# Why doesn't my vet like bully sticks or nylabone?



## silver9 (Jul 11, 2017)

I already had purchased them off amazon - and I stuck to the ones with very high reviews and minimal "my dog ate a piece and ended up in the ER" reviews. 

My vet thinks they are bad for their teeth. He is teething right now (17-18 weeks) and going nuts chewing everything he sees. 

Anele and I were talking too and she thought bully sticks were perfectly fine. He eats them out of this green holder thing (west paw Qwizl) - that my vet approved. But she only approved the holder, which he has no interest in if there is no bully stick in side.... like a kong really doesn't interest him without filling (I just wet his food and stuff it and freeze it). 

Also, I was giving him frozen carrots but he eats them so fast & then poops in massive quantities.

If you have any thoughts on bully sticks, nylabone, or other things for teething puppies, please let me know. I will do another search too. Chicken broth ice cubes came up, but then it'll add to needing to pee... it's not like I mind taking him out - but when I add in that much more liquid or the carrots - it's harder to predict the frequency (it needs to be much more often - but a little tricky) & his potty training has been going well otherwise.


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## silver9 (Jul 11, 2017)

Oh also, he pulled every single soft toy he could get his mouth on in petco off the shelf... and the sales associate said - don't worry those can't be shredded / swallowed. I was a bit skeptical... but could I buy him those long flat kind of fabric toys? I was thinking - maybe - but only watching him. Still, he can swallow fabric in a second, watching or not IMO.

There were also some Frisbees and balls with ridges he seemed to have a huge interest in. It's just so hard to figure out what will chip / break / shred / get swallowed. Nylabone and bully sticks have some of those reports but they are minimal. Teeth damage reports also seem very minimal. 

Thanks!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

First... when I had a teething puppy last, I went to the store and loaded up on all kinds of chews and toys. Different textures and materials.

The problem with bully sticks is they're very skinny and easy for the pups to eat. This could cause blockages... If you are going to get a chew for your dogs, might as well get rawhide rolls. Which have a bad reputation as well, but are thicker and less likely to get rapidly chewed and eaten.

Nylabones - I told my sister not to buy them. They are plastic and heavy chewers can gnaw off pieces of plastic off them. And if your are lucky, that means you will have hard pieces of plastic caught in your rugs, which you find when you're walking around barefoot. But the dogs also eat the plastic in some cases, which could lead to not necessarily blockages, but punctured spots in the digestive system, because the plastic is very sharp. And I've heard of slivers of the sharp plastic getting lodged in different spots as well. 

The nylabone chews are supposed to be safe for puppies who do not have permanent teeth yet... and the reason why is the stronger the teeth are, the more likely the dogs will gnaw off tiny pieces of the plastic and swallow.


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## MitchP (Oct 29, 2017)

Bully sticks and nylabones are great for business for vets!! They fracture teeth++++++

Veterinary dental specialists recommend that chews toys need to be softer than the dog's teeth. Need to have some "give" to them otherwise teeth can fracture when dog bites into it. Another way to determine if chew toys are OK...take the toy and whack it into your knee. If it hurts, it's too hard for the dog's teeth. 

Cloth toys aren't chew toys. Fine to play with as long as the dog doesn't chew them up and swallow the fabric. Most puppies will......

Rawhides can be OK under supervision for most dogs. They soften as dog chews...just watch closely to be sure they aren't gnawing off big pieces and trying to swallow them. Make sure they aren't made in China.

KONGS!!!! Buy several. Load them up with yummy stuff. Stick in the freezer so you have one you can just grab and give whenever you need one.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Get a half dozen washcloths to soak and put in the freezer. Keep watch so pupper doesn't eat them. Rinse and repeat. Numbs teeth and keeps 'em busy.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

GoldenCamper said:


> Get a half dozen washcloths to soak and put in the freezer. Keep watch so pupper doesn't eat them. Rinse and repeat. Numbs teeth and keeps 'em busy.


I don't recommend this either....  

We did this with earlier dogs. They learned to chew on wash cloths this way. The one especially had a minor blockage when he died. The blockage was NOT the cause of death. He died from a ruptured spleen (cancer), but the tiny piece of wash cloth was something they noted in the necropsy.

