# Antlers, bones and other "chewies"



## monarchs_joy (Aug 13, 2011)

I personally wish my vet would have told me that... before Rose had a cracked tooth. She chipped the whole bottom half of her tooth off! I had no idea and it was a lesson learned for me.


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## elly (Nov 21, 2010)

I think he needs to try telling my boy that about chewing the paving slabs..yet to find anyone who can put a thumb dent in concrete once its set! Mine has two antlers and I prefer him to have those than chew rocks and slabs..having said that he has a slight chip on a tooth but thats more likely from the rocks and slabs. Hmmm..I would be worried about the Vet worrying on missing a vacation too!


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I've never had a problem with the antlers, but I used to have dogs who would chip their teeth on the chain link fencing or the stainless steel run dividers 

I will not give my dogs the hard white bones from the pet stores though-those things are HARD! and I do worry about broken teeth with them.

If you are worried about the antlers, you could just go with raw bones.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Tahnee GR said:


> If you are worried about the antlers, you could just go with raw bones.


That's a thought. Although, by this vet's logic, raw bones would be out, too.
I _hadn't_ been worried about the antlers. He'll gnaw on the end, trying to get to the marrow, but he never seems to bite down all that hard. I think they're probably fine - I just wanted to see if anyone else's vet has told them to stay away from them.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Dental specialists preach about nothing hard (nylabones, real bones, antlers, hooves, etc.). In my opinion they do not live in the real world. If you don't give dogs things to chew on, they will find them. There are risks to everything in this world. Not every dog (or even the majority of dogs) who chew on antlers, etc. will break a tooth. Some do and some will break their teeth no matter what. I choose to let my dogs have those things because it makes them happy. And yes, I have had to remove one of my middle dog's teeth (for the record she cracked it chewing on a rock). It's not that big of deal to the dog if they have a tooth removed (your wallet may protest a bit though). Bottom line, decide which risks you can live with and don't worry about the rest.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

That is always something that can happen, but it just depends on what you want to do. Bones and Ice can also crack teeth if chewed the right way.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

IowaGold said:


> Dental specialists preach about nothing hard (nylabones, real bones, antlers, hooves, etc.). In my opinion they do not live in the real world. If you don't give dogs things to chew on, they will find them. There are risks to everything in this world. Not every dog (or even the majority of dogs) who chew on antlers, etc. will break a tooth. Some do and some will break their teeth no matter what. I choose to let my dogs have those things because it makes them happy. And yes, I have had to remove one of my middle dog's teeth (for the record she cracked it chewing on a rock). It's not that big of deal to the dog if they have a tooth removed (your wallet may protest a bit though). Bottom line, decide which risks you can live with and don't worry about the rest.


That's pretty much how I feel about it.

Maybe I'm wrong, but the way I see it, the risks from tarter build-up and everything that goes along with that, are greater than the risk of them _possibly_ breaking a tooth. And I feel like it's safer to let them chew on something like an antler than it is to have them put under for periodic cleanings.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Like Iowa Gold, I had a dog who had broken teeth from carrying rocks around and chewing on them. >.< So yes, chewing on something that is too hard will wear the teeth down over time. With Sammy, it took a few years before his teeth started to really wear down and break. It wasn't an overnight - chomp, broken tooth. 

But your dog DOES need to chew on something. If you are afraid of rawhide, antlers are probably a good way to go. Other options might be every other week giving him something like one of the Zuke bones. I do that with Jacks (he chews rawhide, but not enough to have that much of a cleaning effect on the teeth) and it wipes out any crud that might be on his teeth. With the Zukes bones that's heavy chewing + a LOT of drooling. 

Something else that might be junk science, but I'll buy it. If you give (unsweetened) cranberry juice to your dog every day, it might help prevent plaque on the teeth. <- With our previous dogs, they usually started getting a lot of build up on their back teeth by the time they were 4 or 5. It's still early, but Jacks still has shiny white teeth. The only difference is he is getting a little cranberry juice with his meals and a lot of milkbones from my mom. >_<


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I have to give Ranger something hard to chew or he goes nuts. He chews on his nylabone, antler, or marrow bone at least 30 times a day. If it's not available to him, then he can't settle down and goes nutso.

Personally, I think it's important to provide something to chew on. Some dogs it's more important than others, but still important. I also find the "need to chew" with Ranger is reduced if he's eating raw meals with more bones in them than something he can just scarf down. 

Overall, I'd rather provide something to chew on both for physical benefits (clean teeth) and mental benefits than not providing it for risk of something that 'could happen'. Rock and hard place...


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## crazy daisy (Jul 3, 2011)

I can't put a dent on the dry dog food with my thumb.....

does this mean dry dog food is bad?


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