Puppyluv
May 22nd, 2006, 06:10 AM
So my brother bought me an icecream maker for, ummm.. I'm not sure why.. I got in on march 15th, so maybe it was for the ides of march? Who knows.. I don't think he read any Shakespeare after highschool though, nor does he have much interest in Ancient Rome, so I doubt it.
Anyways..... I live near a market and get a lot of my fruit really cheap, so I started to make a lot of fruit sorbets, ice creams, frozen yogurts etc. One of my fave (and suprisingly cheap) flavours is mango. So I use all these mangos and I have all these mango pits left over. I was doing an internet search to see if I could do anything with them (eg. grind them up (how, I don't know) and use them in a compost to make fertilizer) and I found this website saying I could give them to my dog as a chew toy.
http://www.rawportland.org/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=95.
Is this true? Ignoring comments like "supervise the dog at first" (thus implying you don't need to later on:eek:) and "Let experience be the teacher on this one......" (umm no, I'd rather not let my dog learn not to swallow large shards of pits by letting her do it a couple of times) Are mango pits at al safe to chew on?
Mango season is here and what to do with those pits?
Written by Celeste Crimi
Many dogs like to chew on them fresh. Or, for an extra special treat, dry them in your dehydrator and keep them in an
airtight container as humane chew toys.These make a wonderful alternative to rawhide chews and pig's ears, which are
not only a choking hazard, they can also cause a life-threatening condition called 'bloat' or intestinal blockage requiring
very expensive tests and emergency surgery. In addition, these 'real, natural' store-bought goodies are preserved by
being cooked to death and then preserved in rancid fat/oil. Smell them yourself to see what I mean. Bluck!
Be sure to supervise your dog for the first few mango pits, as it's possible that they could swallow irritating chunks and
give themselves a bit of intestinal upset if they go too hog wild. Let experience be the teacher on this one. Probably the
worst that could happen is that they don't 'chew' well enough at first, when they're still learning, and they might throw up
the undigested scraps...not a big deal for a dog. They might even eat them a second time! :)
They could also have a little watery diarrhea, with the undigested scraps readily apparent. Sorry, I know this forum is
supposed to be about raw, vegan food for humans, and this last paragraph hasn't been too appetizing! Still, this stuff
could happen whether they're eating a mango pit, chomping on a stick, or munching a bone. It's best to be prepared so
we don't freak out. If any of this happens, it's likely to be accompanied by increased water intake, and possibly some
pacing/urgency to go outside.
So, try it the first time when you'll be home all day, and once you know your dog can 'chew responsibly,' you can feel
good about putting those mango pits to good use!
And yes, chewing on fibrous mango pits can make a dog's teeth shine like a puppy's--without the risk of a fracture, as
can occur when hard bones are chewed!
My dog also enjoys other dried fruits given in moderation, such as pineapple, raisins, and dates. Canines can benefit just
as much as humans from these foods' high iron, potassium and fiber content.
Try it and let me know how your dog responds.
Celeste in Beaverton
Anyways..... I live near a market and get a lot of my fruit really cheap, so I started to make a lot of fruit sorbets, ice creams, frozen yogurts etc. One of my fave (and suprisingly cheap) flavours is mango. So I use all these mangos and I have all these mango pits left over. I was doing an internet search to see if I could do anything with them (eg. grind them up (how, I don't know) and use them in a compost to make fertilizer) and I found this website saying I could give them to my dog as a chew toy.
http://www.rawportland.org/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=95.
Is this true? Ignoring comments like "supervise the dog at first" (thus implying you don't need to later on:eek:) and "Let experience be the teacher on this one......" (umm no, I'd rather not let my dog learn not to swallow large shards of pits by letting her do it a couple of times) Are mango pits at al safe to chew on?
Mango season is here and what to do with those pits?
Written by Celeste Crimi
Many dogs like to chew on them fresh. Or, for an extra special treat, dry them in your dehydrator and keep them in an
airtight container as humane chew toys.These make a wonderful alternative to rawhide chews and pig's ears, which are
not only a choking hazard, they can also cause a life-threatening condition called 'bloat' or intestinal blockage requiring
very expensive tests and emergency surgery. In addition, these 'real, natural' store-bought goodies are preserved by
being cooked to death and then preserved in rancid fat/oil. Smell them yourself to see what I mean. Bluck!
Be sure to supervise your dog for the first few mango pits, as it's possible that they could swallow irritating chunks and
give themselves a bit of intestinal upset if they go too hog wild. Let experience be the teacher on this one. Probably the
worst that could happen is that they don't 'chew' well enough at first, when they're still learning, and they might throw up
the undigested scraps...not a big deal for a dog. They might even eat them a second time! :)
They could also have a little watery diarrhea, with the undigested scraps readily apparent. Sorry, I know this forum is
supposed to be about raw, vegan food for humans, and this last paragraph hasn't been too appetizing! Still, this stuff
could happen whether they're eating a mango pit, chomping on a stick, or munching a bone. It's best to be prepared so
we don't freak out. If any of this happens, it's likely to be accompanied by increased water intake, and possibly some
pacing/urgency to go outside.
So, try it the first time when you'll be home all day, and once you know your dog can 'chew responsibly,' you can feel
good about putting those mango pits to good use!
And yes, chewing on fibrous mango pits can make a dog's teeth shine like a puppy's--without the risk of a fracture, as
can occur when hard bones are chewed!
My dog also enjoys other dried fruits given in moderation, such as pineapple, raisins, and dates. Canines can benefit just
as much as humans from these foods' high iron, potassium and fiber content.
Try it and let me know how your dog responds.
Celeste in Beaverton