Are All Dog Treats Healthy?
Some Dog Treats May Not Be Healthy For Your Dog
Gone are the days when getting a dog treat for your dog meant going to the local grocery store and picking up a box of Milk Bones. Nowadays, there’s a much, much larger selection of dog treats to choose from. The problem is, some of these dog treats may not just be unhealthy for your dog -- they can actually kill your beloved pet.
Rawhide
To understand how rawhide could be dangerous, it’s important to first understand what rawhide is. Rawhide is the skin of a cow. Now it’s also important to understand that the production of rawhide is not monitored in any way, so what you see isn’t necessarily always what you get. Once there was a problem with arsenic tainting rawhide. Other rawhide shipments have been found with formaldehyde traces. Do you really want your dog ingesting these chemicals?
Rawhide can also cause intestinal blockage problems and can actually damage the inside of your dog’s intestines. With all of the dog treats available on the market, there’s no reason to give your dog a rawhide treat.
Pigs Ears and Cow Hooves
Like rawhide, pigs ears and cow hooves have been known to cause intestinal issues in dogs. From vomiting and diarrhea to irritation and blockages, there are a number of reasons why pig ears and cow hooves aren’t the best dog treats for your dog.
Greenies
Like rawhide, pigs ears and cow hooves, Greenies have been known to cause intestinal problems. If the Greenies treat isn’t properly chewed by the dog, the treat can block the intestine, causing illness and death. Greenies are popular treats and millions have been sold, and while only a few cases of death or serious injury have been reported, it’s best to err on the side of caution.
While it’s true that anything that your dog ingests could pose a potential threat, there are safer dog treats out there on the market. Simple, easy-to-digest and chew treats like Milk Bones and other doggie crackers are a great alternative to the more dangerous dog treats. The next time you go shopping for dog treats, keep this in mind and your dog will thank you for it later.
Comments
Our sweet little shih tzu is allergic to milk bones. Possibly due to the corn in them. She vomits them up shortly after eating them.. Mary
Posted by: Mary Barnes | February 15, 2006 10:33 AM
I never knew that rawhide treats could be bad for dogs. So thank you, and I will make sure to keep a closer eye on my daughters' dogs. I guess I'll just stick with Scooby Snacks from now on. The puppies love them and my daughters enjoy feeding it to them because it has Scooby Doo on the package.
Posted by: Melissa | March 9, 2006 10:06 AM