Pigs Ears

[nksyd]

Hi - quick question, but can anyone tell me if pigs ears are ok to feed daily? My lab gets one most days when I leave to go to work. Tried giving her other bones, chews etc but she whines as she can't find anywhere to bury them in the yard. She loves her pigs ears but didn't want to overfeed her if they were bad?

[Shoshana]

My humble understanding is that pigs ears have high fat content (if that's a worry) - you can buy beef ears - they are meant to be less fatty - & are certainly more kosher.

[Guest Tess32]

They are high in fat - every day is pushing it, IMO, if you're done is prone to gaining weight.

[puggy_puggy]

Pigs ears are very fatty and dogs can choke on them when they become soft.

I don't feed them at all.

Maybe get some kongs and fill them with treats or get some really big bones that she can't bury.

[KitKat]

With one a day...the dog will get pudgy...mine did! Perhaps cut them into strips? so they would get a whole one every couple of days? eg depending on if you cut it into three or four pieces etc..

[shekhina]

Sheesh not to mention expensive!

[kobblyness]

My dogs get them once a week.

KitKat suggestion is good, smaller pieces.

[nksyd]

Thanks everyone! Molly is not prone to gaining weight (unusual for a lab...) at this stage but as she gets older and less active I imagine that will change!!

Good idea KitKat - I will cut them up so she still gets to have a little something when I leave for work (in addition to her kong). The fact that she may choke hadn't occurred to me so I will definitely only give her smaller pieces.

Thanks again :D

[kobblyness]

I wouldn't cut them too small though. Large enough so have to still chew it and not just suck them down.

[Staffyluv]

I wouldn't cut them too small though. Large enough so have to still chew it and not just suck them down.

I agree - I have a stafford that used to suck down the whole ones and get them caught in his throat all the time - needless to say, I had to retrieve one too many and he no longer gets them at all.

[Guest Tess32]

I wouldn't cut them, too dangerous.

[InspectorRex]

I do not and would not feed pigs ears at all.They are coated in preservatives.

If you want to feed a treat go for something easily digestible and less risk of choking as the pigs ears go soggy after a bit of drool and chewing.

[KitKat]

You can actually buy them in strips if that's worth looking at...

I've often cut the ears in half here if i've decided the dogs don't deserve (or need) a whole one each. And when they were younger i'd cut them into strips for them to nibble at for a while.

As to cost...i get them at staff prices :D otherwise they'd not likely have access to as many as they do