Pigs ears and Cow's ears???

[Summer Magic]

I just finished reading a post on another forum about pigs ears and cows ears for their dogs instead of bully sticks and rawhide. Can anyone tell me anything good or bad about them?

[acrowe]

I was letting my dog chew on pigs ears, which she loved. But I was told by a trainer that the pigs ears are greasy and can cause digestion problems that you dont want to deal with (catch my drift). Also, (this is NASTY) but I noticed that some pig's ears I had gotten had coarse little hairs! Plus, I had a problem with her trying to eat pieces just perfect enough to choke on. Bones and especially sticks seems to work much better for me and my dog.

[Eric Vecc]

I found the perfect solution for my dog last week. I can't tell you what it's called because I never even looked. But it was $3.99 at PetSmart. It is a round bone that is about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches long. It has a hollow center that is filled with something. The filling is very touch but with some consistent licks, it comes out - bit by bit. He has not been able to chew into the bone (again, it is very thick). So he is getting to the point where his tounge cannot reach the filling. But this only makes him more interested. It is like a kong. It does not smell. It's clean. And I see no harm of any kind (it is not the splintering kind of bone). I will look into what it is called and get back to you. I figure, if he get's to the point where he cannot reach the filling and gives up, I will saw a few inches off and make if fun again. We only give him this at certain times (dinner, getting dressed or relaxing time). He does not have access to it while in the cage.

[Eric Vecc]

And related to the thread: We used to give bailey the flat rawhides. He would work on one for a few days before it was too small (again, he did not have access to it all day). I know it is bad for him so we switched to pig's ears. They are gross but they ARE ears of a pig! He will go through a pig's ear in about 15 minutes. I figure they are both potentially bad for him so I would rather it last 3 days than 15 minutes. Plus we now give him the thicker bone shaped rawhides because they take him much longer to go through. Once he gets the knoted end untied, we take it away - they are very cheap though.

[aussiesmum]

we have the same bone as eric described above. When aussie got the stuffing out I just started filling it with apple sauce (or whatever) and freezing it like a kong.

[Eric Moreira]

Does anyone have a link that has the real lowdown on rawhide? I read all kinds of stories saying they are bad and good. I want to find something that tells me exactly why they are bad, i.e. formaldehyde, splinters, gas, bloat, etc..

We all know how much dogs can drive us nuts when we are trying to watch TV, eat dinner, etc., so I give Fozzie a Dingo rolled rawhide when we are watching TV because it keeps him occupied for quite some time. I notice that he gets really thirsty when chewing on them.

Thanks.

[aussiesmum]

Intersting stuff (ok, uh gross stuff)

http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/INFO_Files/rawhide.chew.warning .html

[also intersting stuff on pigs ears]


Maybe some repeat from above, but also inteesting...

http://www.jeanesholistics. com/id66.html

[Hee Yung Lee]

I have given Bogart the same bone that Eric has given his Bailey. I think they're just "natural bones." It kept Bogart occupied for over 3 hours! I loved it. He even managed to get all the stuff out on his own. When he couldn't get anymore from one side then he would start licking from the other side and his saliva dripping down the bone helped move things along too. The only thing I would do different next time, is get a different flavor.

About the pig's ears and rawhides-I can't give them to Bogart because he woud swallow too big of pieces. My cousin's dog choked and died on a piece of rawhide :(. My dad though gives his dog rawhides all the time and she does just fine. I would just watch your dog the entire time.

[Eric Moreira]

WHA???? Here is a perfect example of conflicting information (from the Millenium-Ark website)

After purchasing marrow bones from the grocery store, we throw them in the pressure-cooker for about 15 minutes, cool and freeze them until needed. That way you can avoid these tummy dramas unless you run out!

I thought cooked bones were bad?? I think by the time I read everything I can regarding chew toys I will only have my own arm to offer!

I have ordered some Sweet Potato chews since those are just dehydrated potatoes!

Thanks for the link Lorie, I will stay on my quest for the best chewing object.

[aussiesmum]

for cooked bones I really think it depends on the type of bone. But the whole cooked bones/raw bones is a WHOLE other raw/homecooked feeding discussion.

We go the "safe" route and just use kongs.

[imported_jay adams]

I was giving Maple some nice smoked bones -- the thick kind that look like they're not easy to break. However, this Viszla has incredibly strong jaws, and would manage to destroy them quickley. She would then throw up jagged shards of them at night; which really scared us. Since then, we tried other bones, with similar results. I have since settled on the compressed rawhides, but they never last longer than a couple of days. They're not as cheap as many people, think, either.

