People always find it necessary to inform me that the rawhide bones my
Lucy loves so dearly, are bad for her.
To be honest, I had heard this several times before; but I just chose to ignore it.
When I heard it again this week, I decided to research it for myself, and finally put this subject to rest!
Rawhide bones are made up of the inner lining of the hide on a cow. And some people believe that dogs like them so much because it’s in their natural instincts to chew. When dogs were “wild creatures” they attacked their prey and pulled away the hide of animals to get to the flesh.
Yes, I know it’s hard to imagine your sweet little Boston as a “wild creature” but it’s in their DNA!
The Pros Of Rawhide Bone Chewing
- Promote healthy teeth and gums
- Their primate relatives chewed bones
- They enjoy it
- It keeps them occupied and burns calories
The Cons Of Rawhide Bone Chewing
- Bones may get stuck in your dog’s mouth
- May cause gastrointestinal problems
- May cause constipation
- Rawhide may encourage your Boston terrier to chew.
If you’re not sure whether the rawhide will cause problems for your pup, your best bet is to choose a Nylabone. They’re generally indestructible and come in a variety of sizes and flavors.
And if you can’t bear the thought of taking away this one simple pleasure from your dog, just use caution.
If you notice that your dog’s chewing off large pieces of the bone and swallowing them whole, you’ve got a problem. This could cause vomiting, diarrhea, or even worse - choking. Take away the bone when it gets small enough to swallow whole.
Also, remember that rawhide bones generally don’t contain
nutritional labels. But that doesn’t mean the bones don’t contain calories. Many experts suggest a maximum of 2 hours chewing per day.
After evaluating all this research, I will continue to let Lucy splurge every once in a while with a yummy rawhide. I know what to watch out for now and hope you do too!
Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Just post them below!
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