Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We had used these bones decades ago - like most anyone reading this review our dogs are in every way family and an integral part of the very fabric of our lives. We have two Old English Bulldogs an 8 year old and his partner in crime an 11 month old puppy - both are aggressive hardcore chewers. Buying them toys is pretty much a weekly event and I am particularly partial to those made by companies like Kong, Nylabone, Orbee and a few others. When these sterilized bones showed up in my recommendations I added two to my cart - and regret not doing a bit of research beforehand but then hind sight is always 20/20. Both Harley and Elvis took to the bones immediately after about 20 minutes or so of chomping away I noticed there were sharp splinters of bone laying on the floor where they were chewing - so I got on the web and did a little digging. The consensus from virtually every site is that all cooked bones - especially "Sterilized bones" present a significant health hazard. * According to Dr.Carmela Stamper, D.V.M., of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration ""Sterilized and any cooked bones are unsafe no matter what their size. Giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to your veterinarian's office later, possible emergency surgery, or even death." What is more, the FDA lists the following hazards of giving your dog these kinds of bones: 1)Broken teeth 2)Mouth or tongue injuries 3)Bone could get looped around lower jaw 4)Bone could get stuck in esophagus 5)Bone could get lodged in windpipe 6)Bone could be trapped in stomach 7)Blocked intestine could require surgery 8)Constipation from bone fragments 9)Severe bleeding from rectum 10)Peritonitis -- a bacterial infection of the abdomen Adding to the potential danger sterilized bones are both heated at extremely high temperatures and treated with a myriad of toxic chemicals including bleach. In reading through the dog forums including such sites as PawNation, about.com and at least a dozen others. I came across countless stories by consumers and veterinarians alike who shared stories of problems related to these bones that ranged from fractured teeth, lacerated esophagus and intestines, choking and death. Based on these findings I would urge anyone using these bones to stop immediately and consider safer options to satisfy your beloved dogs desire to chew.