Antlers

exiled

Is this normal?  I gave Rodney a new antler that I bought at a pet store.  It was wrapped in plastic with cardboard signage--it wasn't loose in a bin.  I just gave it to him to play with.  I was right there with him, I was sitting and he was right next to me on the deck.  After about 2 or 3 minutes, I heard a crack/snap.  I thought it was either the antler or a tooth, but probably the antler.  He kept at it another 5 minutes or so, and I'm watching him like a hawk.  It makes a few more slight crackly sounds, then I heard another loud crack/snap.  I took it away from him because it looked like he swallowed something.  The antler was gnawed down quite a bit in less than 10 minutes, and there was blood in his spit/drool.  I immediately took it away from him and took some pictures.  Is this normal?  Anything to worry about if he eats part of the antler?  Is that supposed to be what happens?  If it isn't obvious, I've never given an antler to a dog before. 

I'm attaching the picture of the end of the antler where he chewed, and a picture of the other end which is reflective of the end before he started chewing.

Xtracho

Looks like that antler got the worst of it real quick. Never have purchased them from the pet store. I always order them from a web site that sells only the antlers. Wearing them down is normal, but with the hard antlers that I get it takes days for them to get worn down like that.

exiled

Yep, I was surprised because even at the store they told me it takes a long time.  It seemed highly polished and was clanking on the deck.  I had barely sat down to keep an eye on him after I gave it to him, then I started hearing sounds that made me cringe.  I thought I better check with people if this is what it's supposed to look like.  They had the ones that were split with the marrow exposed, but the guy told me those get eaten quickly.

So, seeing some of his drool with blood in it is okay?  They'll eat the whole thing?  I panicked and took it away from him until I heard from somebody with experience.  Thanks for answering my questions.

Soapskid

@Exiled - had the same thing happen. I probably won't buy an antler from the pet store seeing as online stores have better quality antlers.

exiled

It wasn't a Petco or Petsmart, it was a boutique store that carries Orijen and raw diet foods, so I thought I was buying a quality antler.  I'll take a picture of the packaging because I'm curious if this is a brand anyone else has bought.  Maybe antlers just aren't the right chew toy for him.  I'm surprised that he likes a Nylabone, because my other BT would not touch those...at all.

Going to buy some bully sticks next time I go to Costco. 

Has anyone else seen blood from their BT chewing on bones or antlers?  Are the antler pieces that he ate digestible?   

Xtracho

Being the bones that they are...Maya has never had trouble passing the bits and pieces she manages to chew and/or break off. She is working on a large elk antler as we speak...and has become quite the expert at chewing on them.

Boyda

The blood is more then likely from him gnawing hard around the gums, nothing to worry about unless there is a lot of blood, like A LOT, then he probably lost his tooth or bite his tongue. As far as him having any issues passing it, I doubt it, unless it's a large piece, I wouldn't worry. He probably swallowed a small fraction of it, which he wouldn't have any problem passing.

Xtracho

This is the elk antler Maya is working on now...

We get them from www.bestelkantlers.com

exiled

Oh goodness, thank you all for reassuring me.  I'm like a new mom with a newborn, lol.  Even though I've had a BT before, there's so many new things, and so much research that has changed the way we take care of them.

Maya's antler is bigger than the one I bought, more substantial.  The blood was like a cut gum, not like a lost tooth, thank goodness. 

Thanks for the antler website.  The antlers are much more reasonable, too!  I'm going to order one from them.

Xtracho

@exiled...let us know how Rodney likes it!

BulliesofNC

Damn, you have Maya's coat perfect. She always looks so darn clean and perfect.

Xtracho

Thanks Steve. She got a bath after a walk where she hit every mud hole on the route we took. I'll have to post some photos when she is in her "not so perfect" look!  B-)

Boyda

Holy cow that antler is huge!
@xtracho I gave Taco a bath today cause I needed to take pictures, not even 5 mins of him being brushed and ran and have himself a freaking dust bath..... You can never keep a white dog white!

Xtracho

@Boyda....LOL...Maya will hucklebutt for about 2 minutes after a bath. And I mean it is ultrasonic. But yeah, she can get filthy for sure!

Xtracho

Did someone mention perfectly white??

BulliesofNC

Now that's my type of Bull Terrier!!! I bet by now she's spit shined back up and laying pretty on the couch.

Xtracho

Are you sitting outside our house with binoculars? 

Jmallar

Oh mud season. Gotta love it! I laugh now and say I guess u never really know how dirty your dog is until you get a white one