I no longer EVER feed rawhide, in any form. Last year, just before Maddie's second birthday, I had received free (from the Montana Company, with my Raw & Real order) a couple of "natural" rawhide chews (no chemical processing, yadda yadda yadda). So I gave her one for a birthday treat.
About 10 minutes later, she got up and indicated anxiously that she had to go outside. On the way to the door, she "whistled." Her eyes were wide, and she was very antsy. I bent to check on the strange sound, and yes, she was "whistling" as she breathed. I checked her mouth, but saw nothing. But she just wasn't "right," so I wrenched her mouth open as wide as I could and reached back in her throat -- there was the stiff end of the rawhide chew, jammed tightly in her throat. The soft chewed end had gone in easily, but the stiff unchewed end had hung up in her throat. I did finally get it out, much to her relief. So based on this event, plus all I have read about these things sometimes causing internal obstructions, it's just something I will never allow again. As I feed my two raw ground meats, bones, and veggies for their regular meals, they get plenty of easy-to-chew and safe *RAW* rib and neck bones (beef, elk, deer, pork). Their teeth are clean and white with no plaque (no expensive vet teeth cleaning sessions, under anesthesia), no brushing necessary, sweet clean breath, and they're safe and happy doing what nature intended. Better safe than sorry! Vicky Whitney Bozeman, Montana
