Dog treats dangerous for owners?

[brooklyngirl]

Hey guys!
So I was googling bully sticks since my sister told me that her pup loves them but she was shady a out telling me what they're made of, apparently they're bull penises I wanted to see if they were safe to give my puppy and I found this article that was a little alarming. It does state that it was only a small sample that was tested, but finding c diff, MRSA and E. coli made me think that everyone, but especially people who've had trouble with c diff in the past, should be extra careful about washing their hands after touching bully sticks or raw hides, or even not keep them in the house at all.

That being said, my pup is a chewer and we have a TON of different chewies that are one form of animal product or another. Any thoughts about decontaminating them? I was thinking about sealing them in vacuum bags and throwing them in a pot of boiling water?

http://dogingtonpost.com/bully-stick-treats-delicious-and-dangerous/#.U6CQH5K9KK3
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/rawhide-good-or-bad-for-your-dog

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I'm not worried. Tiny sample size, tinier still contamination rate, etc. Looks like a slow news day article to me. People who don't wash their hands after handling dog toys are asking for a lot more trouble than what's mentioned here.

 

[brooklyngirl]

I'm generally neurotic about cross contamination with raw meat and eggs- never letting anything touch, washing my hands a million times, using antibacterial stuff or bleach for cleaning afterward- but it literally never dawned on me to run and wash my hands after pulling a pork chomp out of the bag and tossing it to the pup. I didn't realize that they were basically raw and untreated.

 

[southernlady]

The only items I am truly paranoid on is raw chicken. I've had food poisoning from undercooked chicken..it's NASTY. Not the say I am not careful with other raw meats but raw chicken is my "bugaboo".

 

[Jbandmmomma]

There is a current to-do about chicken jerky pet treats. Since we have young kids in the house, I've insisted that no rawhides/jerky type treat products are brought for our dog. It's not worth the risk to me.

It is important to note, though, that people need to be sure they wash their hands after handling pets, pet food, pet treats, pet toys, etc. especially before handling food intended for human consumption. It seems like it should be a common sense type thing to remember (like washing your hands after going potty), but you'd be surprised.

 

[kirmy]

Not for short muzzled dogs like my bulldog. They choke.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Not for short muzzled dogs like my bulldog. They choke.

Does he like to chew? If so, what's a good kind of chew toy for him/others like him?

 

[kirmy]

I give mine dentasticks but only if I'm there with them. I give them smacko's for treats and deer antler treats for chewing but only if I'm supervising.

 

[Sheanie]

Our best defense against infection is intact skin. I don't worry about coming into contact with e. coli, MRSA, c. diff, or anything else. I do not use antibacterial anything, and will never use hand sanitizer. I've attended so many infectious disease seminars to know that only when my immune system is knocked down a peg or two is when I can catch something. When that happens, I take some C and move on.

Raw (uncooked) bones with some meat left on them are good for big dogs. Cooked bones splinter. And I never leave any dog alone with a bone. We have traveling bones for good car dogs, but they are only for in the car. My yorkies used to love carrots (raw). They'd carry those around like they were some great prize, and we'd find them later, all pruned up, buried in the couch cushions.

 

[newanatomy]

I have my laptop set up on the kitchen table. I am sitting here this afternoon with the back door open letting the fresh air in. I keep hearing the birds fighting and squawking with each other, driving me nuts. I finally walk out to see them fighting over my dog's bone. I grabbed the bone and brought it back inside. Ahh, blissful peace!

 

[Sheanie]

@newanatomy , I've got ravens in my pine trees right now, "shopping" from the top down for baby birds to carnivorize. When it gets too loud, I get my slingshot out and stand on my airing porch for a little while. It doesn't kill them, but it will ruin their day.

 

[newanatomy]

@newanatomy , I've got ravens in my pine trees right now, "shopping" from the top down for baby birds to carnivorize. When it gets too loud, I get my slingshot out and stand on my airing porch for a little while. It doesn't kill them, but it will ruin their day.

I went out to look for a nest that they might be squabbling over. I was going to knock it out of the tree.