Chew'ems FAQ

Which are safer - Bones or Nylon Chews

It is a myth that dogs need to chew bones. While dogs want to chew, and most would love to chew on bones, bones are dangerous and they can cause serious injuries.

Bones are very hard and can be brittle, making it easy for a dog to break one of its large chewing teeth. A broken tooth is painful and must be treated. Whether the tooth is extracted or saved with a root canal, this is an expensive outcome.

Pieces of bone can lodge in the esophagus on the way down to the stomach. Sharp bone shards can penetrate the soft tissues at the back of the throat or pierce the esophagus. It is also possible for a piece of bone to get into the trachea (windpipe), interfering with your dog’s ability to breathe. Choking is an emergency!

Nylon chews are a safer alternative because, when done correctly, are designed to give under pressure and not splinter. Chew’ems are specifically designed to yield under the pressure of a dog’s tooth. In fact, when they really apply pressure, the chew basically imitates playdoh and allows grooves to be carved into the chew. This results in less pressure on the tooth and greatly diminishes the chance of a broken tooth. In addition, the very nature of the formula limits the risk of splintering which is what really causes damage to a dog’s esophagus.

There is some debate about how hard is “too hard” when it comes to a dog chew. We are no veterinarian, although we work with a bunch, but what we have learned and observed is there is a sweet spot. Some will suggest a fingernail test (it is good if you can mark the product with your fingernail) but that may be a little too soft. Your dog’s chews with about 200X more pressure per square inch that you can generate with your fingernail. What that leads to is a product that is too soft and chunks can be ripped off causing a chocking hazard. Obviously if it is too hard, it can break teeth.

What  can say with 100% certainty is that we make these products for our dogs, and we would never create something that would hurt or injure them.

Do your dogs ingest the nylon?

While we can’t speak for other brands, the chewing action on a Chew’ems creates small (less than a millimeter in size and generally very flat) flakes of nylon that a dog may swallow. These flakes pass safely through the digestive tract and exit naturally from their body. It is during this journey that most of the minerals and vitamins are absorbed by their bodies.

Is it safe to eat something you can’t digest?

All animals on the earth eat food/things they can’t digest. Humans can’t digest fiber and it passes safely, and often beneficially through their system. Most seeds and kernels are not digestible by humans, for example a kernel of corn.

Does made in the USA matter?

Absolutely!! Chew’ems are made and sourced in the USA. We are located in downtown Providence, RI.

We have complete control over the manufacturing quality and know exactly where all the ingredients come from. We test each batch for quality and purity.