Rawhide Caution

by Lois DeWitt
(Wilmington, NC)

Charley, my black Standard poodle is fourteen months old and loves to chew. I had been giving him rawhide bones, which he loves, until I noticed that the rawhide was bleaching the hair on his front legs (he holds the bones with his feet and chews).

Apparently, most rawhide is bleached--perhaps to make it more appetizing and to preserve the hide for marketing. What shocks me is the degree of bleach that must be used to bleach Charley's hair! And, if indeed this rawhide bleaches his hair to that degree (his front legs are brown) what is it doing to his stomach?

I have decided to purchase the pressed rawhide bones for him. I can get these at our local health food co-op. They are brown-colored and not bleached. I will not give him the real bones, which not only stain the carpet but splinter. I would like to find out more about what indeed goes into the manufacture of rawhide bones and toys.

It is ironic that I buy very high quality kibble for Charley and often bake biscuits for him--my healthy endeavors have been sabotaged by rawhide!