你应该给你的狗吃生牛皮和其他天然的狗食吗?

你应该给你的狗吃生牛皮和其他天然的狗食吗?

Of course you want what's best for your dog — like chew treats that are all-natural and healthy. And your dog just wants something tasty to gnaw on. But not all natural chews are created equal. Some are more likely to cause digestive problems or cracked teeth. Others may hurt your dog's gums or be a choking hazard.

当然，你想要的是对你的狗最好的-像咀嚼的东西是全天然和健康的。而你的狗只是想吃点好吃的东西。但并不是所有的天然咀嚼都是一样的。其中一些更有可能导致消化问题或牙齿开裂。其他的可能会伤到你的狗的牙龈或有窒息的危险。

Here's some information about rawhides, bully sticks, deer antlers and other natural chews to help you make good choices about what's best to give your pet.

这里有一些关于生牛皮、霸天虎棒、鹿角和其他天然咀嚼物的信息，可以帮助你做出正确的选择，选择给你的宠物最好的食物。

Rawhide

生牛皮

You can find lots of natural pet chews, but not all of them might be the smartest choice for your dog. (Photo: Rob Byron/Shutterstock)

Rawhide is made from dried animal skin. Because it's an animal byproduct, it's very attractive to dogs. It starts out hard, but it softens up after some serious gnawing from your dog, so no pieces splinter off or typically hurt your dog's teeth or gums, points out Nancy Kerns, editor of Whole Dog Journal. If you're going to give rawhide to your dog, she suggests purchasing only those treats made in the U.S. for the freshness factor and to avoid illegal and toxic chemicals. Kerns also suggests buying thicker rawhide, which isn't easy to break into pieces, and avoiding extremely white products.

生牛皮是由干燥的动物皮制成的。因为它是动物的副产品，对狗很有吸引力。《整只狗》杂志的编辑南希•科恩斯指出，刚开始很硬，但在你的狗咬了几下之后就会软下来，所以不会有碎片脱落，也不会伤到狗的牙齿或牙龈。如果你打算给你的狗吃生牛皮，她建议只买那些在美国制造的食物，以保证新鲜度，避免使用非法和有毒的化学物质。科恩斯还建议购买较厚的牛皮，因为牛皮不容易被撕成碎片，而且要避免颜色非常白的牛皮。

Cow hooves

牛蹄

Cow hooves can be sharp and brittle, so pieces can break off when your dog chews them. (Photo: Jim Sher/flickr)

When a dog starts chewing on hooves, pieces can break off and be swallowed, causing irritation to the dog's stomach and small intestine, according to California veterinarian Dr. Stan Kunin, DVM, for the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, an animal welfare organization. Hooves can also cause an obstruction or bowel perforation.

据动物福利组织Jason Debus Heigl Foundation的加州兽医斯坦库宁博士说，当狗开始咬蹄时，蹄片可能会脱落并被吞下，对狗的胃和小肠造成刺激。蹄子也能引起阻塞或肠穿孔。

Deer and elk antlers

鹿和麋鹿的角

Deer or elk antlers can cause chipped teeth in dogs that are aggressive chewers, say veterinarians. (Photo: Bill Pell/Shutterstock)

If you've ever given your dog a deer or elk antler to chew, you know they can grind forever and never seem to make a dent in it. That's because it's like chewing on a rock, say many veterinarians and canine dentists.

如果你曾经给过你的狗一只鹿或麋鹿的鹿角让它咀嚼，你就会知道它们会永远磨来磨去，似乎永远也咬不动它。许多兽医和犬科牙医说，这是因为这就像嚼石头一样。

Bully sticks

欺负棒

Bully sticks are made from a bull's private parts. (Photo: Owen Bryne/flickr)

Veterinarians suggest if you're going to give these treats to your dog, look for sticks made in the U.S. And because of the high calorie content, give them only occasionally.

兽医建议，如果你打算给你的狗狗吃这些东西，那就找一些美国制造的棍子，因为它们的卡路里含量很高，可以偶尔给它们吃。