# Tummy troubles from bully sticks or flossies?



## maplegrovecindy (May 28, 2011)

My little Princess is a voracious chewer. She LOVES flossies and bully sticks. We've discontinued flossies because she can eat them so quickly. We cut (DH saws) the bully stick into 3 smaller pieces. Still she can eat that small piece in a couple of hours. Princess has been having her share of tummy troubles and she is doing pretty well on a different diet (awaiting consult from Sabine). My question is do others give their Havs bullies/flossies? How often? How quickly do they go through them? Any tummy troubles (gurgling tummy/no appetite, vomiting, etc.)? 

Thanks for your input!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

hmmmmm... not sure. We don't give Tillie Bully sticks very often because she also can go through them in a few hours... full size!! She gets MAYBE one a month at the most.
I do know that some dogs CAN have a sensitivity to beef, which may cause gastrointestinal problems... glad you are getting a consult with Sabine!


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

I don't let Pepper finish off a whole bully stick in one sitting. When he was younger we did let him finish a 6" bully stick on two occasions, but both times he had bad stools the next day. Now we limit his intake to half the 6" per sitting. I let him chew on one every bath day and then again mid-week. That's worked so far with no tummy or potty trouble.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Tucker gets a flossie almost every day. If the flossie is thin and small he can eat in about 30 minutes or less. If it's one of the thick ones, he gets tired of it and it'll last through the next day. He's never had stomach problems with them.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I buy the lil bully sticks they're smaller and thin, they finish them in about an hour, I only give them maybe twice a month, they have had no problems. My blind guy who really needs to chew to help with the bordom, gets to chew his extra large one three times a week for the hour I am on the tread mill, I never let him finish one and he seldom gets to swallow it as I pull it out of his throat, kinda of gross but it works.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Rita Nelson said:


> Tucker gets a flossie almost every day. If the flossie is thin and small he can eat in about 30 minutes or less. If it's one of the thick ones, he gets tired of it and it'll last through the next day. He's never had stomach problems with them.


 Are flossies the same as greenies because karens kody got really sick from greenies. After that I threw away a $15 dollar bag.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

No, they are not the same as Greenies. Flossies for beef tendons and they're twisted into curls. They dissolve when eaten or if pieces are swallowed unlike the Greenies or rawhide. Flossies have gotten very expensive within the last year though. I buy them online and a box cost $140 for 50. In the pet food store where I buy Tucker's food they go for $7.99 each. I've started limiting Tucker to one every other day. I did buy him an antler to chew, but he doesn't like it as much. I did buy Merrick Corporal Knee Caps when I couldn't get the Flossies. He likes those, but still not as much as the Flossies.


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## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

My two dogs love bully sticks but BEWARE! LAst week my 5 month old border collie mix must have swallowed several 1 inch pieces whole! She proceeded to throw up 7 times (that's how i know about the large pieces) and it cost me 130.00 at the vet. No more bully sticks!


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

mine get bully sticks occasionally. I buy the "fat" ones. They get to chew on them at most an hour at a time. Mine have no problem with greenies, but don't get them often. I occasionally give them a CET chew too. Probably should give CET more often, but they finish them quickly


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Eli loves his flossies. He goes through about one a day. I used to buy them through Amazon but learned the store is located nearby (yay - no shipping charges!). According to the store website their flossies are lower in calorie (about 2/3 less per inch), practically odor free and come from grass fed, free ranging animals. Eli has no problem whatsoever with his stomach. 

Eli does have sensitivity to chicken and turkey so I know what a sick tummy looks like. And, he's had sensitivity to other flossies in the past. Maybe he's ok with these because they're more natural and have less fat? I'm not sure but you may want to check out different brands.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I don't do the flossies, just bully sticks. Their purpose to me is to clean teeth. So I only let her chew for ten minutes. She never gets to eat it as I cut off the piece she knaws down . I monitor her the whole time. Any chew should be watched IMO . Too easy to choke on these things. A large bully lasts two weeks sometimes.


