Anyone heard of this?

[Shylo's Wynn & Maggie]

My inlaws have a grocery store and awhile back this lady came into to purchase some goods. In the course of the conversation, she acknowledged the fact that I rescued a new border collie. Whatever you do she proceeded to say, don't feed your dog any of the "raw hide" products from outside the US. Why asked why, she responed that it was common practice to incorporate a small amount of arsentic into the food as a preserative and also because it tastes good to the dog. Being a science teacher, I found that hard to believe. I know the wood industry uses arsentic to preserve wood, its used in semicondutors and in industry. Anyone ever heard this claim? More inmportantly, what is the best natural product that will aid in cleaning teeth? I know I could have my vet do it,

but prefer not go that route with a young dog.

 

 

Shylo

[Odin's Momma]

Originally posted by Shylo's Wynn & Maggie:

My inlaws have a grocery store and awhile back this lady came into to purchase some goods. In the course of the conversation, she acknowledged that fact that I rescued a new border collie. Whatever you do she proceeded to say, don't feed your dog any of the "raw hide" products from outside the US. Why asked why, she responed that it was common practice to incorporate a small amount of arsentic into the food as a preserative and also because it tastes good to the dog. Being a science teacher, I found that hard to believe. I know the wood industry uses arsentic to preserve wood, its used in semicondutors and in industry. Anyone ever heard this claim?

 

Shylo

I'd never heard that arsenic claim until I read your post. I'm very bored, so I googled it. Many sites came up saying that yes, arsenic is used as a perservative outside the US. Of course, you can't always believe what you read on the net, so I'm not sure how reliable that info is. Here is one of the links I found:

 

http://www.doglogic.com/rawhide.htm

 

For what it's worth, I only buy Odin chews from a holistic store. I went there to buy his food and the owner told me to never buy rawhide from a grocery store. I'm sure she gave a reason, I just don't remember it Whatever it was, it convinced me to stop buying the other ones.

[Kitch]

Yes, I have heard that before as well as read it in some of the books I have on BCs.

 

Either way, I don't give my dog rawhide as it can cause blockages in their digestive tract. As for teeth cleaning, some people swear by greenies, but while my dog loves them, they weren't keeping his teeth clean. I have found that nothing works as good as a raw, meaty bone. The dogs love to chew on them and within a week of giving my BC some bones to gnaw on, his teeth were sparking white. I have found the best bones to give him are raw turkey necks or raw pork neck. Weight-bearing bones like leg bones in heavier animals can be too hard to chew and can cause them to break their teeth.

 

Important: the bones should not be cooked bones, as cooking causes the bones to become brittle. Raw bones are softer and easier for the dog to chew on.

[laurie etc]

Originally posted by Shylo's Wynn & Maggie:

,,,Whatever you do she proceeded to say, don't feed your dog any of the "raw hide" products from outside the US. ...Anyone ever heard this claim? More inmportantly, what is the best natural product that will aid in cleaning teeth? Shylo

There are plenty of "urban legends" about rawhide on the internet related to arsenic, salmonella, choking, etc. The biggest concern I have about rawhide is that it gets soft quickly when chewed, and many dogs tend to gulp the whole thing down once it's soft enough to swallow whole. It does take "forever" to digest, and so there it sits in the stomach until it is either regurgitated, or passes somewhere farther down the digestive tract, where it can cause a blockage. I think this is mostly a problem with the "chips" and small chew bones. If I were going to use rawhide as a "passifier" I'd get the biggest bones I could find that my dog still liked, and take them away as soon as they were "swallow-able". I like more digestible items like natural raw knuckle or neck bones to clean teeth. (There are also commercially marketed "dental chew toys and kongs" that are supposed to help with tarter buildup, which can be stuffed with yummy (frozen) stuff to entice your dog to chew them, as well as Greenies.) Basically, anything your dog has to chew for a while to eat will help with the tarter buildup. Easy to swallow food that doesn't require "gnawing" will not help, and may add to the problem.

[Bill Fosher]

Shylo,

 

I think the annonymous quote in your signature actually comes from your neighbor, just over the line in Highland County West Virginia, Donald McCaig.

 

I have nothing to say about rawhides.

[Eileen Stein]

>

 

I kinda doubt that -- doesn't quite have the ring of Donald's prose. Do you know where it's from?

[Bill Fosher]

I thought it was from Nop's Hope, but you're right that it doesn't sound like him. Now I'm doubting my assertion. I'll e-mail him and ask.

[SoloRiver]

I have never seen that quote attributed to anyone other than "unknown."

[Kadie]

I also have heard that about rawhides. I dont use them at all due to Milas beef sensitivity, but I would not anyway because of afore-mentioned digestive issues.