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Alternative To Raw Bones


ravenau1
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Hi :thumbsup:

My Dobe can't have raw meat of any description, including bones etc. I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion for something that she could have to keep her teeth clean instead of the bones. We've tried the plastic type nylabone things and other chew toys but she's not particularly interested. She does chew her antler but it's more of a scrape with her teeth, if that makes sense.

Thanks

eta: she mainly eats Black Hawk kibble mixed with some cooked meat/veggies etc.

Edited by ravenau1
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No idea, Nekhbet. She's violently ill whenever we've fed her anything raw but she's fine with cooked meat.

eta: Just saw your edit :thumbsup:

True, but she doesn't eat the antler as such, just kind of gnaws on it. She hasn't made enough of a dent in it to ingest more than a tiny speck I believe.

Edited by ravenau1
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My dog is not good with raw bones either so I give him whole raw carrots (if you dog can eat raw veg) and Hills Prescription t/d chews which is designed to reduce tartar build up. There's also Aquadent - a green liquid added to water but I never found it helpful. I also use Fragaria Vesca, a natural liquid produced from a strawberry plant and available from certain chemists which also helps reduce tartar buildup - I found about this from other DOLERS. I've been applying the drops directly onto his tongue about 15 mins before each meal for approx 8mths and I can see a reduction in the bits of brown build up on the inside of his bottom K9.

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My guys also chew a fake bone. It is made of some kind of durable nylon and it shreds a little where they gnaw on it, which is meant to become a little like a toothbrush. They do get large bones to gnaw on too, but not to eat, as they are dumbheads who inhale food and are at high risk of choking.

Boof is now 8 and I have had him since a pup. I have just noticed that he now needs a teeth clean. Given his age, I think he has done well on the nylon bones and the large gnawing bones. The others I took on as adult dogs, and Olivia came to me with crappy teeth and she is about to undergo her second teeth clean in 18 months. She doesn't like the nylon bones though. Monte's teeth are in similar condition to Boof's.

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Hi :hug:

My Dobe can't have raw meat of any description, including bones etc. I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion for something that she could have to keep her teeth clean instead of the bones. We've tried the plastic type nylabone things and other chew toys but she's not particularly interested. She does chew her antler but it's more of a scrape with her teeth, if that makes sense.

Thanks

eta: she mainly eats Black Hawk kibble mixed with some cooked meat/veggies etc.

My guy won't touch RMB either. I give him rawhide sticks that is filled with liver, he loves these, he will be happy to chew it all day. I buy the bag from BIG W as they are cheaper there than the pet stores. I think they are called Meaty Bones or something like that, has a picture of a dog wearing a cowboy hat on the front. Totally natural, no colours preservatives or flavours etc. These seem to worked reallly well for his teeth. He also enjoys the occassional detastix, but he only has one of these about once a week.

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I thought I would buy some of that Plaque-Off ...so Googled it and saw that PetFood 24/7 had it. Their name rang a bell with me and I found that I was already a customer, I tried to order but couldn't find the 'put-in-shopping cart' link to buy it. I emailed them asking how to buy....in the mean-time I saw this on DOL...

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=203578

and here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...hl=Petfood+24/7

and here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...=195249&hl=

No wonder their name rang a bell.

Lucky I didn't pay any money eh! :hug:

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I enquired about Deer Antler on another forum, but the responses have been slow in coming. Don't wish to go OT too far, but would like to enquire here if the OP doesn't mind? My query was whether a Deer Antler was anything like a RMB. I understood that the antler is made up primarily of closely compacted hair.

The reason I ask is because my boy doesn't tolerate raw meat either and of course that includes bones. At 2.5 years old his teeth are skanky and I'd like for him to have something that he would enjoy gnawing on, even if it were to help his teeth just that little bit.

So can anyone tell me about them? They are supposed to have some good health qualities (so I've heard) about them as well.

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Thanks Nek. Do you know of known issues with feeding antlers? (ie causing dietary; intestinal issues)

ETA: 'other' forum bloke who spoke about them said the antlers were "humanely removed" by using local anaesthetic. That would indicate to me the presence of nerve endings which would indicate the presence of something alive or fresh, wouldn't it?

Edited by Erny
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antlers are shed yearly by deer unless you are removing them when the velvet is still on and hence yes they will need anaesthetic. The velvety coating is a live tissue, the core is not.

deer_rack.jpg

shed antlers are not furry and are pure bone

deer-antler-sheds.jpg

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Ok - I get it. Thanks. I think it was reported that the "Velvet" has some really good medicinal/nutritional qualities. Still interested in them though, but would like to be able to establish whether there is any contraindication for dogs who have dietary sensitivies and whether they do assist at all with teeth cleaning. Will have to keep lurking and asking :D.

ETA: Deer faces are beautiful, aren't they? Very much like cows.

Edited by Erny
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Erny - Jedi doesn't tolerate large amounts of bone very well (a large lamb bone results in severe abdominal pain) but he is able to tolerate the deer antlers. I suppose the major difference is that it takes him about a month to get through a 20cm piece of antler! It has helped with his teeth cleaning - they are looking much better (almost all plaque gone) compared to pre-antler feeding.

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the meat is more tasty then cow O_o

ooh I'm norty

The 'gamey' smell of Deer is too much for me. I'm not much of a meat eater at the best of times.

Thanks TerraNik.

Got any names of suppliers you could share with me?

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