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Stuffed toys can be ok for the right pet. My definition of the right pet is one who doesn’t eat the stuffing and one who doesn’t swallow the squeaker center, both of which could cause intestinal irritation and/or blockage.
Other items that pets are given include rawhides, Nylabones, tennis balls, Kong toys, Greenies, hooves, pig ears, sterilized real bones, Milk bone type bone treats, rope toys and rubber toys. (Shoes, sticks and rocks the pet unfortunately usually gets on their own).
Seminars given by board certified veterinary dentists have repeatedly brought up the fact that items such as bones and hooves and pig ears can cause serious fractures of the teeth which can be painful and/or very costly to repair via crowns or root canals.
Personal experience as a practitioner with “real” bones, whether flavored, autoclaved, sterilized, etc. are that if it goes in the front end (mouth) it has to come out the back end (rectum). Bones do not soften in the intestinal track and few dogs chew them so finely that there are no sharp edges. These bones can:
-Fracture teeth as above;
-Get stuck in the roof of the mouth;
-Puncture the esophagus and cause respiratory and cardiac problems or death;
-Irritate and/or puncture the intestinal track and cause peritonitis (serious infection of the abdominal cavity linings);
-Cause intestinal blockage requiring surgery;
-Cause vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, lack of eating, blood and/or mucous in stools;
-Get stuck behind the prostate in male dogs that have not been neutered.
Therefore, it is not ever recommended to give pets “real” bones to chew on.
Milk bone type treats probably do very little for the pet unless they are made of a specialized product that helps promote good dental health. Most non-prescription treats have a high calorie count. Many of these chew bones have similar calorie contents as a similar sized candy bar. So, if your pet is on a diet or needs to be on a diet, these types of biscuits are not best for chewing. Greenies take most dogs much longer to chew up and promote better breath and tarter control. Some dogs manage to swallow large chunks of the Greenie if they chew it too fast; these pets should probably be given something that is less likely to cause intestinal upset. Nylabone recommendations are similar to the Greenies; however, they usually do not assist in oral hygiene.
Kong toys are good if the right size is given to the dog; they can also assist in the remedy for separation anxiety. Very rarely can a dog destroy the Kong to where it can be swallowed. Other rubber toys or Tennis balls should be taken away when the dog gets it to the point that a piece could be swallowed. Cotton rope toys are often good since they help “floss” the teeth if chewed regularly, but should not be given to an animal that tries to swallow pieces whole! Rawhides are suitable if you have a dog that will not try to take 3 bites and swallow it whole and if you get good quality. There is a wide range of digestibility for rawhides. The better quality ones will be available through your veterinarian. These rawhides contain enzymes or antibacterial properties that provide dental and gingival care in addition to giving the dog or cat something to chew on!
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