What to avoid with dog dental chews?
Trenton Gutmann
2025-08-05 16:33:17
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Avoid hard bones and pigs’ ears. If your dog has diseased teeth, they are likely to break them on hard chews, hard plastic bones, sterilized beef bones, or cow hooves. Do not give your dog fresh bones with meat and cartilage because of the risk of bacterial contamination or ingestion of sharp bone fragments by aggressive chewers. Although pigs’ ears are often a favorite of dogs, studies have not shown them to offer any dental benefits. They are also sometimes contaminated with bacteria. Be careful with compressed chews. Edible treats such as rawhide chews can help with dental health. But some dogs, especially aggressive chewers, consume them too quickly or may swallow pieces whole. This can cause choking or blockages. These products may also be contaminated or cause stomach irritation. Limit edible treats, depending on the type of edible treat, it may go down too fast to be of much benefit to your dog’s teeth. And these treats can quickly add lots of calories. The general rule is the smaller the dog, the fewer the treats.
Madaline Prohaska
2025-08-05 15:08:10
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Feeding bones is controversial - although raw, meaty bones may be a tasty treat for your dog and do help clean teeth, they can be hazardous. Bones can cause dental fractures with dogs who eat 'energetically', and can cause constipation. Cooked bones are likely to fragment and cause internal damage. Ask your vet for advice first before feeding your dog bones, and supervise them if and when they do eat them.
Dalton Metz
2025-08-05 14:21:28
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Avoid dried pig ears and hard bones — in addition to high fat content, hard chews, hard plastic bones, sterilized beef bones or cow hooves are likely to cause tooth fractures and other problems. Cooked bones — these are too hard and unyielding to offer any plaque prevention, and they could cause a tooth fracture or a gastrointestinal perforation or obstruction. Rawhide bones — these can be effective against plaque and tartar, but can also be swallowed in large chunks by some dogs, putting them at risk for gastrointestinal obstruction – and possibly a surgery. Rawhides are also quite high in fat, so watch your pet carefully, make sure they actually chew them, and limit calories in other places if you give one. Don’t leave your pet alone with any chew or treat, and be aware of risks when giving anything to your pet. Dental chews and treats can be a good addition to your pet’s daily oral health routine, but they shouldn’t be used in place of tooth brushing and regular professional dental cleanings. Some dental health treats advertised which are downright unsafe, or full of fat and unwholesome ingredients that are bad for your pet.
Geraldine Smitham
2025-08-05 14:03:07
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A dog chew that’s too small may pose a choking hazard, while one that’s too large can be difficult for your dog to chew properly. Supervise your dog with dental chews to prevent choking or injury. Remove the chew if it breaks into small or hard pieces and replace it with a new one. Antler chews are popular for dogs due to their durability and natural appeal, but they can pose a risk for dogs with small or brittle teeth. The hard texture can lead to cracked or broken teeth if your dog chews too aggressively, especially in smaller breeds. Bones can be a tempting chew for dogs, but they can also be hazardous. Cooked bones, in particular, can splinter and cause choking, while even raw bones can lead to dental damage or intestinal blockages. Always supervise your dog if you are giving them these to chew and ensure they’re suitable for your pet’s size and chewing habits.
Rosa Gislason
2025-08-05 11:26:51
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Avoid the ingredients such as Animal By-products, Gelatin, Glycerine, Corn, Wheat, Powdered Cellulose. There is some frightening research linking common dental chew ingredients to serious health problems. For example, smoke flavouring has an alarming link to cancer. Genotoxicity is defined as “a substance known to cause mutations which can result in cancer. Iron oxide is another ingredient with known health contraindications, it is a skin and eye irritant which can cause lung inflammation. Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) can also be found in dental chews and is known as the ingredient that carries out the teeth cleaning – this ingredient is also found in household detergents and tanning agents. Avoid products that are high in preservatives or salt.
Sally O'Conner
2025-08-05 11:01:13
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Chronic tennis-ball chewers should also be watched, as constant chewing on tennis balls can wear down the crown of the tooth, exposing the nerve and leading to pain and infection. However, some general signs might be unwillingness to play with or chew on their regular toys, dropping food or chewing on one side of the mouth, decreased levels of activity or energy, reluctance to allow brushing of the teeth.
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