Rawhide: A cautionary tale
I know a lot of you dogs love rawhide. I do too, but I don't get it very often. J1 is a bit of a worryguts and I am only allowed to eat it under supervision. She is also very careful about throwing away the smaller pieces so they can't get stuck in my throat. She tells me it's because I don't chew nicely and that I'm a greedy guzzler. Anyway, that doesn't matter now as after what happened last night I don't think I'll be having rawhide again, and here's why...
I was happily gnawing away on some good and leathery rawhide and as usual I tried to swallow a rather large piece. It was all slippery and gooey and so the inevitable happened. It got lodged in my throat. I was finding it very hard to breath and started coughing and spluttering. I couldn't dislodge it myself, no matter how hard I tried. J1 prised open my mouth and could see the rawhide right at the back of my throat. However, as she only has one pair of hands she couldn't hold open my mouth, shine the torch inside AND retrieve the rawhide by herself. Now J2 is not very good at manhandling me, especially if I wriggle about. He didn't know how to prise my mouth open safely so J1 had to give him a quick lesson so he could hold my jaws while she shone the torch inside and tried to reach the rawhide. After a couple of attempts, she managed to reach it and pull it forward and out of my mouth. It was a piece of rawhide 4 inches long, all soft and squishy.
If they hadn't acted quickly I would have choked. I was having difficulty breathing but somehow I knew that J1 & J2 would try and help me. J1 did some basic first aid for dogs on her grooming course and is quite comfortable in prodding and poking me. It's no fun, let me tell you. But at least she's confident about sticking her fingers down my throat.
So to all you rawhide-eating dogs. Please chew carefully. Don't swallow large pieces. Ensure your owners know how to prise open your mouth safely and most importantly of all, only eat it when you're being supervised.
As for me, I'm going to stick to my sweet potato chews.
34 comments:
OMD, Jackson...we could've lost you! Please give J1 and J2 lots of kissies for me, cause they saved you.
gussie
ps...I don't get many rawhides either. Muzzer and the (*^&*^% pet food crisis, you know.
We had to stop getting rawhides because that Doofus Face brother of mine will try to swallow the whole darn thing :(
Hi Jackson, wow, that's a very scary story. our mom is super paranoid about rawhide for the same reason. we rarely get it and now, thanks to your story, will probably get it less. oh well, bully sticks are good too.
woofers.
How scary. We are glad you are okay. Sweet potato chews sound good. My mom had to do that for me once but she was by herself and I bit her when she put her hand in my mouth. I bit her thumb and punctured through her nail on one side and into her thumb on the other. She cried but I didn't get in trouble. She was just happy I was okay.
Hi, Jackson!
OMD! Glad to hear that you are ok! You are right. We all have to be supervised while eating those rawhides. My mom always takes away from my mouth the last part of the rawhides she gives to me. I think its not fair but sure is safe!
Have a great weekend
Lorenza
Jackson
Thank dog!!!
And thank you J1 and J2 fow saving my Jackson..I'm having an anxiety attack just thinking about you not bweathing...Mommi nevew sets me have any at all..I can't even have bully sticks cause they make me get 18 poops thwough the night
I'm so glad you'we OK!!
love and smoochie kisses
Asta
That must have been very scary for your pawrents. Do they have bullysticks in the UK? They are safer alternatives to rawhide. :)
Hi there my Fav.WFT!
Am extremely relieved that cavalry in the shape of JI & J2 were there to rush in & save you...
What a awful scare for all of you.
Deffinately no more raw hides.
Enjoy the bright crisp sunny w/e & do take care. Just you remember you were the deciding factor in me keeping blogging!
Love, pats & pets
Blue
Oh my, glad your mama came o the rescue in time or else, you know! Well, similar thing happened to me & Chloe last time. When I was younger, my hoomans bought me this baseball rawhide chew & I was happily chewing it while my hoomans wee playing the piano. 10 min later when they turned around, my big rawhide baseball was no where to be seen & was choking & choking non-stop. I was gagging, coughing, doing all sort of stuff trying to get that piece down my throat! An hour later, I was still having trouble breathing. My hoomans panicked & did not what to do & so they rushed me to an Emergency Animal Clinic. It's one hour away from our home but that is the only Animal Clinic that is open 24/7. It was already midnight that day. Anyway, when we reached there, the doctor dug my throat, looked into it & found nothing. I stopped making all those noises too. My hoomans were relieved that it finally gone down. So anyway, we all went home happily. Now, in my Chloe's cae, she was chewing a rawhide shoe once. She doesn't like to chew rawhides properly & also like to swallow big pieces. Anyway, later Chloe finished the while thing less than 1 min. My mommy heard this whisteling sound coming from Chloe's breathing. My mommy was eating fried chicken that time & Chloe sat there & started begging for some. My mommy thought is was nothing but when she opened her mouth wide, she found one nice flat piece in her throat. It was like, Chloe felt nothing & was probably reserving it for later. That kinda made us laugh but it was scawie! We still get to eat rawhides but NO MORE baseball chews for me!
Love licks,
Solid Gold Dancer
I've heard about this thing called rawhide, but I've never been lucky enough to try it!
Jackson
I am so happy you are okay, tell J1 and J2 they deserve kudos. Please be careful we would have a horrible time without your smiling face.
I need to meet Seymour and Dunstan.
Hugs, belly rubs smoochies & wheelies
Opal & Nanny
Jackson we are so glad you are OK.
Gosh that was a very close call, thank goodness your hoomans were on hand to administer first aid.
We have never been allowed to have raw hide chews and I dont think we ever will have them especially after reading your story.
