Rawhide Manufacturing<\/strong><\/h2>\nRawhides are made from the inner layer of cow or horse hides\u00a0(source<\/a>).\u00a0By the time they make it to the store, they are clean, usually\u00a0white or brown, hard chews.<\/p>\nBut what goes into making these chews? Pet nutrition blogger Rodney Habib\u00a0describes the chemical-laden manufacturing process <\/a>used for preserving and cleaning the hides. Things like hydrogen peroxide and bleach are commonly used, as well as artificial colors and\u00a0preservatives like sodium benzonate, according to Habib.<\/p>\n![\"Pet](\"https:\/\/www.rover.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/rawhides-co-Rodney-Habib-300x224.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nTo avoid chemical byproducts, it\u2019s important to do some research. Read labels or even call the manufacturer to ask what preservatives they used.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour typical manufacturer is going to use a chemical preservative to make sure the rawhide doesn\u2019t spoil,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t necessarily have to say what chemicals were used on the label. Unless we know it doesn\u2019t [contain chemical preservatives], we should assume it does and avoid it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour typical manufacturer is going to use a chemical preservative to make sure the rawhide doesn\u2019t spoil.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Dr. Mahaney suggests looking for labels that say \u201cpreservative free,\u201d or otherwise indicate no chemical preservatives were used to manufacture the rawhides. He says family farms who slaughter their own cows and dry their hides naturally in the sun are ideal.<\/p>\n
\u201cRawhides aren\u2019t inherently evil,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds. \u201cIf\u00a0dogs chew on a rawhide without chemicals, I\u2019m not 100% anti-rawhides.\u201d<\/p>\n
In fact, rawhides can keep an aggressive chewer captive for hours\u2014but make sure you monitor their intake and limit their chewing to an hour a day or less if they can tear through an entire rawhide in that time.<\/p>\n
Dangers of Rawhides<\/strong><\/h2>\nApart from the chemicals used to preserve most rawhides, there are some other risks with feeding these hard chews to your pet: mainly choking and getting lodged in the throat. Getting a bit of rawhide stuck in the esophagus is a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting access to\u00a0it\u00a0is extremely challenging,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cThe best way is with an endoscope but if one of the edges scrapes the inside of the esophagus, whatever is in the esophagus will leak out in small or large volumes, which\u00a0can cause irritation and infection, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
If your dog does start to choke, try to pull the piece of rawhide out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s better to pull it forward than push it down,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds.<\/p>\n
But even if you can remove the rawhide yourself, you should still take your dog to the vet.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should go to your vet right away because in the process of pulling\u00a0the rawhide\u00a0out, you may have created some damage in the back of the throat,\u201d Dr. Mahaney explains.<\/p>\n
Rawhides can also pose risks to the teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cHard rawhides with an aggressively chewing dog can damage teeth,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds. \u201cUsually they soften up with saliva but not always.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teeth-Cleaning Myths<\/strong><\/h2>\nMost pet parents think rawhides are great for cleaning their dog\u2019s teeth. While there is some validity to that, there are better options for keeping your dog\u2019s chompers clean and their gums healthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHard rawhides with an aggressively chewing dog can damage teeth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cChewing on a treat does not equal a toothbrush,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cIdeally, you should be brushing daily and working with your vet for treatment like anesthesia teeth cleaning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Studies show<\/a> there is a correlation between canine tooth decay and the type of food they eat, especially kibbles and certain carb-heavy\u00a0treats.<\/p>\n\u201cThese leave more easily fermentable carbohydrates on the teeth that\u00a0bacteria can grow on,\u201d Dr. Mahaney explains.<\/p>\n
Alternative Options<\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are a number of safe, healthy alternatives to rawhides:<\/p>\n
\n- The Honest Kitchen Beams Chews<\/a>: \u201cThese are pure Icelandic catfish skins with no preservatives,\u201d\u00a0Dr. Mahaney explais. \u201cThey are rich in omega fatty acids and even have a mild abrasive effect that can reduce tartar, almost\u00a0like a toothbrush.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Vibrac C.E.T. Enzyme Rawhide<\/a>\u00a0Chews<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cThese have enzymes that break down tartar but they are made with beef rawhide,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t suggest your dog chews one everyday, but if you have an aggressive chewer who isn\u2019t going to swallow it hole, it\u2019s an option.\u201d<\/li>\n
