Pig ears and rawhide

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jjbau

Boxer Pal
I heard pig ears are bad to give to dogs to chew on. My wife bought some for our dog and she actually eats them....she really likes them a lot but I don't feel good about giving them to her - am I right?

I guess I also have the same question about rawhide bones.
 

MJ&Sams_Momma

Boxer Booster
I'm sure others will agree to this, but both are very bad for their digestive system. At the vet I work for, if a dog that boards while the owners are away even has a pig ear that was brought in for them to play with, the Dr. will just throw it away. We've taken many undigested rawhides out of doggy intestines in the past. If your boxer loves to eat rawhides, you could give her C.E.T. chews, which most vets will carry. It's completely digestible (I would, however, take it away if it starts to resemble the "slimy" noodle like appearance that rawhides often take on after being chewed a while) and has enzymes that are good for their teeth as well!! Something to look into.....

Hope this helps!!
 

Aimee

Boxer Insane
If you do a search for rawhides on the board you will find alot of great information. This topic has been discussed many times. I give mine both under direct supervision. Never leave a dog alone with either one. When the raw hides get the "wet noodle" look as previously stated, I cut that end off and give it back. When it becomes small, I throw it away. This will allow them to chew them but keep them from ingesting them ;)
 

karan

Boxer Buddy
I agree with Aimee. My 8 month old Hanna loves to chew so I give the large rawhide bones and cut the soggy pieces off, then give them back until they get small. She LOVES pigears, but I will no longer give them to her because of a recent incident. Hanna had been chewing on one for about 10-15 minutes. I was keeping an eye on her but not real closely. She walked up to me licking her chops very quickly in a wild way. I looked at where the pigear was and it was gone. I stuck my fingers in her mouth and could feel it at the back of her throat but couldn't pull it out. Just as I was about to panic, she threw up and there was the pig ear, fully intact. It was a big one and how she managed to swallow it whole, I don't know. But they get too soft too quickly, so I'd be real careful if you give pigears. The large rolled rawhides that I get at a feed store work well too. They last quite a long time.

karan
mom to Hanna, 8 months, flashy brindle, natural ears
 

pep0987

Super Boxer
I wish I vould find a bone that Bailey couldn't destory. I do give him rawhides and pig ears both, only when I am there watching, but most of the time they are gone with in five seconds. I don't give him nylona bones anymore though.
 

diego's heart

Boxer Insane
Au Natural

That's why I continue to stick to the real stuff, BONES. I find the knuckle bones from the petstore lasts a looong time. I also have a sterlized bone that stays with him in his crate. Sometimes I'll put treats inside for fun. And... in pleasant weather, I'll purchase lamb bones that have some meat on it - the bone is soft & digestible. It's a great treat for my little (big) guy :D!

Lisa

P.S. Diego's chewed pressed rawhide before, and esp. likes the ring shape - but the smell is "gamey". I prefer the smell of the real bones.
 

ckempf

Boxer Pal
I have a 10-week baby Boxer boy and the breeder had a pig ear in his crate when I picked him up from the airport (my Boxer, not the breeder). The breeder has an outstanding reputation, so I am puzzled by the anti-pig ear sentiment.
I heard real bones were bad, but everyone seems to like the real ones. Where do you get real bones? Nobody in my family eats red meat and while I find pig ears revolting, at least I can find them. I have alway heard that rawhide was bad and can't believe that pet store shelves are still lined with rawhide.
Is this a subjective topic or do we have a consensus - to chew, or nor to chew pig ears, that is the question.
 

diego's heart

Boxer Insane
ckempf: I can't answer your question, but I'm certain one of the Moderators will be able to shed some light on this for all of us. My dog's breeder also allows pig ears - I just can't do it because it takes a split second to get soft and be swallowed. I never did give Diego pig ears, but even with the pressed rawhide, which is supposed to be safer and widely used, again... it gets soft fast, sometimes I'm too late to cut off the soft spot and the last time that happened, I had to retrieve it from my boy's throat. I vowed *never again* :eek:

I purchase the sterlized and knuckle bones from both the local petstore and chains, such as Petsmart and Petco. They're located in the same aisle with the rawhides and pig ears. The cornstarch chew bone varities I don't care for, because the little flakes everywhere drive me nuts smashicon!

As for as real bones being bad - there's an ongoing battle of cooked vs. raw bones. Therefore, I compromise with the sterlized variety and give raw on special occasions. Diego has a sensitive tummy and when he gets a raw bone, he only gets to chew on it no more than 15 minutes unless it's small and can be devoured by that time. Whereas with the sterlized/knuckle bone - unlimited. When he's finished, I put in the fridge or freezer til the next time.

That's just what has worked for me and my pooch. If you do a search on bones, you'll find lots of information.

Lisa
 
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