Most of these problems are not emergencies-they just cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. There can also be intestinal blockage and upper-airway obstruction when a dog chews off a large piece of rawhide. If the dog tries to swallow a big wedge-shaped piece of rawhide, it can stick in the throat or lodge in the bowel. Intestinal obstruction, stomach upset, and dental problems are complications that can arise from rawhides. Of course it could happen anytime, just as there were recalls of pig’s ears in 1999 because of salmonella contamination. The good news is that salmonella is only a threat in theory, because there have been no recalls of any rawhide product in the U.S. Consider giving rawhide to your dog only during the little person’s nap time or preschool hours.

There’s also some risk of a dog bite when a child plays around a dog who has a prized chew and wants to guard it. If you have toddlers or other small children who might pick up a rawhide chew and put it in their mouths, then avoid the risk and don’t let your dog have rawhide around a young child. If you handle a rawhide chew, wash your hands. Infants, elderly people, and those with impaired immune systems are at the greatest risk.Īs with many bacterial illnesses, hand washing is the key to health. Symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and nausea, with effects lasting up to a week. There is also the worrisome possibility of cross-species contamination even a healthy person can be affected by salmonella poisoning. Young puppies and critically ill dogs can get very sick if exposed to salmonella, and even healthy dogs can suffer from intestinal symptoms. Rawhide pet chews can be contaminated with bacteria such as salmonella, which can cause serious illness in dogs and the people around them. Rawhide Risk To Pets And People: Salmonella The “all natural” claim on many labels means virtually nothing, since it does not reflect how the cattle are handled before slaughter or what happens to the hides during processing.

This means you have to pay attention and make decisions for yourself without any official “seal of approval” about the relative safety of the product. There is no health regulation of rawhides because they are not technically a recommended dog food. Obviously, these chemicals are bad for your dog where rawhide is sourced matters.

Some tanneries in Asia and South America remove hair from the hides using arsenic, lime, or acid-all of which remain in the leather, even if it is washed afterward. American hides are the best because there are stricter regulations on the cattle industry in the United States than there are in other countries, higher standards of cleanliness in the slaughterhouses, and only hydrogen peroxide is used to bleach the hides. Make every effort to buy rawhide products that are made in the USA (not just packaged here). It breaks apart more easily and is generally more digestible. Pressed rawhide is different-it is processed, similar to pressed wood, and made of a variety of parts. The Tufts University Veterinary School publication, Your Dog, contradicts this definition of rawhide, stating it is not made from animal skin, but instead from connective tissue, which is the internal tissue between organs, and between muscles and bones. The uncooked skin, or hide, of cattle is stripped of hair, then washed, shaped, and dried. Rawhide is the minimally processed hide of an animal-it’s basically leather. The information below is not intended to alarm you and rob your dog of the pleasure of gnawing on his favorite rawhide, but is offered so you can make the best decision for your pet.

There are a number of things you should know about rawhide chew toys and treats so you can give your dog the pleasure of chewing them safely.

Rawhide bad for dogs