G'day How you going?

I met one of my neighbours this morning. She tells me she read an article in the "Urban Animal", Australian animal publication, you can pick it up free at most Pet Warehouses. She informs me that Pigs Ears are a Tanning By Product. If this is true - then would it not be considered unfit for our dog's consumption. I know of people that buy it by the sack full for their dogs.

Can you tell me if this is the case?

Thank

Marg.

Hi Marge,
I hope you, Helen and Oscar are all doing well~ :)

What I know of Pig ears is that the FDA, is on the Salmonella rampage with them. Of course, it is more of a danger to people then to dogs~ A few years ago they were pulled from the market because of excess amount of Salmonella. The FDA is always scaring us with Salmonella warnings about anything that we may feed our dogs that is raw, or "NOT the TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL dog food!"~ GRrrrrrr... Meanwhile, the human food chain is being *laced* with salmonella, and human foods are being recalled by the dozens over here.... because.... of salmonella. The list is endless........lettuce, peanuts, tomatoes, sprouts, peanut butter, canned goods, and on and on the list goes!~ Seems like they should be putting more concentration and worry on the human food chain when it comes to salmonella issues! Here is a link to the recalls of pigs ears on the FDA site:
http://google2.fda.gov/search?q=pig+ears&x=6&y=17&client=FDAgov&site=FDAgov&lr=&proxystylesheet=FDAgov&output=xml_no_dtd&getfields=*

I know very little about pigs ears! I do know that raw feeders love feeding them to their dogs. I can not speak to the subject intelligently because it is one item I have not read up on....... Hooves are the same situation.......... I know little about them other than they *STINK*~ to high heaven! I know that because I bought one ones and I thought the smell was going to knock me over!

I know that brook, one of our newest members here, feeds her dogs raw and lives on a farm, so I bet she can enlighten us on some of this information. I have always viewed them as similar to raw hide, which I would never feed a dog, or Chicken Jerky either. There have been too many instances of dogs dying from obstructions.

I also know of those who buy it buy the sack full! Not me! LOL I will keep my ears/eyes peeled for information of this topic now

I can tell you that the majority are gamma irradiated upon import to Australia.
Don't let your cats near them.
I wouldn't feed them to dogs either.

Hi Marg,
From my understanding is that they do use a tanning process as well. This from my understanding again maybe wrong, but it's so it keeps the pigs ears and other types of rawhides soft for the dogs.

However IMHO I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. OK I should say I wouldn't let my dog touch them with a ten foot pole. They are not the best for the digestive system.

Would have to do more research on that though. Pam! Hint Hint.