BEWARE - Rawhide can be deadly!

[KristinT]

Hi Everyone,

Please be extremely cautious if you give your dogs rawhide. My baby boy, Zorro choked on rawhide and died. I would give Zorro and Chloe those small pieces, knotted on each end to resemble a bone. They absolutely LOVED them I had no idea how DANGEROUS they could be.

I came home from work one day and my poor little boy was on the living room floor. He was gone, I tried desperately to open his mouth; I had no idea what happened. I ran out the door and rushed him to the vet; I knew he was gone but I didn't know what to do or where to go. The vet examined him and found the rawhide stuck in his windpipe. I was devastated; the guilt I felt and still do to this day. I did this, I caused this because I was ignorant to the dangers.

If I can warn just one owner of the dangers of rawhide and save one little innocent animal, I'm grateful. I wish there was a way to force the manufacturers to include big red WARNING labels on every rawhide they sell.

Please, be extra vigilant and if you do choose to give your babies rawhide treats, please do not leave them alone while they chew it.

KristinT
My Babies:
Zorro 10/30/04 - 05/28/10
Chloe 04/17/06 - present

[judymaggie]

Kristn--a big hug sent to you. I hope you can focus on all the good times you had with little Zorro. I am sure that he is looking down at you with love. I have never given my pups rawhide but do appreciate you sharing your story with us.

[Renee]

I don't feed rawhides for this very reason (and my dogs don't care for them). :( However, there is a specific brand (can't remember the name), not sold everywhere, that makes rawhide rolls out of large sheets of rawhide. The problem with the bone shaped ones and the cheaply rolled ones, is that they are filled with pieces of rawhide, not one large sheet. If you can find the ones that are the large rolls, just a single sheet, the choking hazard is greatly reduced.

Choking can happen with anything though. Sadly, some dogs are just gulpers and do not know how to chew things. We had a rescue pass away from choking to death. His family cut up a plate of steak for him, set down the plate and walked into the living room. They came back in and he had died. He had tried gulping down the steak all at once and it all got stuck in his throat. One of my pugs is this way. He will choke on anything, regardless of what it is. He never, ever has any food, even just a biscuit, if I am not around. Even watching him like a hawk, I have had to rescue him from choking.

I am so sorry you have been living with such guilt. Nothing takes that away. Please, be kind to yourself. This was a tragedy, but you are doing good now by helping to educate others.