I'm sharing this candidly because I did have something negative happen.

I'm sorry if there's people who think it's OK to crack jokes about a dog having a blockage when he died. I think that's pretty sick. 

The common sense thing is do not give your puppies things to chew on that they are not supposed to chew on (ie wash cloths, towels, etc).


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

GoldenCamper said:


> Get a half dozen washcloths to soak and put in the freezer. Keep watch so pupper doesn't eat them. Rinse and repeat. Numbs teeth and keeps 'em busy.


This worked well for us. Tie the washcloths in knots before putting them in the freezer. You do have to watch the pups with them and take the washcloth away when it gets too soft or unknotted.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Megora said:


> I don't recommend this either....
> 
> We did this with earlier dogs. They learned to chew on wash cloths this way. The one especially had a minor blockage when he died. The blockage was NOT the cause of death. He died from a ruptured spleen (cancer), but the tiny piece of wash cloth was something they noted in the necropsy.


Miss you Megoda. If and when my own necropsy comes they will probably find pieces of steak and bubble gum I swallowed 30 years ago


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

GoldenCamper said:


> Miss you Megoda. If and when my own necropsy comes they will probably find pieces of steak and bubble gum I swallowed 30 years ago


What the heck? 

I'm sorry, I'm reporting this for rudeness.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

GoldenCamper said:


> Miss you Megoda. If and when my own necropsy comes they will probably find pieces of steak and bubble gum I swallowed 30 years ago


Quoting this in case you try deleting it.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Megora said:


> What the heck?
> 
> I'm sorry, I'm reporting this for rudeness.


You thought it a laugh when I called you Megoda and posted the pic of Godzilla long ago, what happened? And no I have no intention of deleting anything. I miss the sarcasm of long ago I guess, sorry if I offended you.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

GoldenCamper said:


> You thought it a laugh when I called you Megoda and posted the pic of Godzilla long ago, what happened? And no I have no intention of deleting anything. I miss the sarcasm of long ago I guess, sorry if I offended you.


I actually was kinda offended by the Godzilla thing too. I did not make a big deal about it because I have a tougher skin when it comes to me personally... less tougher skin when it comes to people joking about dog health related things, particularly something as serious as a blockage from a wash cloth. Keep in mind that while my dog had died from cancer, the wash cloth would have been problematic too. I'm saying you don't joke about stuff like that.

I appreciate if you did not intend that comment to be as nasty as it sounded to me, but the same time - I was hurt. 

Wash cloths = I had a breeder suggest using them, same as you did.

But the dogs who chewed on wash cloths as puppies were more prone to chew on cloths, clothing, leather collars, etc.. part of it makes me think that it was early imprinting/foundation with them.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

As I remember you had a laugh about the Godzilla thing? I like you and you have also many year of Golden experiences to contribute to the forum.

I do apologize once again if I hurt you.

I stand by the old washcloth thing if people train dogs right. I do not see a imprint/foundation of a washcloth turning bad but hey. I think it better than bully sticks and plastic Nylabones!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

All I can say is that the dogs who got frozen wash cloths as puppies... they chewed cloths, leashes, collars, etc.

After we heard about the wash cloth in necropsy - that pretty much banned the frozen wash cloth thing for future puppies. That was eye-opening and scary, because we always patted ourselves on the backs the prior few years in ensuring they did not eat stuff like that. The dog in question had (when younger) passed entire wash cloths through his system. That all came to a stop with heightened management, but the same time it was scary to see how a tiny little piece of wash cloth had gotten stuck in the works. If it wasn't blocking things off completely, it could have gone septic for all we know. It was very serious deal. 

My two today benefited from that ban, in that I never gave them frozen wash cloths, etc as puppies. And they have always been dogs who never try chewing on things like that, much less eating them. And they carry underwear and laundry around same as any dog. :laugh:


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## silver9 (Jul 11, 2017)

Thanks for all the replies.

Here's what I have & we can see what to do...

