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pigs ears

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  • 26-08-2008 5:01pm
    #1
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭


    Pigs' Ears Not Recommended for Dogs
    My-Dog.info > Dogs, Diet & Food

    Pigs' ears have a high fat content and can lead to obesity. They can also cause stomach upset in some dogs. Because they are high in fat, they can irritate the pancreas, causing pancreatitis in susceptible dogs. This results in vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

    Pig's ear treats can also be a source of Salmonella bacteria. The federal government recently issued a warning that pig's ear dog treats from a number of manufacturers were contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, which can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and other serious long-term complications. Some pets that become infected may not show clinical signs.

    These products can also be a risk to humans, according to the Health Canada warning. Transmission of the bacteria to humans can be via direct handling of contaminated product or handling of pets who may have become infected. For this reason, owners are advised to wash their hands thoroughly with warm water and soap after handling pig's ear treats. Better yet, consult your veterinarian about these products or avoid them altogether

    http://www.my-dog.info/dogs_and_food/pigs_ears.asp


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    #2
    Warhammer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 109 ✭✭Warhammer


    theres a thread somewhere about selling these in or outside petshops.
    I wouldnt let mine near them.
    I agree with you Peasant and thanks for posting the information.


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    #3
    arybvtcw0eolkf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭arybvtcw0eolkf


    Warhammer wrote: »
    theres a thread somewhere about selling these in or outside petshops.
    I wouldnt let mine near them.
    I agree with you Peasant and thanks for posting the information.


    There's also a discussion on a Staffordshire Bull Terrier forum which I use about pigs ear's & raw hide, and issue's involving choking causing blockages in dogs guts.


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    #4
    christinadublin
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭christinadublin


    Didn't know that. It's been a while since I've bought any dog treats, but in the past I have given my dogs pigs ears. Never again. Thanks for the heads up.


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    #5
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    ...and while we're at it ...some more warnings about rawhide and other products

    http://www.k911.biz/Petsafety/RawhideandChewyTreats.htm
    As with any edible treat given to your dog, use your discretion and always be present when your pets are consuming them.


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    #6
    gerky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,407 ✭✭✭gerky


    What would be a good chew treat alternative for dogs, or is it a matter of sticking with rawhide and just keeping a close eye on them.


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    #7
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    We've got a solid rubber (not plastic) bone at home and two rubber balls with holes in them. They have withstood the most furious chewing attacks from three dogs for years now.

    As for treats ...a carrot makes a great chew toy.


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    #8
    here.from.day.1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,211 ✭✭✭here.from.day.1


    Id never thought of these for my dog but she was in the vets a few weeks ago and he gave her one after she got her shots. She picked it up but put it back down and left it, no interest at all.


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    #9
    jenpup
    Closed Accounts Posts: 59 ✭✭jenpup


    Thanks for that Peasant, didn't realise they were so bad.

    Stopped giving them a couple of weeks ago because of the smell (dog has a habit of licking my couch with his stinky breath), but was going to buy some this weekend.

    Won't now.


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    #10
    whitser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭whitser


    pigs ears,kongs,rubber toys.....
    what happened to a nice meaty marrow bone or the likes?


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    #11
    Discostuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 303 ✭✭Discostuy


    I got my two, two big meaty knuckle joint bones full of marrow from a local butcher on the weekend. Its the first time they've had proper real meat bones.
    They absolutley loved them...spent ages at them.

    Thing was one of them got a bad cause of the bobs&bits...now im not sure if it was the bone or the small bit of remains of my chinese they got out of the bin that evening.

    But now im paro about giving them back to them incase it was the bone which might have been to much for them?? This happen to anyone with butcher bones?.


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    #12
    whitser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭whitser


    i'd defo blame the curry left overs for that one. belive me butchers bones are great for dogs.


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    #13
    Discostuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 303 ✭✭Discostuy


    Yeah i thought that might be the case alright.
    I'll try them again this week...but at the same time want to use them as a rare treat.


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    #14
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    A nice, soft, juicy marrow bone is fine ...in moderation.

    We also give them occasionally to our dogs. Just make sure they don't gorge on it. I'd say the runs were caused by the curry, too much of the bone usually causes the opposite and that's why they should only be given in moderation. Only the other week I saw a dog at the vets that had to be anaestathised (sp?) in order to remove the blockage from its guts caused by lots of bone meal.

    Another thing with bones is that they are messy and not recommended for the house proud ... ours also keep hiding them in the garden and then come back weeks later with a stinking, rotten zombie bone.

    Also with bones being "special", we have to separate the dogs when bones are given ...otherwise there would be murder.


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    #15
    Jip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭Jip


    Every dog we've had have always been given pigs ears as treats, one a week or less. Never had any problems with them nor have my fathers or friends dogs. Unless you give them one or two every day I can't see obesity being a problem. I'm guessing this is just another of these stories that pop up every now and agan saying something is bad. If you were to heed everything on the net you, and your pet, would probably starve.


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    #16
    Scawgeen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 251 ✭✭Scawgeen


    Thanks for posting this link. It appears the lady gave the pigs ear to a pup, it's the owner needs educating. A pup is like a baby and because he's more mobile he needs more looking after, he shouldn't be given small rawhide treats or pigs ears. But if he does get the slightly bigger ones take them away out of his reach at night, because if he does get into difficulties during the night there's nobody to help him.

    If you've got a big dog like a labrador you give him a large rawhide treat 14 inches or more not a 4 or 5 inch treat that could possible get stuck in his gut.
    I've seen people give small rawhide treats to large dogs, some will just gulp them down whole.


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    #17
    stevoman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭stevoman


    Scawgeen wrote: »
    Thanks for posting this link. It appears the lady gave the pigs ear to a pup, it's the owner needs educating

    how does the owner need educating? the problem with this forum is a lot of people are so high up on themselves and willing to say others need so much educating. i bet they are the very same people who listen to joe duffy and spend most there afternoons shaking there heads and drinking tea.

    i work here with vets and have consulted them and have asked will pigs ears be harmful to a pup once given in moderation and they all say its no problem so i will choose to take the professionals advice and say that its ok, instead of just some internet link any tom dick or harry could have wrote. one of the vets here regularly gives them to her dog.

    there's internet links that say that anyone that is not a white christian is a sinner and will rot in hell but would everyone beleive that.

    I'l stick with the prof vets advice on this one.


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    #18
    Caoimhín
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,789 ✭✭✭Caoimhín


    You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

    Thank you.


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    #19
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,316 ✭✭✭✭fits


    There is no way in hell I would give a pigs ear to a pup especially when unsupervised. I would think it is dangerous and irresponsible and there are alternatives out there..


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    #20
    stevoman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭stevoman


    fits wrote: »
    There is no way in hell I would give a pigs ear to a pup especially when unsupervised. I would think it is dangerous and irresponsible and there are alternatives out there..

    well i would have no problem giving my dog pigs ears in moderation whatsoever tbh


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    #21
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,316 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I am making a distinction between dogs and pups here.

    The subject of the original thread was a pup.


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