Is Rawhide Bad for Dogs?

Rawhide for dogs is a material made from the inner layer of cow and horse hides. During the manufacturing of meat products, the skin of the animal is removed and can then be cleaned, treated, and used to process into treats for dogs. The treatment the hide undergoes to turn it into a dog treat dries it out and makes it quite tough, resulting to a long-lasting chew to keep your pooch busy.

Many owners choose to avoid rawhide with their dogs because of the process in which they are made. Causes many owners to consider rawhide to be more closely related to leather than a meat product. Once removed, the hide of the animal is preserved until it can be moved to a tannery to finish being produced into the rawhide, we buy off the shelves.

During the tanning process chemicals are used to strip the material down. Most concerns come from the chemicals that are used and owners being worried about their dog ingesting something dangerous but also with how long the process takes. Preserving methods slow down decay but they can’t prevent it entirely.

Since rawhide is made to be tough, it doesn’t break apart like a lot of other chews. If you have a greedy pup who likes who eat quickly, they run the risk of choking on larger pieces they’re able to separate away and swallowing a number of these can lead to some nasty blockages in their digestive system.

Since rawhide is made to be hardy, it has very little give to it. It’s made to be chewed and with time it will become soft enough along with your pup’s saliva getting it to become more flexible so they can chew pieces away.

If a pooch doesn’t have the patience to play the long game and work on getting it softer, they do run the risk of damaging their teeth. Rawhide is made to be consumed over a longer period, not for dogs who just want to gobble down any chews they have.

Beyond broken teeth, they can damage their gums or even get large pieces of rawhide stuck in the roof of their mouth, which they will need your help to remove if this happens.

Rawhide is quite a strange material, it’s not technically food but it isn’t quite a toy either, it’s more like a bit of both and shares a few of the contamination risks that both can have.

As with any meat products, there is a chance that rawhide can contain traces of Salmonella and E. coli, a bacterium that impacts the digestive tract. While many dogs do not get symptoms when they meet it, puppies and immune suppressed pups can get quite sick from it. Humans are also able to contract salmonella, so we must be mindful of handling rawhide chews. Similarly, we can also be affected by E. coli.

Just as with toys that are made from plastic and produced with chemicals, there is always a risk that if not properly produced, these chemicals can remain on the surface of the rawhide and cause digestive issues in ingested.

While rawhides may have their place for dogs who are particularly destructive and need lots of things to chew on, they will not get any nutrients from these chews.

Rawhide is technically a byproduct and made from the hide of an animal. Its nutritional value is practically non-existent, so it doesn’t bring anything to the table when it comes to feeding your beloved pet. As it’s of very little value, dogs will not digest rawhide as it travels through their stomach and intestines so it will come out almost unchanged, just a little more broken down.

Not only is it not digestible and nutritionally insignificant but if dogs eat large pieces instead of chewing them in smaller bits, it can cause some devastating blockages. Dogs have had to have abdominal surgery to remove large amounts of rawhide when they clump together and cause blockages in the stomach.

Your four legged friend should be supervised if they have access to a rawhide chew or better yes you can look into some long lasting and rawhide free chews instead.

Avoiding rawhide for your pooch is the best option to avoid any health scares, but it can be hard when they love to chew. Luckily, there are still lots of rawhide alternatives that will more than make up for not giving them any.

There are plenty of chews made to replicate the same texture and long-lasting qualities as rawhide but without the risk of contamination and chemicals needed to process it. Mcintyres Rawhide Free Bones are almost identical to the real deal so if your pooch is already a fan of rawhide and you want to move away from using it, these are perfect for just that.

Natural dog treats are also a great alternative. You can find chews like puzzles filled bones and chicken feet that are nutritionally beneficial to your pup while avoiding the chemicals and processes in making rawhides. If you have a dog that loves to chew but works through natural chews too quickly, the Kong Classic Toy is made our of strong rubber and can be filled with lots of different treats. It can even be frozen to make it last as long as possible!

For everything you need to meet your pup’s chewing needs and all your other doggy essentials, visit us in-store or online.