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Pig’s ears are available at many pet stores and markets. They are basically just pig skin and cartilage, often dried and smoked to prevent decay. They have a mild abrasive effect on the tooth surfaces without great risk of being too abrasive. The thin and flexible nature of pig’s ears makes them very unlikely to cause dental fractures. Some dogs tolerate these very well, while others may experience digestive upset. As the ears are sold from bulk bins generically, there is no assurance of quality control and there have been reports that they may harbour bacterial pathogens such as ''[[Salmonella]]''. If a large chunk of an ear is swallowed, it will likely be broken down by gastric juices and pass without incident. However, choking and [[Oesophageal Foreign Body|oesophageal blockage]] are possible. Rawhide strips are a consumable treat that many dogs really love, however as they provide non-digestible protein, they do not add greatly to the caloric intake. Use thin strips as this makes it very unlikely that any teeth will be damaged whilst the dog is chewing. The abrasive action of chewing the rawhide does help reduce plaque, calculus and [[gingivitis]]. Once again, quality control varies and some raw hide has been shown to be contaminated with pathogens for example ''Salmonella''.
Pig’s ears are available at many pet stores and markets. They are basically just pig skin and cartilage, often dried and smoked to prevent decay. They have a mild abrasive effect on the tooth surfaces without great risk of being too abrasive. The thin and flexible nature of pig’s ears makes them very unlikely to cause dental fractures. Some dogs tolerate these very well, while others may experience digestive upset. As the ears are sold from bulk bins generically, there is no assurance of quality control and there have been reports that they may harbour bacterial pathogens such as ''[[Salmonella]]''. If a large chunk of an ear is swallowed, it will likely be broken down by gastric juices and pass without incident. However, choking and [[Oesophageal Foreign Body|oesophageal blockage]] are possible. Rawhide strips are a consumable treat that many dogs really love, however as they provide non-digestible protein, they do not add greatly to the caloric intake. Use thin strips as this makes it very unlikely that any teeth will be damaged whilst the dog is chewing. The abrasive action of chewing the rawhide does help reduce plaque, calculus and [[gingivitis]]. Once again, quality control varies and some raw hide has been shown to be contaminated with pathogens for example ''Salmonella''.
==References==
* Stookey GK, Warrick JM, Miller LL et al. (1996) ''Hexametaphosphate coated snack biscuits significantly reduce calculus formation in dogs.'' JVD 13 : 27-30
* Harvey CE, Shofer FS, Laster L. (1996) ''Correlation of diet, other chewing activities and periodontal disease in North American client owned dogs.'' JVD 13: 101-105
* Hennet P. (2001) ''Effectiveness of an enzymatic rawhide dental chew to reduce plaque in beagle dogs.'' JVD 18: 61-64
* Brown w, McGenity P. (2005) ''Effective Periodontal disease control using dental hygiene chews.'' JVD 22 :16-19
[[Category:Oral Hygiene]]
[[Category:Oral Hygiene]]
[[Category:To Do - Dentistry Images]]
[[Category:To Do - Dentistry Images]]
[[Category:Waltham reviewed]]
[[Category:Waltham reviewed]]