once we got off the salmon formulas (hope that's not TMI!) I have some pics over on the introductions forum. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerilyn Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 My Lila just had a dental and I asked the vet what she recommends for chewing to help keep teeth clean. She recommended the CET rawhides. I had the same concern about digestion/choking/blockages. Vet said it is a concern if the dog is a "gulper" but if they actually chew the rawhide they don't see those problems. So I guess it depends on the dog. Vet also said bully sticks were good. Quote Jerilyn, missing Lila (Good Looking), new Mistress to Wiki (PJ Wicked). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CaityRose Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 My dogs have been fine on rawhide. See how they digest it. They only get a strip a couple times a week. I would think it's good for teeth but I am no expert. lots of chewing /scraping involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 There's lots of things other than rawhides... raw (defrosted or frozen) turkey necks or duck necks are good. As are raw (defrosted or frozen) beef neck vertebrae. I will never feed the white bleached rawhide but I've been known to occasionally give a pressed rawhide bone under supervision. Sometimes, it's just so much more convenient if you're traveling or visiting than whipping a raw turkey neck out of your purse, LOL. Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest normaandburrell Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I gave my dog a rawhide chew and observed him tearing off and swallowing large chunks. Made me very nervous and I never did it again. Our local adoption group does not recommend them for that very reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 If you do decide to give a rawhide, make very sure it was not processed in Asia. I know some stores have stopped selling those from China, but not every one has and you don't want to poison your dog. I saw some for sell yesterday in the grocery store that were from China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k9soul Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I personally don't like rawhide as it gets gummy and gross and makes their hair sticky. For a realy aggressive chewer they can be dangerous if they swallow too big a piece. And you definitely want to be careful of the source. I prefer good old meaty soup marrow bones from the butcher, bully sticks, or deer antlers if you have a dog that is interested in them (some have reported that soaking them in broth makes them more appealing for pickier dogs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bhamgreyt Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I tried the deer antlers tonight with Lila, she pressed her nose against it for about 2 minutes, took it, gnawed on it for about another 2 minutes and gave up. LOL. I'll try the broth trick and see if that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyhound_in_LA Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 When I first got elk antlers for previous dogs, I bought the wrong kind. I had to go online and order the ones that were newly shed, which made a big difference in their appeal. After those were worn down, I would soak them in leftover chicken or beef broth, but even then, it was rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieRhea Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I personally don't like rawhide as it gets gummy and gross and makes their hair sticky. For a realy aggressive chewer they can be dangerous if they swallow too big a piece. And you definitely want to be careful of the source. I prefer good old meaty soup marrow bones from the butcher, bully sticks, or deer antlers if you have a dog that is interested in them (some have reported that soaking them in broth makes them more appealing for pickier dogs). I agree with you , raw hide was popular for years but it isn't easily digested in the stomach. I soak antlers in no salt beef broth and also give knee caps that can be found in smaller pet food stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I've had some bad luck with rawhide and I don't feed it at all now. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Sweep is not a particularly aggressive chewer, but with both rawhide chips and CET dental chews she has choked on more than one occasion. Thankfully, they've been more of a "gag a bit and then finish chewing" type of situation that did not require intervention on my part, but it's scared me enough to stop giving them. We stick to a water additive, occasional brushing w/ peanut butter flavor toothpaste, and bully sticks/Greenies bones/beef tracheas (moo tubes) here, none of which she's ever had a problem with at either end (knock on wood). Her teeth are great. Quote Rachel with Doolin Doodle Dooooo, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our gorgeous, gutsy girlhounds Sweep and Willa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Doggone Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Autumn gets mushy "end-products" from regular rawhides, so they're a no-no. The CET ones don't seem to cause the same problems, but she gets those only occasionally. For dental care, I give her one of the Costco Checkups every day (I think that's what they are called) and occasionally one of those new Milkbone dental things, or a store dental chew, plus every morning, I rub her gums with a 1-TDC capsule's liquid (saw it recommended on Greytalk). I've begun this routine in March, after extensive dental surgery involving 7 extractions, prior to which her breath had become almost as noxious as her gas. It seems to be working, since not only has the gum redness been contained, but her breath is absolutely delightful! P.S. I forgot to add that although she is unbelievably cooperative with all other forms of handling, she's not when it comes to brushing her teeth! Edited July 31, 2014 by Doggone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chickenpotpie Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Lucky has never gotten rawhide, she gets part of a turkey neck in the evenings after dinner. She's got the stomach of a tank though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kristinm08 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I personally get my hound the big braided rawhide from the local feed store. It's locally made so I trust it, and as an added bonus, it tends to be far cheaper than anything in a pet store. As far as it being good for the teeth, I'm pretty skeptical. The issue isn't typically the teeth, so much as gum disease and chewing doesn't really help with that. There is no substitute for daily brushing (as I have found out the hard way). Rawhides are for fun and the natural chewing urge. Zero used to get bones from the pet shops too, but we have had terrible trouble with them. One was apparently rancid once and he was terribly sick for a while, other times he has eaten the entire bone and gotten sick from that. Bones can be dangerous, especially if your dog is an eater, rather than chewer, and seem to be more trouble than they're worth for us. But again, for dental health, there's nothing like brushing. We use a poultry flavored paste and he looks forward to it every night. As soon as the cap comes off he's licking the tube . There's a product you can get from the vet called OraVet that you put on the dog's teeth once a week. It prevents plaque from forming. http://www.oravet.us.merial.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I give dogs rawhides for chewing enjoyment. I haven't seen that they do much for the teeth. Some dogs (heavy chewers and gulpers) shouldn't have them. If you're looking for teeth benefits - there are better options. Raw bones are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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