Which dental chews are okay for small dog?

I'd always loved split antlers, until we adopted Kramer, our newest chi/terrier mix. He fractured a big tooth chewing on one, and we had to have it removed, because the fracture went up into the gum line. We now let him have Nylabones for power chewers instead.

Thanks for the suggestions. Min Pins are natural hunters and this one cannot be in the yard off leash, because she will kill and eat lizards, birds, anything she can get ahold of.

We used to give our chi mix dogs a pork chop bone with little scraps of meat still on it. They would neatly remove the shreds of pork and leave the bone shiny clean. When we tried that with Darcy, she consumed and swallowed the whole bone! She never showed any ill effects from it, but we don't allow her cooked bones anymore.

Bully sticks are the best chews. Come in every possible size needed. Greenies have a bad choking reputation, and Nyla bones are just bad for dogs. (Plastic)

We asked about chew TOYS when we adopted 2 puppies in 2014. We got some great answers. The best thing we found was nylabones.
The puppies are 2 yrs old now, one of them still likes an occasional chew on her nylabone.

dturm wrote:
Sorry for this answer, Judy.

It depends. Some individuals I wouldn't recommend ANY chews because of the way they vigorously chew. These guys either bite off too big a piece or try to swallow big pieces or just chew so hard that they break teeth.

Other, any animal appropriate chew would work: nylabones, greenies, dental chews, rawhides (gasp), etc.
Doug, DVM

100% right on about the vigorous chewing concern. I had boughten 2 large boxes of greenies that both my dogs loved. Because they chewed and swallowed them so quickly one somehow got her intestines scraped by them and developed a serious infection. Not blaming the product just the dogs eating habit with the chews.

My Shih Tzu isn't a power chewer.

He likes bully sticks (I buy U.S. made from this site), Himalayan chews and antlers.

Sorry for this answer, Judy.

It depends. Some individuals I wouldn't recommend ANY chews because of the way they vigorously chew. These guys either bite off too big a piece or try to swallow big pieces or just chew so hard that they break teeth.

Other, any animal appropriate chew would work: nylabones, greenies, dental chews, rawhides (gasp), etc.

I think the best action is to watch and supervise the chewing until you can be sure that what you have left out isn't going to cause a problem.

BTW, Kaiya uses both hard and soft nylabones. Kaylee doesn't really chew on much.

Doug, DVM

Whatever chew you choose needs to be dog-size appropriate. Too many people give small chews to large dogs and have problems when swallowed.
Greenies have always been good. They come in several sizes. Additional benefit is they help freshen breath.
Good luck!