- Set of rope toys that he lost interest in. Perhaps I can put some chicken broth on them, freeze them, and give them back. I think this may be safer than wash cloths as I do not have ropes laying around. (This is the set). Thoughts on the chicken broth / freezing?

- 4 kongs at the moment - some puppy ones, 1 big one. Can buy more. I am doing all his training with his food - he's working for all his food unless it's been an exhausting day I will give him a bowl, but I'm reaching his calorie max & sometimes going over. So, I need to put something very low calorie in the kongs if I do give him a few a day. Not sure what?

- Bully sticks vs. rawhide - I have 3 bully sticks left. He did chew and eat them over many many hours. He didn't even chew on the holder much. I haven't even looked into rawhide & don't know much about it. Any ideas?

- 2 puppy nylabones - though a lot of bad reports on amazon so I took them away. They are much softer

- 1 regular nylabone here - I have not noticed any chipping and he's gone at it quite a bit. He just has 1 and only plays with it a little... so maybe I'll just phase it out. 

If he breaks a puppy tooth, is it that big of a deal? 

- Frozen carrots & then also cucumbers were also suggested to me by a friend today. Just a lot of extra poop / pee. 

I just need to want him a lot to chew on because I've caught him chewing on his ex-pen & then everything else he sees basically. My cousin (who is a vet herself) actually has a dog who chewed through his crate & dental reconstruction was $5000 - which she couldn't even do herself as that is not her specialty. That dog has a lot of serious issues though (was found at 6 weeks having been thrown out of a car) & is on psych meds now - finally acting ok. Still, mine has chewed the same crate bars...I know it's cuz his teeth hurt.

Towels / washcloths - - these are literally the ONLY thing this dog won't chew on right now...I can't even give him a doggie bed because he will pick it up and shake it do death till it rips open. He just has his own set of thick / strong towels. He even chews the massive runner I have that's made to grab dirt and water from the paws. So, in my case I don't want to turn him onto washcloths because it's the only thing he isn't into & the only thing he has to be comfortable sleeping on. (He already wants my socks - constantly - and this has blocked other dogs systems). Maybe if I soaked those ropes in chicken stock and froze them, that could be good? Btw, even some of those strings have come out.

Edit: What about empty plastic water bottles?

Sorry for the long post... maybe it'll help someone else w/ teething. I tried putting the next steps in blue to make it easier to read. Thanks again.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Here is the bottom line. Every chew toy is going to have someone say that it is bad. Find what works for your puppy. Chloe has always liked the prestige dogwood sticks. They last a long time. She has a antler she likes also. I would only stay away from rawhides. I also could see where a wash cloth could create a bad habit. Right now our living room has about six different bones she has drug out. From antlers to Dogwood sticks. She gets a bully stick once in awhile but never gave her any as a puppy. They can be very rich. So I would wait until closer to a year for those. So every chew toy has a negative. There are no chew toys that don't. Find ones your puppy likes and doesn't destroy fast and get those.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

My vet said the issue with rawhide is the chemicals most are treated with. What about frozen marrow bones? If the marrow is too rich you can scoop it out & fill it with yogurt or peanut butter then freeze?


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Has anyone had problems with knuckle bones?
https://www.chewy.com/usa-bones-che...Vl7XACh2dUADQEAQYAiABEgLH7PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
They seem to crumble when he's really gnawing on them. I rub/wash most the fat off before I give them. Since they crumble I'm hoping the won't crack his teeth. It is small crumbles like sand not splinters. Still I'm not sure if I will buy anymore although he gets hours of chewing time on each one.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

So much depends on "how" your dog chews. Some dogs more chomp and and break them (thereby breaking their teeth)/ AKA aggressive chewers and some gnaw on them.

I find that neither of my dogs chomps on chews, which is why bully sticks are safe(r) for them. (100% agree with Cpc1972 that every chew has its risk in some form and if the "risk" isn't there usually they have no interest... even Kongs... the risk is weight gain!). That being said, I almost always buy braided bullies (which will not fit in the Qwizl, sadly, but they do fit in this toy) and these are really good to work at vs. chomp on. But again-- know your dog!

I also give my dogs split antlers (and only split) as well as buffalo horns (as long as they are not thick-- then I can see teeth breakage happening).


