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As pet owners, we all want to provide the best treats for our furry friends. Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs—it helps relieve stress, clean their teeth, and is just plain fun! However, not all chews are created equal, and one popular option, rawhide chews, might not be the best choice for your pet. Here are three important reasons why you should think twice before giving your dog a rawhide chew.
One of the biggest concerns with rawhide chews is that they pose a significant choking hazard. Rawhide can become soft and gummy as your dog chews on it, and if they swallow large pieces, it can get lodged in their throat or digestive tract, leading to serious problems like choking or intestinal blockages.
Unlike other treats, rawhide doesn’t easily break down in the stomach, so when dogs swallow large pieces, it may lead to dangerous blockages that require emergency surgery. The risk of these complications makes rawhide chews a gamble for your pet’s health, especially if they tend to gulp or tear apart chews quickly.
Rawhide chews are often made from the inner layer of animal hides, but the manufacturing process can involve harsh chemical treatments. Before rawhide ends up on the shelf at your local pet store, the animal hides undergo multiple stages of processing, including cleaning, bleaching, and preserving with chemicals like formaldehyde and bleach. Some rawhides may even contain toxic residues, which can be harmful to your dog over time.
Even though these chemicals are often used in small amounts, the long-term exposure to harmful additives is a growing concern among pet owners. Choosing natural, single-ingredient alternatives helps eliminate these health risks.
Rawhide chews can also be susceptible to bacterial contamination during the manufacturing and storage process. Studies have shown that rawhide can harbor harmful bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli, which can lead to infections in both pets and humans. Since rawhide is not fully digestible, pieces that linger in your pet’s digestive system may also harbor bacteria, leading to further complications like upset stomach or illness.
If you want to avoid the risk of contamination and foodborne illness, opting for healthier, more natural chews is a smart choice for your pet’s safety.
Make the Switch Today!
At A Better Chew, we believe in offering safe, healthy, and natural chews for your pets. Our single-ingredient treats, like our new wild-caught cod skin chews, are the perfect alternatives to rawhide. With no chemicals, preservatives, or risk of blockages, you can feel confident that your dog is chewing on something that’s good for them.
