Most dogs love chewing a lot and will exercise their teeth on anything chewable along their path. As such, getting a good chew toy for your dog is a thing you should consider doing to occupy him and keep his teeth cleaner and stronger. The only challenge you might encounter while selecting such a toy is getting a reliable one since not all chew toys are safe.
Nylabones – Are they safe?
You might be wondering about one of the most popular brands – Nylabones. You may have read or heard from various sources that there have been cases where pet owners had to rush their puppies to veterinary facilities after they ingested a piece of Nylabone chew toy. Such an experience can be quite stressful since the Nylabone brand is trusted and preferred by many pet owners.
That should concern any dog owner, raising the question of whether Nylabone chew toys are safe for your dog.
Where does it all go wrong?
There is a thing that is often taken lightly yet it’s so important. Nylabones are not dog treats, even though the company has several edible products for your pooch. The nylon bones, in this case, are not edible, and just like any other chew toy, they will start weakening over time. When such happens, it should be in your best interest to get a new toy for your dog.
Some dog owners also fail to read the product package carefully, despite it containing vital information such as suitability. You never want to give a Nylabone intended for a Chihuahua to a Rottweiler because they will most likely ingest the inedible toy. With all the information on the internet at your disposal, be wise enough to make use of it when making your decision.
Issue about Nylabones
Different complaints are being brought forward against the inedible Nylabone chew toy, and one of the major problems is that the product breaks so easily, allowing for accidental swallowing. Huge dog breeds, however, are not at risk of immediate choking if the pieces they swallow are significantly small. Even though that’s the case, their gastrointestinal tract’s lumen might end up getting irritated.
Smaller breeds are not always lucky, and if they swallow pieces that are considerably large, they might result in intestinal obstruction owing to the dogs’ smaller digestive tracts. Some cases can become critical and might need urgent surgery to remove the piece causing trouble. It is mainly for this reason that most pet parents consider Nylabone chew toys as unsafe.
Nylabone disclaimer
Nylabone issued a disclaimer which stressed on significant points such as “non-edible chew toys are not meant for consumption”, among others. From the disclaimer, there are essential things you need to note and stick to including:
- Vigilance: As a pet owner, your most significant responsibility is ensuring that your beloved fluffy animal is safe at all times. Vigilance, in this case, is all about inspecting the toy at all times, and confirming that it is whole and intact, with no pieces coming off. Should there be any signs of weakening, you must consider replacing the toy. Be attentive at all times, even to the tiniest details.
- Supervision: The disclaimer also suggests that pet owners need to embrace the concept of active supervision of their fluffy friends. You don’t want to leave your pooch playing with his chew toy unsupervised since you never know what may happen when you are away. Close observation allows you to note the first signs that a piece as broken off, so you will have enough time to act.
- Proper care: You also will note that the disclaimer has pointed out some of the things that you must avoid doing to slow down the degradation of the chew toy. It suggests that exposing the product to harsh chemicals and heat can make a Nylabone deteriorate faster than it should have, hence endangering Fido.
Choosing the right dog chew
While Nylabones might be the right chew toys for your doggie, you still have to do your part, and that means picking the right chew toy since not all dogs are the same. Here is what you will have to consider when making your decision:
1. Size
The Nylabone dog chew toy must be of the right size so that it fits his mouth just fine. In short, your dog must be able to have the product in his mouth, yet still, have space to move his jaws up and down while chewing. If there is limited chewing movement, then you might be risking injury to his jaws.
On the other hand, a small toy could easily get swallowed and cause intestinal obstruction after some time, or worse even choke your beloved pet.
2. Chewing personality
There are three main types of chewers namely gulpers, destroyers, and nibblers. Gulpers like biting large chunks off what they are chewing, and before you even know it, they already swallowed the piece. Destroyers will find pleasure in breaking things apart using their teeth. These won’t gulp the broken parts, unless if it happens accidentally.
Nibblers fall in the third category and are so adorable since they spend countless hours playing with their toys and chewing them lightly. As such, gulpers will benefit from firm chew toys that won’t easily break apart, and destroyers will love rawhides, edible chews, and bully sticks. Nibblers, being quite gentle, will be comfortable with just about every toy you offer them.
3. Chew strength
One fact you must appreciate is that being a small breed dog does not mean that he/she will not be a tenacious chewer. In most cases, dogs of the same breed will even have different chewing strength, so it all depends on the chewing personality. Find out the chewing power of your pooch to get the right Nylabone for him.
In conclusion, Are Nylabones safe for dogs’ teeth?
The answer to this question cannot be a direct “Yes” or “No”. It matters with how you observe the guidelines that should be considered when this toy is in use. If you do so carefully, then the toy should be safe to use. One thing to remember as a pet parent is that your fluffy friend depends on you to make most decisions for them.
They don’t have an idea whether what you give them is safe or not, which leaves you with a responsibility to ensure that your pet is safe at all times. Just remember to keep on inspecting the toy, supervise the doggie when he is using it, and take good care of the toy by not subjecting it to harsh disinfection methods.
One discrepancy about Nylabone chews, thought, is that they are good for separation anxiety, yet you already know that you have to supervise your dog while he plays with his toy. For such a case, there are Nylabone edible dog treats, which should work just fine when you wish to deal with separation anxiety.
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