However, your dog will break off and swallow pieces of antlers as he chews. Many people hope this will prevent choking. Antlers can be huge, so big dogs can’t get the entire thing in their mouths. One reason big dog owners like antlers is their size. Even if an antler doesn’t look sharp at first, it can become sharp as your dog gnaws and breaks pieces off. This can lead to bleeding, pain, and the need for veterinary assistance. If your dog chews these at a poor angle, there is the risk that he could puncture his own mouth, or gums. Many antlers have pointy, protruding prongs.

Oral PuncturesĪntlers are designed to be used as weapons by deer and other animals. So, it is best to prevent the opportunity altogether and avoid antlers. It can be hard to know if this has happened until your dog starts to show symptoms of internal pain or disruption. These pieces can also become lodged in your dog’s throat or intestines and cause internal damage. So, as they travel through your dog’s digestive system, there is the risk that they can puncture something. Your dog can easily swallow these splinters or chunks. Hard bones like antlers can split and splinter when your dog is chewing on them. Internal DamageĪnother reason that antlers can be a cause for concern is the potential for internal damage. Damaged teeth can look chipped, cracked, or even have discoloration. In fact, studies have identified a link between dogs who chew on antlers and the number of fractured teeth. The firmness of antlers means that your dog could chip or fracture his tooth when gnawing at these bones. But, the problem with antlers is that they are just so hard. Dental HealthĬhewing on something can help to keep your dog’s teeth clean. The three main reasons for this include dental health, internal damage, and oral punctures. Unfortunately, antlers aren’t as safe as many people believe them to be.

But chewing on something is a great way to keep them occupied. Our dogs can get bored pretty easily if they have nothing to do.

This includes: calcium, phosphorus, crude protein, fat, and more. Secondly, antlers contain lots of great minerals. Dogs love the taste of antlers and bones! In fact, raw feeding, which involves giving your dog raw meat and bones, is increasingly popular as a diet. Most dogs will enjoy chewing on and eating antlers. Studies have shown that a single dental chew each day can reduce plaque and odor. Chewing Helps Dental HealthĪ final reason why antlers for dogs are popular is that having something to chew on can help to clean your dog’s teeth. Many people don’t experience this problem with antlers for dogs. Regular dog food chews, or even some toys, can start to smell pretty bad when our dogs have had them for a while. But, in reality, antlers for dogs can pose just as much of a choking hazard as small toys. Many people think that large antlers are a good solution. After all, you don’t want something your dog could choke on. You can get deer antlers for dogs, elk, reindeer, and even moose antlers for dogs! People with big dogs can occasionally struggle to get appropriately sized toys. Variety of SizesĪs we looked at briefly before, there are lots of different types of antlers. This strength comes with a big risk to your dog’s teeth, but we will look at that more in a moment. Even those labelled as ‘durable’ or ‘indestructible’.Īntlers are bones, so they are very sturdy and hard to break. If your dog is a strong chewer, you might find that he often destroys normal chew toys. One of the main reasons that people give their dogs antlers is that it provides something strong to chew on. There are a few reasons that people might choose antler bones for dogs. With the abundance of chew toys on shelves at pet stores, you might be wondering why people would want to give their dogs antlers. But, not all of them are popular choices to give to dogs.

Natural elk antlers for dogs