[Skip]

Originally Posted by lblax

every dog ive ever had has eaten plenty of rawhides ive never had a problem with any of them(i only buyamerican made chews)in my life alkthough i have heard many horror stories about choking and blockage ive not known anyone that has personally ever had that happen(and i train with 2 working clubs). ive also asked 3 differant vets if at anytime in there practice have they ever had a dog die/bloat/ or block from rawhides and all three said no. the thought that a rawhide swells in the stomach like they do in a pail of water is a myth. get a pail of the strongest acid one can buy and see what it does to a rawhide

Well, you know me, and it almost killed a rott I used to have. When I was growing up, we gave our dogs rawhide, and we had no problems then either, but I was a kid and I hadn't really known much about them, and we were lucky. I know MY vet has had emergencies where the dogs died due to rawhide. It's not that a dog's stomach CAN'T break it down sometimes, part of the reason is that it breaks down very slowly, and large pieces can be swallowed while they are wrapped, but then can unwrap and be bigger, and cause some serious blockage. An animals hide is meant to be stronger and tougher than it's insides. I've seen it firsthand, and like I said, I think it's silly to take the chance. There are much better choices.