Last night I was contacted by a dog nutrition blogger from Sweden. Here is her questions to me:
"Hello! I'm a dog nutrition blogger from Sweden and I'm doing a research on rawhide which is used as dog treats. I've read your comment to the article "Finding the right rawhide chew for your dog" by Nancy Kerns from the Whole Dog Journal. I can concluse that you must be very competent in the questions regarding rawhide. That's why I'd very much appreciate if you helped me to better understand some points in rawhide production. I'm particularly interested in white (bleached) rawhide chews manufactured in China. There's a clear difference between the ones you sell and the ones that sell in chain supermarkets. But I suppose it's not only the looks that differ. The Swedish retailers claim those chinese chews are controlled and thus safe for dogs to eat. Can I trust them or they can actually claim whatever they want? Do you know if there are good tanneries in China that honestly produce good chews? My dog womited each time she ate one of those white chews. Could it be because of traces of hydrogen peroxide that was used to bleach the hide? I read that if digested it can cause womiting. Can it be true? And later on when I did a hair tissue mineral analyses on her I discovered that she has high levels of ARSENIC, aluminium and mercury. The veterinarian guessed it could have been rawhides I gave my dog as treats that led to arsenic and aluminium poisoning. Could you please explain how heavy metals end up in rawhide chews? And one more question: is it by any means possible that the Chinese recycle tanned leather scraps as dog chews? Thank you very much for your time. I would be grateful if you shared with me your insights on those questions." Tina
Here is my response to Tina:
Anything is possible with pet products made in China. You probably are aware of dog deaths from chicken dog jerky treats from China. Finally the FDA here in the United States was able to determine that there was unapproved antibiotics used by the Chinese.
All cow hides have to be cleaned in a very dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide to kill any bacteria, otherwise they would not be safe for dogs because of contamination. Foreign countries that produce huge volumes of rawhide are making them completely stable for shipment in really hot containers that travel for weeks and then sit again on docks for months sometimes before customs clears them. By freshness and all natural standards, they are over processed and very dry and brittle.
The Wholesome Hide rawhide by comparison is fresh, shipped by refrigerated trucks to their facility. They are a small company and a lot of times, we have to wait for our order to be made. I can't answer about where the Chinese hides are coming from, but having Arsenic and other toxins does not come as any surprise. Unfortunately, we cannot ship any meat product internationally. I get asked at least once a week. Most countries ban any meat product from entering their country. It all goes back to the hoof and mouth disease years ago. I can only say that I would not consider any other rawhide.
I have been researching rawhides for the past five years and during my extensive research on how rawhides are made, I always come to same conclusion: There is only one rawhide company that I trust for healthy, all natural, fresh rawhide chews for your dogs. It is Wholesome Hide.
If you have been told that rawhide is not safe for your dog, it is because the mass retailers have always carried the over processed,dry and brittle bones from overseas.
When your dog chews on a Wholesome Hide rawhide bone, he is wetting while he is chewing and softening a fresh hide, that is totally unlike any rawhide you have given before.
Author: Ann Shevin, President
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