# Antlers are dangerous



## msminnamouse (Nov 4, 2010)

I'm not sure what happened to the other pictures but here they are:


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## Dioritt (Aug 3, 2011)

Did you split them lengthways? If so, you shouldn't do that with any bones or antlers because they will be dangerous then.

Mine and my daughter's dogs both love antlers and have never had any problem with them. I just leave them to it and then take them away once I feel they've become to small (after about 3 months in our cases).


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

My girls have no issues with antlers, but we get them at the store. My chewer has chewed on hers for months, no problems and still has a ways to go before I take it away.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Interesting you said that, since elk antlers are all the rage......basically meaning the pet stores are saying they are best, etc. Well, I looked at them and didn't think they'd be safe. And, the sure sign was when I asked Mr. Sunny, "hmmm, would you like one of these?" and he sniffed and looked totally uninterested. So, I never tried them. Thanks for posting --- could have been really bad.


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## MaryLynn (Sep 8, 2012)

If I may make a suggestion. That antler looks REALLY (colour/consistency) weird. I am a hunter, and that doesn't look like a freshly shed antler, or one that's even been hacked off.

An antler that's in good shape and hasn't been processed, or decaying in the woods for a long time is going to hold up to dog chewing. 

We have been giving our dogs shed, and un-shed antlers for over 40 years (since before I was born lol!) and we haven't had a single splinter or anything. We also didn't hew them in half like that though, but we could cut them into manageable sizes.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

I just about give up on being comfortable with what_ is,_ and_ isn't_, safe for a dog to chew! Based on experience, I am anti hard Nylabones; two friends' dogs broke teeth gnawing on those. I used to love giving my dog marrow bones, then learned some owners and vets alike fine those hazardous to teeth as well.:confused2: I've twice bought Chagall an antler during his three year lifetime and he's shown no interest whatsoever in them so I re-gifted them. Then I got to thinking if the marrow bones are NG, how could antlers be otherwise?? I landed on giving him no-odor bullysticks (his favorite thing on the planet, besides me!) and Himalayan chews. His teeth are sparkly white and intact, he likes to gnaw on those things and I don't have any gnawing worries about either.:smile:


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I have been having a hard time finding something I thought was safe for my big puppy to chew. I discovered cow hoofs recently. He seems to love them and we have several strewn around the house. He's chewing on one right now. I hope hoofs are okay!

I took the nylabones away after CM's dog cracked a large tooth on one. I took away the beef tendons after the dogs vomited chunks of them up twice in a row. I do give small rawhides, but they last about 15 minutes. The hoofs last forever, it seems.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I have give antlers and know lots of people that do the same without issue. Those don't look right to me. They always just gradually wear down with never a hint of a splinter. I am so glad you noticed the issue with these before your dogs got hurt. For swizzle it is just one more chewie in the rotation. I also give bullies, cow trachea, and dried chicken feet. I have not tried cow hooves because it is weight bearing. It is probably ok because it is keratin not bone. I will check with my vet on my next visit.


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

The deer antlers I get don't look anything like the OP's photo and haven't caused any of my dogs any damage. The love them! I think a proper elk antler should be the same as a deer antler, except bigger, at least the ones I've seen in the stores are.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

I agree with all of the above posters. I have found I need to get LARGE braided bullies and he is less apt to get little pieces off, but it is a challenge. He has virtually no interest in any nylabone type chew, likes bullies, but maybe because there are so many around my place it's not a big deal. He will walk over and pick one up on occasion. I experiment on the bestbullies.com site and they have some larger chews. He likes to chew and I know would swallow a 2" piece of a bully, so I am sooooooooooo careful.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

It is a good idea to keep a close eye on all chewies. A bad batch of antlers, a too small bully ... It is scary to think of all the ways they can get hurt.


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

Now I have finally been able to download these pix lol. I bought these 5-6" antlers at the pet store. As you can see no splintering, or anything. My toy stole my mini's antler, but my mini isnt much of a chewer unless she can swallow it. Otherswise she doesnt feel like she should bother so I have to toss her raw chicken wings. She LOVES raw! Anywho my toy was the one doing the most damage to the antlers and she chews on them every day . You can see the difference in her favorite and the other antler. There is a "top view" where she is wearing them away, and her enjoying her favorite antler. Dont know why she likes that one but it didnt have a point on either end.


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## Dusty Rose (Nov 19, 2012)

Your pictures look like the antlers had been shed quite some time ago. I was given a moose shed to use to train my dogs to find them in the woods. It was much whiter than your pictures. I cut the tines off for the 3 dogs to chew on and haven't seen any sign of splintering. I think the paddle, the wider, flatter part, might be more apt to splinter.


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## fairhavenmagick (Jan 19, 2011)

I have been feeding antlers for a little over a year now. There are normally 2 or 3 laying about the house. I haven't had any problems with them. They crumble down on the ends like Ladyscarletthawk's photos. I have never seen any the color of the splintered one.

