Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Why No Rawhide or Greenies?

We get asked every day why we don't carry rawhide. Here is a simple list of reasons we do not:
-Most rawhide is made in China. We don't carry ANY treats made in China. Even the rawhide made in the USA are dangerous.
-To get the flesh off of the hide, most manufacturers use either an Ash/Lye or Lime solution. They are VERY caustic and dangerous solutions. To get the Ash/Lye or Lime off of the product and to sanitize it, manufacturers use a BLEACH solution. At this time they also shape the rawhide. -During this process, rawhide shrinks. When your dog chews off a piece, it will swell in it's stomach. The gastric juices in a dogs' stomach will not break it down. If the piece is too large, it will get caught in the bowels and need costly surgery to be removed.

What about Greenies? Despite their healthy appearance, Greenies are not a healthy or safe dog or cat treat. It's widely known that Greenies, made of mostly unnatural ingredients, have caused the deaths of hundreds of dogs. Being undigestible, Greenies have a tendency to get caught in the throat or in the bowels of dogs, causing anything from mild coughing to needing emergency surgery to death. Click Here to read stories about some of the dogs that were injured by Greenies.

Sure, they've been reforumulated. But let's compare the new ingredients to the Terrabone, one of the dental chews we carry:

Greenies Ingredients: Gelatin, Wheat Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Soy Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate, Natural Poultry Flavor, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Vegetable Oil (Preserved with Propyl Gallate), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Lecithin, Ground Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Monostearate, Monoglycerides of Edible Fatty Acids, Choline Chloride, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Minerals (Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Maganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [source of Vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid), Chlorophyll.

Terrabone Ingredients:

Organic Brown Rice Powder, Tapioca Starch, Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Chicken Flavor, Organic Pea Powder, Carrageenan Calcium Carbonate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Lecithin, Brewers Dried Yeast, Parsley Powder, Peppermint oil, Citric acid, Rosemary oil, Vitamin E.

First, let's notice that Greenies have a LOT more ingredients than Terrabones. I don't know what most of the ingredients are- Monoglycerides of Edible Fatty Acids? Wheat Protein Isolate? Sodium Tripolyphospate? Nope. I have no idea. I do know what Organic Brown Rice Powder, Tapioca Starch and Peppermint oil are, though! How many natural ingredients do you see in Greenies? I cound one. Chlorophyll. How many do we see in Terrabones? All of them. All of the ingredients, including tricalcium phosphate (a mineral which helps clean teeth) are natural.

What other chews are safe?
-Tendon treats including Bully Sticks, Flossies and Wish Bones are made of beef tendon and not only help clean teeth, but are 100% digestible.
-Terrabones and Z-Ridge bones are a safe and healthy alternative to Greenies, but have the same bone shaped appearance.
-Raw meaty bones. Cooked bones can splinter, but raw meaty bones have huge dental benefits. They're also great if you need to keep your dog occupied for a while! Throw 'em a Primal Beef marrow bone and they'll be happily munching on it and quiet.
-Sweet Potato treats! Dogs go NUTTY for sweet potatoes! Low glycemic, they're great for dogs with diabetes or weight issues. They're also full of fiber and great for sensitive stomachs. We'll be getting in new exciting sweet potato treats to add to our current selection soon!

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