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

My vet is anti-antler because they break teeth. She reluctantly told me I could use the big huge Nylabones, because I have such a dedicated chewer. She needs to chew something. The Nylabones splinter in tiny pieces that do not cause blockages if ingested. My girl has been chewing them for four years. Her favourite right now is the Nylabone "antler," which actually has no antler in it.


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## tlvgolden (Oct 23, 2017)

I don't really understand the problem with bully sticks as they're totally digestible, as long as your pup isn't swallowing them whole. 

One of my favorites is a water buffalo horn, it's much softer than antlers, but still durable. They also don't break into pieces. I replace them after 6 months or so though, since as they dry out over time they get more brittle.

I also really like giving frozen chicken and turkey necks or trachea, all digestible and take some time and effort to chew. I gave raw knuckle bones during teething and just monitored to make sure he never went too crazy on it.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Sweet Girl said:


> My vet is anti-antler because they break teeth.


I think most vets say this, but I wonder if they are thinking of whole antlers. I can't see how the split ones, with a non-aggressive chewer, would be an issue. They simply scrape out the soft marrow. I buy the elk ones, which are softer than deer-- but again-- they are split anyway. In any case, I always buy them in person at dog shows so I can choose the ones I think are suitable.

Cwag, this article recommends knucklebones if they are raw.


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## Olympia (Jan 11, 2010)

The top 10 favorite puppy toys in our household that have been through 2 puppies now and are still played with daily are:

1) Hyper Pet Dura-Squeaks Chew Toy
2)Kong puppy size large 
3)Mammoth Tirebiter tire dog toy
4)Starmark treat dispensing chew ball
5)Outward hound tire biterz lizard
6)Kong Quest star pods dog toy
7)Starmark everlasting treat bento ball
8)J.W.Rockin treat ball
9)Kong Wubba
10)Mammoth Monkey Fist Bar dog toy

I got all of these toys from Chewy https://www.chewy.com/ because their prices are the best that I've seen...occasionally I buy toys from Ocean state, big lots, and home goods if I happen to see something awesome!!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Anele said:


> I think most vets say this, but I wonder if they are thinking of whole antlers. I can't see how the split ones, with a non-aggressive chewer, would be an issue. * They simply scrape out the soft marrow.* I buy the elk ones, which are softer than deer-- but again-- they are split anyway. In any case, I always buy them in person at dog shows so I can choose the ones I think are suitable.
> 
> Cwag, this article recommends knucklebones if they are raw.


Not mine. She chews and consumes the whole thing! Shala is definitely an aggressive chewer, though.


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## silver9 (Jul 11, 2017)

I had a bag of 6 and he still has 2 left. I give it to him in this holder called a "quizzle". Yesterday he was chewing on it and then he was bleeding from his mouth. He grabbed a chair cushion and there was some blood on the corner where he was chewing. It wasn't some kind of gushing blood, but I don't know what to think. I was reading elsewhere that teething puppies' gums can bleed - but I think he scraped his mouth on it or something. It does keep him a lot more in-control with the chewing, so it's not every random surface he can find... but I hope it's not damaging his mouth somehow. I know the puppy teeth are going to come out anyway, but I'm not sure what that blood was.


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

When Noah still had his baby teeth, pig ears and tracheas were a god send to us. They'd keep him busy for a good 30 minutes. Once the adult teeth came in, he destroyed them in under 5 minutes, so we didn't get them after that. We buy our bully sticks from bestbullystick.com and buy the jumbo or monster sized for him, so that they last longer. Sometimes Costco will have bags of bully sticks and we'll get them from there. 

Frozen raw marrow (soup) bones are a favorite, but must be supervised, especially when they are cut into rings, to take it away once all the marrow has been cleaned out - I've seen too many pictures where dogs have managed to get the ring over their bottom canines and stuck on their bottom jaw, and have to be removed by a vet who saws through the bone. I try to get super big cuts - Publix carries these all the time. 

If you have Asian supermarkets where you live, you can also get a bag of raw knuckle bones too, those are given frozen as well. We have H-Mart and Super H-Marts all around metro Atlanta.


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