Originally Posted by Nancy1999 (Post 2575475)

A dog can choke on any chewing stick, and they say that you should supervise all chewing sticks. Gulpers who swallow large chunks of food at a time probably should not be given any chewing stick, as they will probably swallow too big of a piece. For most dogs, it's not the choking part that is a problem, it's the fact that some sticks are not 100% digestible, easy to digest is different that 100% digestible. The problem with sticks that aren't 100% digestible is that a small piece can cause an obstruction in the intestines, and this is extremely serious, and many dogs have died from this. Greenies had such a problem with this, they stopped making them and the newly formulated product is said to be safer, however they are still not 100% digestible, a small piece "the size of a grain of rice" may not be digestible. While this is not such a problem with bigger breeds, yorkies have smaller intestines, and the small piece might cause an obstruction. The same is true with rawhides; they are not 100% digestible. This is why many of us have turned to bully sticks, they are the only hard stick that I know of that is 100% digestible. The hardness of the stick helps scrape teeth of tartar and is good for gums, but it seems like all other hard sticks have the problem of not being completely digestible. So, I'm willing to put up with the gross thought, if it means that Joey will have a better chance of keeping all his teeth. I like the Merrick brand, they aren't as strong smelling as some, and they are super hard, and last a long time. See this link for more information on Greenies. FDA Investigates Greenies Following KIRO 7 Investigation - Consumer News Story - KIRO Seattle and http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/engagement/...tNotes_120.pdf

Also, a word of warning, "100% edible" is not the same as "100% digestible".

Originally Posted by KJLive (Post 2577069)

Dearest Nancy...you are always a sound voice in a sea of fun! Thanks for that info, as I didn't know that. You are the one who turned me on to the Merrick Brand originally. I believe I stated that somewhere in one of the posts on Bullysticks. BTW...do you happen to know if the same info you stated above goes for pigs ears? As Sophie likes them even more than the bullystick. Are they 100% digestible?

Originally Posted by KJLive (Post 2577069)

Dearest Nancy...you are always a sound voice in a sea of fun! Thanks for that info, as I didn't know that. You are the one who turned me on to the Merrick Brand originally. I believe I stated that somewhere in one of the posts on Bullysticks. BTW...do you happen to know if the same info you stated above goes for pigs ears? As Sophie likes them even more than the bullystick. Are they 100% digestible?

Originally Posted by Nancy1999 (Post 2577106)

Oh aren't you sweet! Before I even got a Yorkie, I was really concerned about one of their weaknesses inherent in the breed, and that is tartar. Tartar is no minor thing; it leads to gingivitis and tooth loss. Many Yorkies lose their teeth at a young age, due to tartar buildup, and it causes a host of problems including bad breath, and even more serious problems, such as heart disease. Bacteria can get in gum pockets, and go to the heart. So I've tried to do everything I could to help prevent tartar build-up. Toothbushing, Petzlife, dry kibble, and hard chewing sticks, are some of the choices I've made. The bully sticks are mainly an aid to cleaning the teeth, he just happens to love chewing on them. The pig ear, and cow ears are mainly a "snack" treat, and because Joey tends to have a weight problem, he doesn't need snacks. Here's what one site says about pig ears, I did feed him a cow's ear, I got from the vet, and he ate it in less than a day. :eek:

Originally Posted by KJLive (Post 2577119)

I knew you'd set me straight! Sophie ate both of hers this weekend also. I find that if I give her either the Bullystick or Pig Ears, she doesn't want to eat her kibble. So I told my daughter (daytime furbabysitter) that she is not permitted to have the bullystick laying out all day any longer. Hopefully this will inspire her to head back to the kibble dish. :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Nancy1999 (Post 2577129)

She must have some really sharp teeth; it takes Joey a whole week to eat a Bully Stick. It doesn't seem to interfere with his appetite at all, maybe you could give it to her after dinner. :D

Originally Posted by KJLive (Post 2577132)

You know...she sure does have sharp teeth. She just started ripping all her fur/cloth toys to shreds. I don't know what her problem is lately. I'm throwing away more toys simply because she's trying to eat the darn things! Hence the reason I started buying the bullysticks. She loses interest in those sometimes, so I seen a 2 pak of pigs ears at the grocery store. They were "baked" and I've read if they are baked they don't smell as much. They didn't smell at all, actually. Anyway, she tore through the first one on Saturday and the second one on Sunday.

Originally Posted by viviansnickers (Post 2577425)

So I'm assuming the slimy stringy goopy strings are normal?? I gave Snick his bully for 15 min again today and he went to town on it. Thank goodness the smell vanishes from his beard or else I think the bully would be in the trash...smells WEIRD!!! But Snick's happy...thats all I care about.

Pig ears!!!!??? I just can't...you all are brave!! ;)

Originally Posted by jenn1381 (Post 2575007)

omg I had no idea that bully sticks were made outta THAT?! I haven't given one to Oliver yet, not even sure if you can get them in Canada, but was thinking about ordering some online as I sometimes just really need a break and his stuffed kong lasts like 5 seconds lately. Is there somewhere that I can (safely) order those Himalayan chews??? I really need to find stuff that will keep him busy for a while... anything to keep him from trying to chew my FLOWER VASE!!! And here I thought getting a one year old would give me a reprieve on the puppy behavior.. HA... was I wrong.

Originally Posted by Sweetlips6 (Post 2577617)

WHAT? No Bulls in Canada?:D