Are elk antlers, yak chews, or goat horns safe for my dog's teeth?

Great question! I personally do not recommend these for dogs. These can easily break teeth, and dogs can choke on them if they swallow too big of a piece of them at a time. Breaking teeth will lead to a potentially costly dental surgery, and choking would mean an emergency visit to the vet. Now if you do want to allow Joey to have it, monitor him closely the entire time, keep him from breaking it down with his molars, and take it away when he has piece that's small enough for him to try to swallow. Good luck, I hope this helps and thanks for contacting Pet Coach :-)

Hello, and thank you for your question. These dried yak's milk treats are typically very hard, and can definitely damage her teeth over time. What happens is the chewing causes tiny microfractures in the teeth which can eventually result in a big slab fracture of the chewing teeth, requiring emergency dental surgery. I'd also be worried about the sharp shards, as I am not aware of any studies demonstrating the fragments dissolve in the stomach before passing through into the intestines. When you are looking for a chewing treat, try the "fingernail test" - if you can't make an indent in the treat with your fingernail, then it is too hard for your dog's teeth. I'd also suggest checking this website for veterinary-approved, safe dental treats for your dog: www.vohc.org. I hope this helps, and that Emmy stays happy and healthy!

I never recommend antlers because they do break teeth, and rawhides pose a chocking and intestinal blockage risk. Bully sticks are fine as long as you watch your dog when he eats it, and the Nylabone Petsafe Wood Chew is fine too. I hope this helps!

I personally do not recommend allowing dogs to eat bones or antlers. It can cause perforation of the GI tract and/or obstruction, both of which will require surgery to fix. There are teething toys you can get from a pet store that helps with a puppy's teething, and I would recommend using ones that you can freeze in the freezer before giving it to her. The cold will help with her teething and make her gums feel better, and there's not risk of GI perforation and obstruction. I hope this helps!

You are correct that antlers and nylon bones will break teeth, but they can also cause obstructions and/or perforations in the GI tract. I recommend a Kong toy. Those are very tough chew toys that are hard to dogs to destroy. You can also fill them with treats. I'd recommend, as an occasional treat, filling it with peanut butter and freezing it overnight in the freezer. That will keep her occupied for a while.

I myself, am not a fan. I do see these often cause teeth to break in dogs/puppies. I would advise not to give this to your pet. It is better to get easily digestible dog dental chews (once he is a bit bigger >10 months old) or you can get kong toys that are a bit safer for him to chew on. Best wishes with your puppy Bailey going forward. Take care!

I'm not a fan of these types of chews. They can be swallowed whole and could cause internal injuries or obstructions. Dried marrow would regain its "texture" once moistened with your dog's saliva. If you do decide to get these, make sure they are of appropriate size and monitor Echo when he is chewing one. Replace it if/when it becomes small enough to fit entirely in his mouth.