Bess's Mom

My foster Basset, Gustav, is a big-time chewer. After he disembowled the squeakers from several of my Bess' toys I offered him a Nylabone, which he seems to really prefer over plush toys. What he loves best of all is beef ears. I don't get the smoked ones. Over the last few weeks he's had three episodes of GI upsets (diarrhea, once with vomiting). I put him on bland diet (no treats, of course) and that gets him back to normal within a couple of days. I'm starting to think this is related to the beef ears. He usually doesn't finish one in a single day (but did, once, after he found one of the kitties lying on it); he usually chews it for a while, "buries" it someplace in the house, brings it out the next day for some more chewing, hides it again...

When I got home this afternoon and found that he'd pooped loose stool all over my kitchen I located the two ears I knew he'd hidden in the house and stashed them away.

Has anybody experienced something similar with beef or pork ears? I've never given any of the dogs rawhide because I'm afraid of obstructions, but wasn't too concerned about ears.

bcc11

I have no experience with beef ears, but I know that my own pup goes into extreme GI distress whenever she has a rawhide. Thus, no more rawhides.

roostershmoo

one handles them fine, the other gets the runs, so used very very sparingly. They do love them so.

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Lucky mom to two-year old twin sisters Emily (omega) and Mabel (alpha)

Bess's Mom

Thanks to both of you for your replies. Guess the ears are going to have to be handed out on only special occasions. That will be sad. I think I enjoy them as much as the hounds do - not only do they fulfill their "chew" needs, but ears can be flipped and chased all over the house (Bess) or hidden just about anyplace that can be imagined (Gustav). Very entertaining.

(Goose is STILL not quite back to normal in the poop department. I think he's stretching it as long as he can because white rice and boiled ground beef is a lot tastier than kibble.)