For many pet owners, giving a pet a piece of rawhide to chew seems like a harmless way to occupy their time. However, ingesting rawhide can lead to choking, blockage and digestive issues.

Rawhide is an industrial waste product, mainly from vast leather factories in China. Cowhide consists of two layers: the surface ‘top grain’, gets tanned and turned into shoes, belts, wallets, bags, upholstery; the inner unwanted portion gets thrown to one side, to be processed, dried and twisted into a bone shape.

To remove the hair from hides, most factories use a process called ‘sodium sulphide liming’. This process is so toxic that former US tanneries top the list of Superfund sites (Superfund organisation aims to clean up industrial toxic and hazardous waste grounds). When tested in laboratories, lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium salts, formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals have been detected in rawhide chews.

As long as rawhide dog chews do not include nutrition information on their labels, the FDA does not require manufacturers to follow the AAFCO pet food regulations. This essentially means that because they are not classed as ‘food’, the chews do not have to abide by laws regarding purity and safety that regulate pet food manufacture and protect our pets and us.

Salmonella spp. and E. coli contamination of rawhide pose infection risks to dogs and owners. Young puppies, children and elderly people can become very sick if exposed to Salmonella spp. or E.coli, and even healthy adults can suffer from intestinal symptoms.

Rawhide bones can pose a choking and intestinal blockage risk. This is a frequently encountered emergency in most veterinary clinics. If your dog swallows large pieces of rawhide, the rawhide can get stuck in the oesophagus, stomach or intestine. Depending on size and location, abdominal surgery may be needed to remove them. If it is not resolved, a blockage can lead to death.

Some dogs digestive systems are not able to cope with rawhide, and routinely experience bouts of vomiting or diarrhoea.

Warning signs: if your dog suffers from any of these symptoms, please get in touch with your veterinarian ASAP: gagging, regurgitation, repeated swallowing, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, lethargy, abdominal tenderness.

Safer alternative to rawhide

Ethical Products presents Nothin’ to Hide™ by Fieldcrest Farms, a healthy, high protein, 96.7% digestible rawhide alternative. The wholesome chews are made primarily from collagen powder, which has been shown to benefit an animal’s skin, fur and joints. They are flavoured in beef, chicken and peanut butter for maximum palatability that pets can enjoy safely for hours. They come in a variety of fun shapes, including bagels, flip chips, rolls, and more.

For more information, please visit www.NothinToHideChews.com.

Nothing Like Your Old Rawhide!

We believe your pets deserve the very best and we know first hand that wholesome nutrition is essential to their health and happiness.

Nothin’ to Hide™ a healthy alternative to rawhide Now available in a variety of fun shapes, including bagels, flip chips, rolls, and more. The wholesome chews are made primarily from collagen powder, which has been shown to benefit an animal’s skin, fur and joints.

– High protein

– 96.7% digestible rawhide alternative.

– Flavoured in beef, chicken and peanut butter

– Maximum palatability that pets can enjoy safely for hours