Gastro Enteritis caused by rawhide bones??

Hi, at the risk of making an a...... of myself, could rawhide bones (the ones with the knot at the end, I think that's what they are called), cause gastro enteritus?
I know usually it's skanky water or eating something disgusting, but as far as I know both of my dogs have only eaten these bone things in the last couple of days apart from their usual food - I could be wrong of course, but I have a few more left and obviously don't want to give them to them if they were the cause of Ailsa's very nasty bout of GE. Jake had a lot of orchestral movements going on in his tum but fortunately didn't succumb like Ailsa did.

Don't know about gastroenteritis but I gave the dogs a rawhide bone a few years ago & one of them had awful mucous covered stools the following day. He also vomited back a large piece he'd swallowed so they never got them again!

oh you have my sympathy

both my boys have had the runs on and off for the past fortnight...but i'm sure theres is food issue

hope you sort it...its a nightmare xx

I don`t feed these because when they get soft and slimy they can block the throat. I had to haul one out of a choking dog`s gullet and haven`t bought one since.

Do you know when I watched them eating those in the garden that very thought did cross my mind. I don't often give them to them, I don't give them bones either, they just get one of those straw shaped chews before going to bed.
That settles it no more of those for my 3.

I had a similar problem once with my last dog......she used to have pigs' ears until one day she demolished one too quickly and it caused a blockage. She was very poorly for a few days, but thankfully recovered with treatment.

I know that many people will disagree, but I tend to think that bones; rawhide chews; pigs ears and similar such treats, whilst they may be good for helping to clean teeth and give the dog enjoyment, actually can cause so much harm that the risks outweigh the benefits.

Bitkin - yes, I do agree which is why I don't give bones.
I do occasionally give pigs ears and the rawhide bones with reservations I have to say. I suppose I was swayed by what I thought of as 'public opinion' so many of my friends give them these treats that I felt a bit mean not giving them anything extra to their food, but after Ailsa's bout of
GE and the other comments made here about the rawhide chews I am going to go with my original feelings and not feed them anything extra apart from the supper chews.

I know what you mean, and I know that many dogs sail through life chomping their way steadily through a mountain of bones, ears and rawhide without even a twitch of the skin by way of reaction. Like you, I will never risk any of them again.

Yep I've had a case of ge from hide bones. One if my collies ate a small one and later that evening kept asking to go out to the garden. After several " visits " I followed her out and was horrified to find several pools of mucus and blood. Poor thing was rushed to the vets and diagnosed with severe indegestion/ ge. So no more for my guys either.

The chief danger of rawhides is blockages. However, it makes sense that they would be great media for bacteria to multiply. Chewed until they are soggy and left for a while outside where it is warm and plenty of bacteria. Then the dog returns to it.

I have enormous confidence in the professionals at the dog guide school. They had been forbidding them in 1991 when we started raising puppies.

It comes down to being risk adverse or indulgent. Do you give you dog something it loves despite the risk?