To Chew or not to Chew, that is the question every dog parent should ask before making a purchase! Just because a product is for sale on the market, doesn't mean it's safe for your furbaby. Almost every item on the market has attributed to broken teeth, my Ameera broke her tooth on a Himalayan yak chew! wth, it's just cheese! So better safe than sorry when it comes to chewing. I know it can be tough with a heavy chewer and getting through those puppy stages, but I have solutions - don't worry!
Why do dogs Chew?
The need for chewing is ancestral, much like the play of toys, or fetch for a retriever. These things are built into their systems and give them a sense of satisfaction. Not all dogs love to chew, and that's okay! But for those who do, being educated will save you trips to the vet and your dog living without some prime chewing teeth.
Bones
I'm going to make this really really simple: My #1 AND ONLY suggestion for the best interim teeth cleaning product, are raw beef bones. Let me emphasize BEEF ONLY. DO NOT feed your dog chicken, pork, or any other animal bones. The possibility of splintering is too great and there have been too many emergency room visits costing thousands of dollars to prove it. The only bones that are acceptable to feed your dog are RAW BEEF BONES.
Also, Do not cook the bones, the heat will impact the bones and harden them, this could cause tooth breakage and a costly vet bill to remove the tooth! This goes for the bone at the steakhouse which seems awful tempting to take home…don’t do it! Even the silly little rib bone could make a slab fracture and cost you a chunk of change.
Where to buy? Usually they can be found at your local grocery store and ask for some beef marrow bones. Make sure to get the right size, which is important so your little dog doesn’t overextend their jaw trying to chew on a large bone and your larger dog doesn't choke trying to swallow one!
There have also been issues with the small soup bones getting stuck on a bottom jaw, to avoid this, choose the right size for your dog and ensure that the hole in the middle is either smaller, or larger than your pup's bottom jaw. If you ever encounter this, DON'T PANIC, if it got on there, it can come off! When you stress, your dog stresses and they're already confused likely. Just ask someone to hold their mouth open while you wiggle it off. It's very similar to the baby with it's head between the fence bars, it can be done, just takes finagling.
If you can’t find any at your local store, you can usually find them at pet stores, just make sure to read your label and check where they come from and if they have been bleached or treated with anything. I always carry them for sale at my locations. Keep bones in the freezer until your dog is ready to eat them. Don't be alarmed if your dog actually eats the bone and their poop is white! That is completely normal. Raw bones are so soft that they can actually consume them, as a wolf would in the wild.
What about when the bone dries out? It does get harder, but it also gets brittle. I always say this is an option for the owner. If you have an elderly dog, the teeth could be more susceptible to breaks and you may want to steer clear of chewing anything even remotely hard. I’ve never had any issue with the dried out bones, and my dogs have chewed on them for 18 years. I have however had many broken teeth from OTHER “approved” chew items, which I will list below.
It’s important to note that not all dogs are chewers, and that’s okay. It’s in their mindset to chew and if they like to do it, it’s an added bonus. If not, no big deal!
BUT RAW BONES ARE GROSS AND MESSY! You right, you right, they are not for the timid. As a non meat eater I can honestly say this was a hump I had to get over, but in my apartment, Ameera has a designated chew bed and blanket that are both washable. The bones will leave some “crumbs” which are the marrow, so you definitely want to quarantine this chewing fun to their crate or bed or outside. If you’re super deterred by the raw aspect, which is totally understandable, opt for a naturally dried bone. The ones I sell are dried in the cold air so the tendons are preserved (the dog’s fav!) and also have the marrow removed which is safer if you have a dog who is prone to pancreatitis too. So this is an alternative, and safe option!
Who Should NOT Eat WHOLE Raw Bones: My only warning for raw bones is as I said above. The marrow in the bones is almost completely fat. It’s delicious, to them, but it can aggravate pancreatitis in dogs, dogs with liver issues, and leave some unwanted LBs on the waistline if fed too often. There’s a simple cure to this though! Just scrape out the marrow (easiest on the leg bones with a center hole). It’s not a fun task, let me attest, but if you want to make sure your dog gets to participate in this, it’s worth it. The recommended amount of bones to feed by holistic vets is one a week. They also recommend fasting for a day when feeding them, but I’m a mom and there’s no way I’m doing that to my furbabies!
Do I need to thaw them? Not necessarily. This is really determined by each dog. Smaller dogs generally prefer it at room temperature, large dogs who run hotter can enjoy the cooling sensation of a frozen bone. Beware that it could cause some sensitivity, just like chewing ice, but most dogs will not be able to tell you, so pay attention when they chew to see if they have any discomfort.
So if I give my dog bones, I can skip brushing right? No way! Have you ever seen a dog chew with their front teeth? You know how you favor a side when you eat? Same goes for chewing! This is a supplemental and enrichment activity, not a substitute for brushing.
What about Nylabones?
Nylabones have been proven to break dog’s teeth, plus there have been many instances where large pieces have gotten lodged in dog’s intestines and caused death. I used to feed these to my Boston Terrier, Tater Tot, and he broke a tooth on them. When I got to the doggie dentists office (yep they exist) he pointed to a poster that said NYLABONES BREAK DOGS TEETH. My immediate thought was ummmm where has that poster been and how come I didn’t know this and OMG WHY ARE THEY SELLING THEM. Yeah…right…why do they? Unfortunately these things aren’t regulated so just because it’s sold at a pet store, doesn’t mean its safe.
Also, because the Nylabones are made out of plastic, an obstruction does not show up on x-rays, it can be too late before a veterinarian even knows what is causing the issue. I strongly urge you to remove any and all Nylabones from your house and to spread the word!
Other Chews
Pretty much every chew, from Yak, or other cheese chews, to antlers are almost guaranteed to send you to the vet. You may not even know that your dog already has one, or many broken teeth. Another reason to get to brushing regularly and giving tooth inspections. Common fractures are canines and molars. Let me be clear, I'm not talking about Kongs that have a treat hiding quotient (although the rubbers can give off toxins when chewed), I'm talking about items made specifically for chewing/ingesting.
If your dog does have a broken tooth and you didn't know, don't freak out, you're not a terrible parent. I learned all of this because my Tater Tot had a broken tooth for I have no idea how long and I noticed it late. It was the most miserable feeling ever. I eat a cold popsicle and my teeth hurt, I can't even IMAGINE how bad a slab fracture on a molar hurts OMG. Even when Ameera broke a tooth (when I def knew better and went against my beliefs and let her eat a yak chew she got for her bday) she just became more timid. Here I thought she had turned 3 and was growing up to be a sweet girl, JK she had a broken molar *cries in dog*. Luckily we brush teeth nightly so it didn't take but a few days to notice. So make sure to look at the far back ones too. A great weekly routine is an all over checkup, which can be found in more depth in my Weekly Wellness article!
So what does all of this mean for me?
It means, you should pick up and throw away (no do not give away to a rescue dog, they need their teeth too) every chew toy/treat that is not a raw, or naturally dried bone. I know, it sucks and it's terrible news. I wish the dog industry actually cared about our furbabies like we do, but they don't and your dog's only line of defense is YOU.
But relax, it's not all bad news! Your dog is going to LOVE a raw bone way more than any of the other items you just tossed. And you can rest assured you're the best dog parent you can be, and that goes a long way, let me tell ya!