The most significant risk for your pet from eating antlers is broken teeth. Antlers sold for sale in the commercial market, generally deer or elk, are extremely tough and come with an extremely rough surface, such as concrete or rocks. Do you want your pet to play with concrete or rocks? Of course, you wouldn’t!
A veterinary dentist would never approve of a dog chewing on antlers. This professional stance is based on the fact that broken teeth can be extremely uncomfortable for pets and frequently lead to infection and tooth root abscesses. Damaged teeth often require surgical extraction, a costly and painful process that is entirely preventable by avoiding antlers as chew toys.
Antlers Can Splinter
Antlers are also at risk of breaking or shattering, which can lead to choking, foreign bodies in the esophagus, or intestinal obstruction. These additional risks make antlers a potentially dangerous chew toy. There are safer options available for your dog’s dental chew needs.
Why Are Antlers Sold as Dog Chews?
Antlers are attractive qualities that make people want to purchase them, and as people buy antlers, companies will make antlers.
Antlers last last for a long time. They will not chew through the antlers within a single sitting as you might with rawhide or any other soft, edible chewables. Dogs also love them! They smell great. They are delicious. Also, they help bring out wild animals. They are also far more natural, unlike, for instance, the Nylabone, which is a favorite of most pet owners.
Safer Choices
Despite the benefits of antlers, plenty of alternatives are safer for your pet to chew. The decision to offer your pet antlers or go against them will depend on how much risk you accept. In my well-qualified view, antlers do not warrant the risk.