Buyer beware, these are NOT SAFE and I would not recommend them to anybody who cares about their dog.
I bought these for our Yorkie, who is on a very strict rawhide and bone-free diet as recommended by the veterinarian. He ate the first one and a small piece became lodged in his throat, but he was able to cough it out. Debating on whether not not that was a one-time thing, we decided to try one more time under very close supervision. I noticed that when he did eat them, it seemed to act the same way as rawhide. It looks and smells like rawhide, because it is. The way they get around the “no rawhide” statement is that it is, in fact, pork skin. But it is treated and cured the same way, and is apparently just as hazardous.
The last one he ate, things took an awful turn. He was chewing on it just as he would chew on a bully stick or anything else. Suddenly he began gasping and putting his head to the floor. His mouth was locked shut, his tongue was turning blue and his breathing became very unstable. When we finally got his mouth open to inspect his throat, the “rawhide-free” treat was lodged deep into his throat, blocking his airway. He was struggling to breathe, and seemed to grow weak. Luckily right as I was about to rush him to the emergency vet, we finally got it out of his airway which allowed him to cough it up. If we didn't act fast, if he happened to grab one when we weren't home like so many beloved dogs do, he wouldn't be here. Our fur-babies are just as much family as our brothers and sisters, so fur-parents please be warned. Not only are these not rawhide free but rather just pork rawhide, but they are a severe choking hazard.
I wasn't going to write my negative review when that little piece got stuck, or when we discovered it behaved the same way as rawhide; because I know things happen and no company is totally honest with their product. But when he nearly choked to death that was the last straw. I threw those things away, and if you have any I suggest you do the same. No treat is worth your pet's life.
