Saturday, January 17, 2009

Safe Chew Toys for dogs

This is a Great news letter I subscribe to. Written by Debra Garrison DVM

Dogs love to chew and with your guidance, you can teach your dog which toys are for chewing and what items are not for them.

1. Rolled rawhide, pig ears or compressed rawhides are safe. Watch for the rawhide with the knots on the ends. I have had a few dogs chew down to the end and then try to swallow the knot only to choke on it.

2. Dental chews such as CET chews and Greenies are safe and are enzymatically treated to promote good oral hygiene and prevent plaque and tartar.
Greenies - 3 PACK REGULAR (36 BONES)
3. Pick toys that do not have parts that can be swallowed or choked on. Plush stuffed animals may be fine for smaller dogs and puppies, but larger dogs, such as my Labrador, can have a squeaky, plush toy shredded in less than five minutes, locate the plastic squeaker and try to eat that too.

4. I have found that the Air Kong toys do hold up well for the larger dogs.

Chew Toys to Avoid
1. Bones of any kind. They splinter and can perforate the esophagus, stomach or intestines. I have had rib bones get stuck across the roof of a dogs mouth and the circle bones caught around the teeth. I have also had dogs fracture their teeth when biting into bones.

2. Cow hooves. Dogs love cow hooves, but I have had dogs fracture their teeth when they bite into them.

3. Socks, towels, pantyhose. Dogs do love to play tug of war with these materials, but when they are swallowed can cause obstructions. http://luvurdog.com/pet-health/finding-purebred-rescue-dogs-familes-forever/

4. Small balls, especially golf balls, can cause choking.


Tips on preventing destructive chewing
1. Keep items you do not want chewed up out of reach of your dog.
My dog tends to seek out my books, so I have had to move my bookshelves out of his room.

2. Do not give your dog old shoes to chew on. They can not tell the difference between old sneakers and $500.00 shoes.

Please check out her blog at Just for dog Lovers

1 comment:

Shih Tzu Stuffed said...

Pick toys that do not have parts that can be swallowed or choked on. Plush stuffed animals may be fine for smaller dogs and puppies, but larger ... shihtzustuffed.blogspot.com