Dogs That Eat To Much Leather!

[kgg]

5 hours ago, bruce johnson said:

After 40 years of practice I couldn't tell you how many dogs I have done surgery on for foreign bodies. Been there, done that, have the souvenir scrub shirt.  Leash and collar eaters are right up there.

Great Info.

kgg

[chuck123wapati]

6 hours ago, bruce johnson said:

I have tried to stay out of this but its been a long week and new one starts tomorrow. I can't sit on my hands. After 40 years of practice I couldn't tell you how many dogs I have done surgery on for foreign bodies. Been there, done that, have the souvenir scrub shirt.  Leash and collar eaters are right up there. About 20 years ago a well meaning crafter in our area made some dog chew toys with latigo and vegtan scraps left over from her leash and collar business. After the third surgery in a week, I asked one of the owners to maybe let whoever was selling those chewies at the weekly Farmer's Market to rethink her profit from the scrap bin idea. Interesting aside - she called to yell at me the next Monday after Farmer's Market on Saturday. She tried to tell me I didn't know anything about leather - natural product, digests easily, just a protein, yada yada,  and they sell it in every pet store (yeah rawhide and my dogs don't get that either). I let her have her spiel until she ran out of air, and then explained the tanning process. Then I mentioned I had repaired her son's saddle the year before, How's he doing?  Oooops, she knew who I was then and I did have a little knowledge. We ended on better terms when I suggested making key tags and zipper pulls instead of dog treats. 

Leather may pass depending on size but usually doesn't breakdown to any appreciable degree. It has already been treated to preserve it with acid in tannery vats,  does anyone think that stomach acid will break it down? If anything it makes it harder. Rawhide is different (hence the name raw hide) and although it may swell. it can have some degree of digestion and tends to not get as hard. Still that is a slow process in itself with rawhide and not fast enough if it gets past the stomach. 

 

Glad you added to the conversation. you probably wouldn't be surprised at how many dog turds I find with my metal detector, seriously tin foil and candy wrappers shoe lace eyes etc., and such it amazing what they will eat if no one watches.

 

[Sheilajeanne]

4 hours ago, kgg said:

Great Info.

kgg

Yeah, rawhide is responsible for a lot of dogs needing surgery. Do not give my dogs rawhide chews - only shank bones that are too big and hard for them to swallow! 

I know a lot of dogs die due to eating things they shouldn't, and have always been careful what I give them, but you can never be TOO careful! I never would have dreamed Star would eat a nylon leash or collar! And it was very hard to find toys she wouldn't destroy after just a couple of weeks, if not days! I was just really lucky she had a cast iron gut!

I'm glad to know most dogs can chew on wood with no bad effects. I actually gave Star branches to play with when keeping her in toys became too expensive! 

You see that orange toy in the photo? That's a Bad Cuz. It's like a big ball with feet, ears and a squeaker. A REALLY annoying squeaker...  She went through a number of them during her time on this planet. I'd remove the feet from it before giving it to her, as I knew she'd chew them off. The ears were too tiny to bother with. First, she'd go after the squeaker. It might last a couple of weeks before she pulled it out. Fortunately, she never swallowed it. Then, she'd start working on the squeaker hole. The main advantage of the Cuz toys is they are made of REALLY thick rubber. It would take her awhile, but eventually, she'd rip the squeaker hole open, and tear off a piece. If I noticed this about to happen, I'd chuck the toy in the garbage. But there were several times when I noticed her chewing something, and realized it was a chunk she'd ripped out of the toy. I'd head towards her to grab it out of her mouth, and I swear...she'd wait until I was a couple of feet away, then swallow it!  I'd find it in her poop a day or two later... 

Here's that same Bad Cuz just before I tossed it a few months later:  You can see the cracks starting around the squeaker hole!

 

Edited July 1, 2024 by Sheilajeanne

[Sheilajeanne]

During my riding days, there was a dog at the stable that was as fond of carrots as the horses were! I used to save one for her!  

Photos: YUM!! A new toy to destroy

Second photo: same toy, about a week later. The brand name was Tire Biter. The rubber was reinforced with threads. I guess the only thing that would have saved it was if they'd reinforced it with steel bands, like they do with car and truck tires!