March 29, 2024

The canine deal with aisle of your favourite pet retailer is undoubtedly full of rawhide chews in varied shapes, sizes, flavors and types. Despite its reputation, there are conflicting opinions about rawhide for canine primarily based on the way it’s made, whether or not it’s protected on your canine and what options exist. Fortunately, should you want to keep away from rawhide chews altogether, there are numerous nice rawhide 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 interior 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 gradual 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 substances are used for hair elimination. 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 tub, 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 massive volumes of wastewater. As a end result, 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 an alternative of throughout the ocean on container ships, and are frozen for transport as an alternative of positioned in salt brine.

Photo 2: Dog rawhide chews are made usually comprised of cow and pork hides and are available many shapes and sizes. ©Rachel Phelps

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Should I give my canine rawhide?

Most canine are a fan of this well-liked go-to chew. Their homeowners are too, as a result of

  • Rawhide satisfies a canine’s pure intuition to chew. It is a superb optimistic different to your pup chewing up your footwear, TV remotes, furnishings and different home goods.
  • It helps hold a canine’s enamel clear. Rawhide acts like a doggie toothbrush that helps scale 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 unhealthy for my canine?

Dog rawhide chews are made usually comprised of cow and pork hides and are available many shapes and sizes. ©Rachel Phelps

Of course, there may be at all times a draw back, even to canine chews.

  • Due to the manufacturing course of, there will be hint components of poisonous chemical substances and micro organism contamination, corresponding to Salmonella or coli, that would make you or your canine sick.
  • Your canine could also be delicate to rawhide and even allergic to the chemical substances used to make it. This might result in digestive points corresponding to diarrhea.
  • Rawhide chews generally is a choking hazard. Not solely can rawhide trigger critical gastrointestinal upset, explains Dr. Whitney Bruce, associate veterinarian at Wills Animal Hospital in Owensboro, Kentucky, however they will even result in emergency surgical procedures. Pets can endure obstruction, or a critical blockage of their abdomen or intestines, which may end up in demise if not handled appropriately, says Dr Bruce.
  • Rawhide may cause tooth breakage. The rawhide is difficult and dense as soon as dried and rolled into canine chews. If a canine is an aggressive chewer, or already has broken enamel, chewing the robust conceal might result in enamel breaking or cracking – typically requiring surgical procedure to take away the damaged enamel. The rawhide might 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.
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What are rawhide options?

There are many wonderful rawhide chew options. These merchandise are usually comprised of substances extra simply digestible than rawhide however have an identical look and texture. Since rawhide is just not really helpful for canine underneath six months of age on account of enamel breakage and smaller mouths and digestive tracts, these 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 assist and a pure dewormer. However, ears normally, have larger fats, so they aren’t appropriate for canines who require a low-fat eating regimen. $3.49 – $6.99. 
  • Bully Sticks – These single – ingredient sticks are a extremely digestible chew comprised of beef pizzle (a muscle). These sticks are available varied 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 canine with allergic reactions. These chews are made with just one ingredient, dehydrated salmon pores and skin, and are filled 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 interior layer referred to as the corium. It is among the essential parts in an animal’s connective tissue. “Collagen chews are wonderful on your furry buddy because it gives protein that’s naturally considerable in your pet’s physique,” explains Traci Mierzwa, model supervisor for the Barkworthies canine chew model. “While rawhides present an ideal 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, assist in bone and joint well being, and the straightforward act of chewing prevents tartar and plaque buildup.” Chews begin at $9.99. 
  • Dental Chews – One of the massive advantages of a rawhide is to maintain your canine’s enamel clear and tartar free. There are some nice rawhide chew 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 enamel and the roof of the mouth whereas the nibs therapeutic massage gums and scrape the tongue. These chews are available 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 energy ranges for all completely different sizes and varieties of chewers. $10-$25 every.

Dogs ought to at all times be supervised when chewing on rawhide – it doesn’t matter what chew you decide – in case they gag or choke on the merchandise. If the chew turns into too small (sufficiently small on your canine to swallow it entire), take it out of your canine instantly and promptly eliminate it.

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Now that you just perceive how rawhide chews are made, the advantages of giving rawhide and the potential dangers, plus the numerous nice rawhide options, you may make a better-informed choice on the very best chew on your pet.