Originally Posted by Nancy1999  The article didn't say anything that I wasn't aware of, Joey and Ralphie both eat bully sticks, and I supervise them. I agree with those of you who say it’s not a snack, it’s a chewing aid, if your dog is eating a bully stick in one day it’s too soft, look for some with moisture content around 13%. Mine don’t even eat an inch a day, and they chew vigorously on them every night.
Out of 26 different kinds, only three had problems? I think that's great! Personally I wouldn't buy most kinds, I think some are made too cheaply, but according to this, most a whooping 97%, are safe. I think the article is very misleading in saying that people weren’t aware bullysticks were so high in fat, "The researchers received over 852 responses which revealed many dog owners were not aware of what the treats are made from and that it is so high in fat". The kind we use have 1% fat, this is not considered high, even lettuce has SOME fat. High in calories does not mean high in fat, the calories are coming from protein! Basically, the article is lousy science, I'd love to know who's behind it.
Everything we do has some risks, and I’ve learned that I can’t please everyone at Yorkietalk with my food choices. While there is a risk of every chewing stick causing a throat obstruction and they must ALL be used under supervision, bully sticks WILL NOT cause an intestinal obstruction because they are 100 percent digestible, and that’s what’s important to me. I throw them out when they are 3-4 inches long, and I hold them while they are chewing them. My babies really enjoy their chew time, and I don’t think it’s necessary to take this away from them. For those of you worried about bacteria, you can microwave them, which dries them out even more. I microwave just the tip in an inch of water for about 30 seconds, because Joey makes me! |