- PetSafe Indigo Fresh Floss Bones<\/a><\/li>\n
- Bully Sticks: \u201cThey\u00a0tend to be\u00a0softer and once they are moistened, they\u2019re fine,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cBut they could be coated with chemical preservatives and if they are hard, they can still damage teeth and get stuck in the esophagus.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h2>\nRedirecting your dog\u2019s natural tendency to chew\u00a0by offering a tasty treat can save your furniture or shoes from destruction, but you need to make sure you know how your chews are being processed.\u00a0Always monitor your dog with any chew toy and take and throw away the small pieces as he gets to the end of the chew to prevent choking.<\/p>\n
But what goes into making these chews? Pet nutrition blogger Rodney Habib\u00a0describes the chemical-laden manufacturing process <\/a>used for preserving and cleaning the hides. Things like hydrogen peroxide and bleach are commonly used, as well as artificial colors and\u00a0preservatives like sodium benzonate, according to Habib.<\/p>\n To avoid chemical byproducts, it\u2019s important to do some research. Read labels or even call the manufacturer to ask what preservatives they used.<\/p>\n \u201cYour typical manufacturer is going to use a chemical preservative to make sure the rawhide doesn\u2019t spoil,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says.<\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t necessarily have to say what chemicals were used on the label. Unless we know it doesn\u2019t [contain chemical preservatives], we should assume it does and avoid it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour typical manufacturer is going to use a chemical preservative to make sure the rawhide doesn\u2019t spoil.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Dr. Mahaney suggests looking for labels that say \u201cpreservative free,\u201d or otherwise indicate no chemical preservatives were used to manufacture the rawhides. He says family farms who slaughter their own cows and dry their hides naturally in the sun are ideal.<\/p>\n \u201cRawhides aren\u2019t inherently evil,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds. \u201cIf\u00a0dogs chew on a rawhide without chemicals, I\u2019m not 100% anti-rawhides.\u201d<\/p>\n In fact, rawhides can keep an aggressive chewer captive for hours\u2014but make sure you monitor their intake and limit their chewing to an hour a day or less if they can tear through an entire rawhide in that time.<\/p>\n Apart from the chemicals used to preserve most rawhides, there are some other risks with feeding these hard chews to your pet: mainly choking and getting lodged in the throat. Getting a bit of rawhide stuck in the esophagus is a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting access to\u00a0it\u00a0is extremely challenging,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cThe best way is with an endoscope but if one of the edges scrapes the inside of the esophagus, whatever is in the esophagus will leak out in small or large volumes, which\u00a0can cause irritation and infection, too.\u201d<\/p>\n If your dog does start to choke, try to pull the piece of rawhide out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s better to pull it forward than push it down,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds.<\/p>\n But even if you can remove the rawhide yourself, you should still take your dog to the vet.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should go to your vet right away because in the process of pulling\u00a0the rawhide\u00a0out, you may have created some damage in the back of the throat,\u201d Dr. Mahaney explains.<\/p>\n Rawhides can also pose risks to the teeth.<\/p>\n \u201cHard rawhides with an aggressively chewing dog can damage teeth,\u201d Dr. Mahaney adds. \u201cUsually they soften up with saliva but not always.\u201d<\/p>\n Most pet parents think rawhides are great for cleaning their dog\u2019s teeth. While there is some validity to that, there are better options for keeping your dog\u2019s chompers clean and their gums healthy.<\/p>\n \u201cHard rawhides with an aggressively chewing dog can damage teeth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cChewing on a treat does not equal a toothbrush,\u201d Dr. Mahaney says. \u201cIdeally, you should be brushing daily and working with your vet for treatment like anesthesia teeth cleaning.\u201d<\/p>\n Studies show<\/a> there is a correlation between canine tooth decay and the type of food they eat, especially kibbles and certain carb-heavy\u00a0treats.<\/p>\n \u201cThese leave more easily fermentable carbohydrates on the teeth that\u00a0bacteria can grow on,\u201d Dr. Mahaney explains.<\/p>\n There are a number of safe, healthy alternatives to rawhides:<\/p>\n Redirecting your dog\u2019s natural tendency to chew\u00a0by offering a tasty treat can save your furniture or shoes from destruction, but you need to make sure you know how your chews are being processed.\u00a0Always monitor your dog with any chew toy and take and throw away the small pieces as he gets to the end of the chew to prevent choking.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDangers of Rawhides<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Teeth-Cleaning Myths<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Alternative Options<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n