pei obssessed Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Are pig ears ok for dogs? My Hippo like them a lot--it's one of the few things she'll chew on (yes, I had her teeth checked by the vet--they're all fine, she's just not a big chewer), but I don't wanna be giving her something that's not healthy. Now, the bones... I feed Hippo about half kibbles and half home cooked (thanks to TDG who posted a lot of info on the home made foods, I've improved my concoctions :lol: ). I'd like her to get some bones too once in a while, but we live in a small apartment and I don't want meaty stuff being dragged all over the carpets. And I have given her a smoked bone a while back, which she only burried in her bed and licked it all around without eating it. So my question is: what kind of small bone (so that she'll eat it instead of dragging it on the carpet) that wouldn't hurt her should I get to start her chewing on bones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Cassie Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 The only bad thing I have heard about Pig ears is the fact that there are more cases of salmonella being transmitted by pig ears than any other type of chews...also dogs crunch through the thin, fatty chews quickly, which does nothing to clean teeth and gums. I started my dogs out with femur bones....the small raw bones without much raw meat hanging from them...my dogs love to get the marrow out of the bones...these keeps them occupied for hours.....they also work out their mouth by chewing the bone trying to get the marrow. Once I have felt comfortable that my dogs were good chewers :lol: I give them occasionally meaty bones, lamb legs with the meat still on...etc. I only leave the fresh bones with my dogs for one day...they dry out quickly and can be prone to splintering. I have a friend who owns a little farm with cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys and pigs...he provides all of my fresh bones and meat. I know what the animals have eaten...I feed only organic meats to myself and my dogs...and the bones from free range animals :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pei obssessed Posted March 21, 2004 Author Share Posted March 21, 2004 Thanks, cassie. I didn't know samonella is one of the dangers of pig ears :o Samonella is the main reason why I'm afraid to give her any raw chicken necks or pork bones. And then with the beef bones, I'm afraid of the mad cow disease. Lamb bones I never seem to find fresh--it seems all lamb is shipped frozen from New Zeealand. It must be so wonderful to know all your meat and bones come from... Somehow I don't worry as much when it comes to what I eat :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Cassie Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 There is no scientific evidence to date, that dogs can contract Mad Cow disease or any similar disease. In addition there is no evidence that dogs can transmit the disease to humans. The only worry is that inadvertaley the contaminated food may make its way back to the livestock animals. What I used to do before my friend with his small farm stead....when I bought raw bones I bought them frozen. I myself have never had any problems with raw bones, raw turkey necks, raw meat etc. but, thats just me...perhaps my dogs have stomacks of steel :lol: if any thing my dogs have been healthier due to the fact that I give them such a variety to their meals. One last thing, if you feed your dog raw bones with marrow in them....the first few times the dog will probably get diarrhea...the marrow is very rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boscoe13 Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Thanks for the info my dog loves pig ears i had no idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseatthebusstop Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 BOTH OF MINE LOVE PIGS EARS THEY ONLY GET THE BONES FROM THE PET SHOP - THE FILLED ONES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pei obssessed Posted April 13, 2004 Author Share Posted April 13, 2004 I wanted to report great success with lamb bones--she loved them and they were small enough for her to be able to eat. Unfortunately, there is nowhere I can buy just the bones, so she'll be having them only when we (or her) have lamb. I bought her frozen beef bones and gave her one--she licked it all around and pulled the meet off it, but now she deserted it. What exactly are they supposed to do with these big beef bones anyway--eat them completely? I don't think she can do that, as she can't get her mouth around them properly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 What about chicken wings? They won't leave any mess on the carpet as they are gone pretty quickly but are still good for the teeth. I also give the large marrow bones and you would be surprised how much of them they eat. They get all the marrow out first then spend hours chewing away on the rest of the bone. They don't totally eat it but it starts at approx 20cm long and ends up at about 10cm. Even Kira my new little girl chomps through hers though she does take twice as long as Indy. Though think yourself luck you live in an apartment. Indy likes to take his outside get it caked in as much dirt as possible then bring in back inside and eat in on the carpet. He knows big hunks of dirt are not allowed in the house so he tries to sneak it in when I am not looking :roll: The first time he tried it the bone had that much dirt all over it I thought it was some kind of dead animal :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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