At first, I was hesitant, but asked a couple of vets up here, and the consensus from them was that if there was a serious threat from rawhide, it would be an epidemic by now, which they haven't seen. Maple's been chewing them for most of her life now, with no ill effects. I don't know if I've got a decent brand, but I have no problems, personally with rawhides.

[Eric Vecc]

[quote="Eric Moreira"]Does anyone have a link that has the real lowdown on rawhide? I read all kinds of stories saying they are bad and good. I want to find something that tells me exactly why they are bad, i.e. formaldehyde, splinters, gas, bloat, etc..

Unfortunetly, you are not going to find information that gives a specific good or bad about the rawhide, bones and pig ears you are feeding your dog. Some rawhides have chemicals in them that are very harmful to your dog. Others are made of more natural ingredients but could bind up in your dog's stomach and even kill him. Some cooked bones may splinter into your dog's mouth or the splinter may get swallowed and injure the dog's stomach. My parents had a dog that died from ingesting a splinter. Pigs' ears can also bind up in a dog's stomach or cause bladder problems, as acrowe mentioned "very messy". The point is, all dog's are different and will react different. Some are very light chewers and won't go through enough rawhide to bind up a dog. We give them to bailey but take them away before he starts ripping chunks off (he is a medium chewer). Kongs are the safest but, my dog, does not use them for chewing. He only goes for the yummy inside. You need to find what is healthy for your dog. Read ingredients on labels, check where the product comes from (I wouldn't buy a rawhide that comes from a health disabled country). NYLABONES are VERY safe and good for a dog to chew on. They are the only thing that Bailey has access to 24 hours a day. They are the only thing kept in the cage with him. All other items are given with discretion.

[Eric Moreira]

Thanks again everyone! I have yet to try a Nylabone, mostly because my family dogs of yore didn't touch the things with a 10 foot pole.

I am also going to try the Sam's Yam's potato treats (http://www.frontporchpets.c om) that someone on the old board pointed out. We shall see how fast he fires through those and what kind of poo comes out the other end:)

[Karen Jones]

Hi, My dog Maggie is small and not a really aggressive chewer, so I was giving her pressed rawhide bones every once in a while to help keep her occupied. However, the other day I noticed that she really was working at it for quite a while and chewed a good bit off of one end (this is one of those bone-shaped, flattish pressed rawhides that's "chicken flavored.")
Shortly after this, she was constipated for the first time since we've had her (about 6 months now.) There is nothing so pathetic as seeing this little dog squatting there, turning around to see why nothing is coming out :roll:
So, I'm discontinuing the rawhides. I think I'll look for the "natural bone" you guys have described above. That sounds like something that might interest her!
Karen

[imported_jay adams]

If anyone can let us know the name of this bone product, please do so.

[Eric Vecc]

Sterilized Bones


100% natural sterilized beef bones are USDA inspected and come in natural, flavor dipped, granola-coated and stuffed varieties.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/evecchiola/6001_39639.jpg

You can visit PetSmart.com or go to the direct link at http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?P RODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8 45524441806068&FOLDE R%3C%3Efolder_id=253 4374302026203&ASSORT MENT%3C%3East_id=253 4374302023689&bmUID= 1111066289671

We bought the Sterilized Bone with Beef Filling for $4.79. It took Bailey a almost a week to get the filling out. He did not get a single dent into the bone (and I mean-no scratches or bits missing-nothing). But remember, this was used as a treat for Bailey. The slobber loosens the inside and gets it out for the dog. If only allowed to chew on it for short periods, it will last much longer. Now that it is empty, we are going to use it like a kong - put peanut butter on the inside and freeze.

[Eric Vecc]

I had a thread posted on DD for cheaper toys and some things that I can remember were:

A whole yam (healthy for them too)
Plastic bottle with food inside
Stuffed animals from garage sales
Empty Peanut Butter jars (plastic of course)
Rope from a hardware store tied in a knot
An old sock with a tennis ball at the bottom (tied in a knot)
Or you can tie a sock in a knot with a treat inside the knot
and of course - - - - - - - - KONGS

[Jen Greaves]

My huskey mix will go through rawhide like nothing so I moved onto real bones which she goes through like nothing. She loves ripping the stuffing out of toys so I'm always at value village getting her toys and to clean her teeth she gets carrots and she loves them!

[Eric Vecc]

Bailey will not eat a carrot. I have tried on several occasions because I knowy they are good for him. They also fit nicely into a kong. I even tried carrots with Peanut Butter the first few times but he just licks the Peanut Butter off and leaves the carrot. Sometimes he chews into and spreads the pieces all over the living room but never eats them. Very funny. I am also going to try giving him a yam sometime this summer (outside of course). If he doesn't like it, I could drill a treat into it. That might be fun.