I also feed bullies but my dogs and I have a new favorite. Himilayian Dog Chews, you can check them out here . No mess or smell, the dogs go nuts for them and when they get down to nubs you can throw them in the microwave and the puff up for a tasty treat! I love that there is no waste.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

We have purchased antlers, and my husband would cut them in half with his bandsaw, as the corgis enjoyed being able to scrape the inner material out of them. They never had any problem with them.

However, my big, strong-chewing spoo boy *did* manage to break a splinter off of one of the split ones. Since then I've taken up all the split ones and kept a very careful eye on the intact ones.

There seems to be some inconsistency in the hardness of the antlers. My dogs have one which they've managed to nibble down and nibble down. It's lighter in color and seems "softer" and not prone to break. Then there's another one that's darker in color and seems "harder," which Sugar will chew, but really is working it to get it to wear down even a little. 

Mine do like the Himilayan dog chews, but the corgis will consume them in no time flat, so they're a treat for Sugar while he's in the room with mommy, no sharing. :biggrin: We give bully sticks for special treats, also chicken or duck feet, and beef knuckles (until they get too worn down). Gotta keep those teeth occupied!

--Q


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## fairhavenmagick (Jan 19, 2011)

I like the idea of duck feet or maybe turkey feet (chicken feet are probably too small for my other guys). Does anyone have a good online source for them?


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## jasperspoo (Feb 25, 2011)

Jasper has a couple of antlers that he chews. He's not a heavy chewer, so he's still on his first (he's had it for like 2 years now) It's scary that others with powerful chewers are having some difficulties, though!


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## msminnamouse (Nov 4, 2010)

Huh. I didn't know there was such a difference. I have white and other colored elk ones. I haven't tried deer yet or moose. I've been thinking about trying goat horns! I bought these so I could split them because her bottom front teeth are worn down and her gums bleed there from chewing hard things. Thankfully I only split one. I've since given Ginger another one whole. It's whiter. She's making a serious dent in that one too in little time. She doesn't spend a lot of time on it. I was surprised she's taken to them at all because we've been checking them out at the stores for a while and she's never shown any interest up until recently. She's got some serious jaw pressure. Makes me all the more considerate of how gentle she is with her people and friends. 

I've bought duck feet from the international stores in the past. A big pack for much less than you'd buy from a pet store. I clip the claws, then cook them down to make broth for the dogs. Then I roast them and they're pretty dehydrated by then. They like them a lot. I'm still concerned about giving bones in general for canine tooth fractures and intestinal damage. Even raw bones cause intestinal injuries and tooth fractures. All bones, cooked or raw have that potential. I wish the misconception wasn't out there. Most people don't know until it happens. Some dogs go for years or even a lifetime eating cooked or raw bones without any problems because they're lucky. Doesn't mean that it's not risky though. It's a particular risk I'm not too keen on when there are other chewing choices. Even antlers (bone) concern me and I carefully supervise. Cooking the bones until they're rubbery makes the feet safe, IMO.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I agree eating bone can be risky but for me the benefits outweigh the risks. I do feel a raw bone is less likely to splinter than a cooked bone. I feel the dental and mental benefits are considerable and the risks are relatively low. My uncle had a pack of hunting dogs all fed on a raw diet for umpteen years. The way they gulped their food down I am shocked none of them had issues. I do feel it is wise to keep a watchful eye. I am lucky Swizzle chews the whole bone and does not swallow big bits of bone. I wonder if all cracked teeth experienced when eating raw bones. Many dogs have shockingly bad teeth that eating raw bones throughout there lives may have prevented. Undoubtably there is a genetic component too. I have a friend who every time he goes to the dentist he has 20 plus cavities. He eats healthy and is a zealot on dental hygiene but all of his family are cursed with soft, cavity riddled teeth. I think the duck feet you give are great. They have tons of condroitin and are a great healthy treat.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I hate to add another potential concern into the mix, but here it goes. In some areas of New York state there is a lot of elk wasting disease in the deer population. This is a prion disease, aka "mad cow" disease. Mostly it is transmitted by consumption of central nervous system tissue (brain and spinal cord), not though peripheral tissues like antlers or muscle, but nonetheless in NYS deer from the affected areas are not to be consumed at all. I think I would want to know that antlers I gave my dogs came from an area that I knew to be unaffected. Since I wouldn't know where they came from if I bought them in a store I've never given them much more than a glance.


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## MaryLynn (Sep 8, 2012)

That is absolutely true, it also affects many populations of white tail and mule deer.


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## msminnamouse (Nov 4, 2010)

As long as people accept and understand the risks, that's what's important. Denying that anything can possibly go wrong is what's the most dangerous.

After researching Kuru and other Prion caused diseases, I was wondering if dogs were affected and resources showed that dogs are immune to Prions.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

msminnamouse, how interesting to know that dogs appear to be prion resistant. Can you provide a reference please? If I wait until I have time to research it myself I will probably forget. It is the last three weeks of the fall semester at my college and because of the hurricane loss time, it is really hectic. 

You are right about informed risk too. All of life is a series of decisions, hopefully, well thought out on the potential benefits and whether they outweigh the potential risks. I always give that analysis to my sushi loving students who often eat lots of raw fish until they learn about parasites in my class!


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