Doggy Gums

Factual Questions
1

No, not chewing gums. I mean the gums that hold their teeth in…

My friend has a yellow lab (mixed with something else) and I ocasionally bring her rawhide bones as a treat. She gets very excited and eats the bone in one day. I then notice some blood on the edge of the bone where she’s been chewing.

This time, she was eating so zealously that the bone was actually dripping blood. She didn’t seem worried in the least and kept chewing until it was nearly gone (about a 7-inch bone in a couple of hours).

Is this normal/safe for a dogs’ gums to bleed as they eat rawhides? i know these rawhides are supposed to help her teeth and stuff. She’s about 2 years old now, if that matters.

I know there are “soft mouth” dogs, and labs and retrievers fit in that category. Should I get her a different kind of bone next time? Or should I just let her go on her merry way?

Also, as a bonus question…what’s the caloric content of a rawhide? she’s sort of on a diet…am i helping her “cheat” by giving her a bone once a week?

2

Dogs get gingivitis (gum disease) and bleeding gums the same way people do, usually from eating a steady diet of soft canned food. The occasional crunchy treat, like Milk Bone or rawhide, won’t help much.

She should see the vet, IMO.

3

Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think they are supposed to eat those rawhide bones. The dog’s owner must not be feeding her enough.

4

Yeah this dog needs a vet. We have 2 huskies that only get crunchy food and we used to give them rawhide bones as treats. They love the bones and yes they can and will eat them. It’s not bad for them but we found out we were overdoing it. They were getting 5-10 a week and that’s way too many. Bought them some nylabones which are very durable and a single one will last weeks. Get one for your friend’s dog.

5

oops,forgot to add: Our dogs’s gums never bleed. They never have bad breath and haven’t need any teeth cleanings yet.

6

I’d say don’t worry about it. What else does the dog eat that puts pressure on the gums? Probably nothing. I’ve seen blood on the bone with many dogs.

7

Same thing happens to my dog (who is about due for a teeth cleaning). I assumed his gums bled for the same reason mine do if I floss when I haven’t flossed for a while.

And I believe the “soft mouth” of labs and some other breeds means that the dog will retrieve a bird without damaging it; they’ll carry things without clamping down on them too hard.