Take care and have a great weekend.
Molly and Taffy
OMG, thank goodness you're okay, Jackson! What a frightening experience for all of you!
Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch
Jackson! I'm so glad you're okay. I don't get rawhide at all, except when I shoplift bacon wrapped ones from the dog food store. Yes, I am a bit of a cleptomaniac.
Bravo for the J's for saving your life!
Stay cute,
SB
OMDogness!!! Thank goodness for J1 & J2. I hope you are ok now, no sore throat & breathing well.
I never get rawhides. When we receive rawhides as treaties, Ma usually give them away. We have deer, beef or pig tendons instead.
We are so glad you are okay and everything worked out! You must have really worried J1 & J2! Of course, now we will probably never see another piece of rawhide. Since there only Mom and us here, she would not have been able to get the rawhide out. The idea scares her ... so no more rawhide for us. *sigh*
Roxie, Sammy & Andy
Teah, we're not allowed them anymore either after ma hearing one too many horror stories. They make a really gloopy mess of our feet and beards too.
So glad you're OK Jackson. I agree, sweet potato chews are the future!
Toodle pip
Harry x
Jackson this is terrible. Thank god you're ok. We happen to know of an airedale that died some years ago from having a rawhide chew stuck in his throat. After hearing that there is no way pinkies would give us one ever.
Poor J1 & J2, they must have been beside themselves with worry. Lucky they kept their heads on to act quickly.
Stick to the sweet potato chews matie. We want you to hang around for sometime yet!!!!!
Take care
Noah Willow Tess & Lucy
OMG!!!!!!!!!That is it,we will throw the few we have out.PL1 and 2 never really let us have any and then they started giving us the little ones and then they would get stuck all over our feet and our beds and then they stpped and then Archie was a shut in so we got them again and now...NEVER AGAIN!!!!! SWEET POTATOES RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(good show J1) Love A+A
Jackson! OMD!! we are so thankful you are okay now thanks to your alert J's. We've had some similar experiences especially me Crikit so now mommy only lets us have the big ones you can see in some of our posts so that we have to naw on it furever and we can never get any pieces off to possibly choke. We're so happy you were saved.
Love Licks & waggin TX tails
oh my, jackson...glad ur fine..luckily ur owner knew some 1st aid...
we all ought to be careful next time...
i dun get rawhide...i only got bone...but safety precaution is needed too...
Thank dog you are okay. What a scare. We're so happy J1 & J2 were home to help you. The same thing happened to me Luci a few months ago and our Mom doesn't let us have that nasty rawhide anymore. I must say that we do miss it, but we get bully sticks now and they're great. Take care and stay away from the rawhide. Kissies to you.
Hi Jackson! I am happy that you´re ok! Thanks for alerting on this! We have to be supervised while eating rawhides and to be careful!
Thor
OH Jackson!! Yes, best to keep away from rawhide!!
I get it sometimes..but I'm not a big chewer..I get small sticks..like a pencil and that will last me a few days!
Glad J1 and J2 were there to help!!
wags,
Simba
Hi Jackson,
I'm so glad that you are OK. HUGE Thank you goes out to J1 and J2 for saving your life. I would be so sad if anything happened to you. Mom and Dad rarely let me have rawhide cuz of the mess and problems they can cause. When I do manage to get my paws on one, I am closely monitored. Mom will be extra vigilent after reading what happened to you.
Your pal,
Kirby
Oh dear Jackson. that sounds very scary.. Good thing you're ok now.
~ Girl girl
Hi Jackson! I'm glad J1 and J2 were there to help you - smart of them to watch while you chew. I do the same kind of guzzling.
My mom made sweet potato chews for me a few weeks ago after you posted about them. They were great! (And my dad ate one.)
Your friend, Lenny
Jackson, we are so glad J1 & J2 were there to save your fuzzy butt! Our mom quit giving them to us many years ago after hearing some similar horror stories. We are very happy you are okay!
Aire-hugs,
Poppy & Penny
We are so relieved that you are alright now, Jackson! That must have been terrifying for all of you. I know it was awful to read about it on this end.
Years ago, My Vet said no no no no no to rawhides. I didn't much appreciate it at the time. Now I know why he doesn't like us to have them. Ditto bones and pigs' ears, they can do a lot of damage.
Take care, buddy, and thanks for explaining what can happen. Now I understand.
~Tell
We only got those big retreiver rolls before. We don't eat rawhide anymore. Good to hear you're safe.
SP&L
OMDoggie!
That is very scary. So glad you are ok...
~ChaChi and JET
oh that is awful. I am so glad you are ok. What a fright your pawrents must have had and you!
I don't get Rawhide chews 'cos they make me poooooooop. Too much.
and too much information there as well.
I have not tried sweet potato chews, I will get Jeannie to look out for them. Glad you are well now! love and healing licks, Marv xxxxxx
OH NO, I am glad that Ji and J2 were there to help you. Your parents must have been so scared.
Please never chew rawhide again. Mommy is always afraid that will happen to me. Thanks for the warning.
Frenchie Snorts
Balboa
wow, Jackson, that sounds like a horrible experience for all. My folks are in two minds about letting me have rawhide but I love the really hard compressed big stick ones. At Christmas my Grandpa bought me one of the folded hollow bone shaped ones with knotted ends and Mum chucked it straight in the bin. She wasn't popular with him or me at that moment.
The sweet potato thing sounds great. Pity we haven't got an Aga 'cos I reckon the bottom oven overnight would do them a treat. Might have to get Mum to experiment.
thanks for the tip!
Mojo
xxx
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