Rawhide
Back in the day, the only widely available consumable chews for dogs were made of rawhide. Every holiday season, you could find them at the grocery stores in the pet food aisles—usually big twists of bleached rawhide formed into the semblance of a bone, adorned with a big red bow. Smaller twists of rawhide, not always bleached, were also available for smaller dogs.
We know now that many, if not most, of these simple rawhide products were not made in the United States, and were therefore not subject to the same rules as American-made products. Many were treated and preserved with formaldehyde . . . yes, the same chemical used in embalming processes for human bodies.
It was mostly through the advertising efforts of U.S.–based companies that we pet owners learned about the formaldehyde, and we were certainly shocked and upset about it. For a while, we bought and gave our dogs only rawhide made in the United States.
Then pet supply manufacturers started to offer alternatives to rawhide, and companies that made other products advertised to convince us that rawhide (even without formaldehyde) was not an appropriate treat to give our pets—primarily because of concerns about its origins and the chemicals used to process it.
“Nylon” Bones
Instead, we were offered a wide variety of pet chews, including the now well-known “nylon” bones, which (the ads told us) pets could consume safely because the small bits of “nylon” that they were able to bite off would pass through their digestive systems and come out the other side without causing harm to the animals.
Other companies offered similar chews that were not made of nylon, but of some substance like it, or perhaps a combination of substances. Some were made of rubber.
Many pets did not “consume” the nylon bones, but instead just gnawed on them, biting off only random bits which they then swallowed, with very little of the chew disappearing down their throats. I personally own over a dozen nylon bones—especially in the dinosaur shapes—because I have offered them to my dogs over many, many years. I have yet to own a dog who consumed a nylon bone, either all at once or over its lifetime. My full supply awaits the next dog who is interested.
I do not know whether or not animals who have actually eaten all or most of a nylon chew have suffered any repercussions. Once I stopped serving rawhide—which was several decades ago, in the century before this one—I’ve kept a close eye on my chewers to make sure that they didn’t “consume” their chew toys. And I have certainly read objections to the idea that the tiny pieces of nylon, rubber, or whatever that the animal consumes while chewing pass right through their system without any harm. That is a subject you should discuss with your veterinarian.
Finding the Right Chew for Your Dog
Today, we have such a wide variety of choices in chews for our animals that just picking one to try can be an overwhelming task. Even if you take your dog with you to the pet supply store to let him “shop,” you’ll probably find the dog is just as confused as you are. He’d try every one, for sure! Before you spend money on chews, do your research. Your best resource is your veterinarian, because veterinarians have pets’ full health records in front of them.
Veterinarians might know, for example, that they themselves have seen too many occurrences of pets of your pet’s breed having issues with a certain sort of chew. Perhaps your pet’s breed or breed combination is especially susceptible to throat and swallowing issues, or breathing problems, or allergies to certain substances. That’s why you consult a veterinary medical professional!
Next, go to the internet. Read all you can find about the processing and content of chews and other similar edible animal treats. Pick out one or two types on which to do “deep research”—that is, not just reading the list of ingredients, but looking into what effect those ingredients are known to have on the pets consuming them. I bet you’ll find many ingredients and additives that you’ve never heard of!
Determine which ingredients to avoid entirely. For example, now that we know that an additive named xylitol can poison pets, it’s something we definitely want to avoid, whether it comes as a part of an animal treat or chew, or in a “human food” like peanut butter that might end up getting fed to a pet. Dogs, cats, ferrets—all pets have their own long list of “don’t feed” items; be specific to the species you’re researching. One chew might be safe for your dog, but not your ferret!
Find sources you can trust—veterinary medical association websites, veterinary clinic pages, pet publications online and in print, individual bloggers who’ve proved to be believable.
- Avoid sources that have “skin in the game.” Don’t rely on advertising or press releases.
- When you don’t know if something is true or not, follow the money. Don’t necessarily accept the word of sources that would profit from your purchase.
- The assistance of a knowledgeable staffer in a local family-owned pet supply store is often very valuable. You’re going to spend money there, and their job is to see you get the best for what you want to pay. It’s in their interests to give you good—and true!—advice.
Trust your pet.
- He’s not interested in the new chew? Don’t get mad—return it! That’s why you shop at a store with a good return and replacement policy.
- She throws up after chewing on it? Call your veterinarian and hang onto whatever part of the chew is left, in case your vet needs to see it.
- Your dog eats it too quickly, it’s gone in ten minutes, he swallowed it whole! Try freezing the chew first or look for a chew that will last longer.
Chews are certainly not appropriate for all dogs! Be there when your pet chews his new treat so that you can act accordingly if it goes well or if it goes wrong.
Some Sources of Pet Chews Today
- Antlers
- Hooves
- Ears
- Tendons
- Tracheas
- Penises (Yes, it’s true. Today’s dogs—and some cats!—are chewing on pizzles or cow penises. Your dog won’t know the difference.)
The choice, as always, is entirely up to you!
