Are pigs ears bad?

[Emma82]

hi all i give my dogs pigs ears is that bad for my two Dachshunds is there a better option for them? emma


www.petcollardesign.com

[GSP4619]

I hope not. I give them to Ava and have not heard anything bad on them yet.


Any of you guys hear bad things on this?

[poketmouse]

Dried pigs ears are pretty scary to me. My friend used to give her dog ears as treats without incident, but one time we bought some for our lab and someone dropped it on the cement. The thing shattered into lots of scary looking shards that felt kind of like fiberglass. Ever since then I've been too scared to use them as treats. I do, however, give raw pigs ears as treats. You can find them at most grocery stores. They aren't any more messy than a dried ear or bully stick, and the dogs really love working on them.

[ClarkFarm]

I've never had any cause for worry with the dried pig ear treats. Perhaps there is a certain shelf life that would prevent one from being shattered? I don't know but I never had that happen to me before. They are always really tough, not brittle.

[Brandi's Mom]

The only concern I would have about feeding pigs ears is the amount of cholestorol the dog is ingesting. They are baked, yes but there still is a lot of animal fat in them.

[SmoothCollieluver]

From working at a vet for many years I will tell you yes they are bad. They are a chokeing hazard and do cause bowel obstructions. But as a pet owner I still give them to my dog on occasion. You just have to keep an eye on it. I wouldn't leave them alone with one.

[DoggyMom]

Lily gets pig ears maybe on an average of 2 a month. I watch her closely while she is chewing them, as she has choked on them a few times. The ones I buy her say "fire roasted" on the bag, so I don't know if they are really baked or roasted :confused: I haven't had a case of where they have shattered, they always seem pretty tough and thick to me.

[Miska]

IMO.. Pig ears are just as bad as RawHide.. There are two reasons why I don't use Pig Ears, salmonella and the fact that the Pig Ears will splinter and can puncture an intestine or cause obstruction.

[BelovedJuggernaut]

I have never had a problem with pigs ears. My dogs both love them!

I have also never seen a bag of them shatter either... that concerns me a little bit, but like I said, never a problem before. Dogs chew on them and soften them up quite a bit prior to ingestion... at least mine anyway... so I never worry too much about a puncture or anything.

Since they are baked, they have less of a chance for bacteria like salmonella. But like I said, no problems heard of thus far...

[SmoothCollieluver]

IMO.. Pig ears are just as bad as RawHide.. There are two reasons why I don't use Pig Ears, salmonella and the fact that the Pig Ears will splinter and can puncture an intestine or cause obstruction.


I have to disagree with your reasons. There is no way they could puncture the intestine. If your dog ate them very quickly they could possibly in theory puncture the esphogus but not the intestine. (sorry for my misspellings i'm in a hurry). They would absorb water ect in the stomache. They could cause an obstruction though that and chokeing are the real main reasons not to give them to your pet. Salmonella is little to no threat in pig ears.

[Pitbull]

It all depends its a matter of getting the right sized pg ear for your dog dont want to small or they pose a choking hazard but there are other things that are better for them and still give them the same satisfaction ill have to look into it at work

[portraitz]

My boxer/pit, Otto enjoyed them as a pup, but as he got older, he'd swallow them after 2 bites, so he was swallowing them nearly whole. Then he'd get the runs. No more pig ears.

[Woof]

Weather pigs ears are good or bad is a bit relative. I do believe that much like rawhide they may not fully digest in the stomachs of some dogs and may be rough on the intestines. I would suggest a chew like the Merrick flossies (assuming your dog doesn't have a beef alergy). These are beef tendons that are fully digestable and because they are dried in a cork screw shape the dog is more likely to chew it from one end to the other rather than trying to swallow it. And because they are 85% protien they are a good alternative for dogs that may have a weight problem.

Of course the price of these things has climbed quiet a bit recently due to their popularity and are not likely to come down in the near future so you may want to cut them in half if cost is an issue.

I hope this helps

[suki]

In the 3 years I have worked for vets, I haven't heard any horror stories regarding pigs ears, however, they ARE high in fat and can cause stomach upset and diarhhea. Also, yes, they can harbor nasty bacteria AND salmonella. So, if you are going to give these as a "treat" I would suggest monitor their chewing and throw out any unfinished product.
I personally do not give them, but, each to their own.

[tiffany1white]

I don't think but they sure do smell

[myminpins]

They're definitely not good for them. A raw bone never cooked or sterilized is a much better treat :)