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

Roshi LOVES his bully stick. I usually get the 12" one and hold it while he chews on it. When he got about 1 inch off, I take it away. I won't let him run off with it, or else he'll get into his possessive mode and guard his stick. GRRRRR. Not sure if I should correct that or not...
However, he doesn't mind me holding the stick for him. It allows him to fully concentrate on chewing only. 
I'm glad he likes antlers too... they are just as costly but last sooooo much longer!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

CrazieJones said:


> Roshi LOVES his bully stick. I usually get the 12" one and hold it while he chews on it. When he got about 1 inch off, I take it away. I won't let him run off with it, or else he'll get into his possessive mode and guard his stick. GRRRRR. Not sure if I should correct that or not...
> However, he doesn't mind me holding the stick for him. It allows him to fully concentrate on chewing only.
> I'm glad he likes antlers too... they are just as costly but last sooooo much longer!


 yeah always be aware of guarding issues. It's best if you can get him to give it to you freely. I don't like to take it away from them physically but get them to drop it. Certainly don't try to correct them if they growl at you. Walking off with food or whatever , is a degree of resource guarding. Great that he likes you holding on to it.


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## anaacosta (Sep 1, 2011)

I started giving Leyla Greenies (teenie size) every day and she hasn't had an issue. Is that too much?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Becky Chittenden said:


> mine get bully sticks occasionally. I buy the "fat" ones. They get to chew on them at most an hour at a time. Mine have no problem with greenies, but don't get them often. I occasionally give them a CET chew too. Probably should give CET more often, but they finish them quickly


Hi Becky, Kodi had eaten them many times with no problem too. The problem was (we determined later) he somehow broke off a large piece and swallowed it whole. The vets at Tufts say that, unfortunately, it happens all too often, and you can't predict when your dog might do it. It's like playing Russian Roulette. They told me that dental chews (it doesn't matter which brand) are one of the most common sources of obstruction they see.

As far as Flossies and Bully sticks are concerned, Kodi has a sensitivity to beef, so can't have either of these without butt bath follow-up. Once in a while at the shows you can find turkey tendons that are a lot like flossies, and he likes those!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> I don't do the flossies, just bully sticks. Their purpose to me is to clean teeth. So I only let her chew for ten minutes. She never gets to eat it as I cut off the piece she knaws down . I monitor her the whole time. Any chew should be watched IMO . Too easy to choke on these things. A large bully lasts two weeks sometimes.


I'd rather brush teeth! It smells a WHOLE lot better!ound:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

anaacosta said:


> I started giving Leyla Greenies (teenie size) every day and she hasn't had an issue. Is that too much?


Read what I wrote to Becky. Kodi had to be hospitalized for an obstruction cause by a Greenie, and was very, very sick. The vets at Tufts advised to steer clear of dental chews completely. Smaller ones are actually worse, because there is a greater chance of the dog swallowing a piece whole.

Kodi will never have another one. Brushing his teeth is much safer, and does a better job anyway.


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

I give mine both flossies, bully sticks and the CET chews from the vet...BUT like everyone else has said they never get them unsupervised and I only let them have them for about 20 minutes and because I'm old and forgetful these days I actually set the timer so I know how long it's been..I usually use them as a distraction when the bf is away and I HAVE to get on the computer......OH and recently the bf brought some "antlers" home from the pet store...they seem to really enjoy chewing on those......


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

what are the CET chews made of? can they only be bought at a vets??


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## Paradise Havs (Sep 25, 2008)

I really hate to add to this thread. I lost my dear Rosa on Oct. 31 2011 after she aspirated a piece of bully stick. She had swallowed a chunk of the small bully stick that was knotted on both ends and while we and our vet were watching to see that it dissolved in her stomach, she had a seizure and had a piece enter her lung. That said, it was a strike of lightening and I do not blame the bully stick manufacturer. She was on medication for seizures and the vomiting caused by the chunk in her stomach kept her from keeping down her full seizure meds. I was heartbroken. I write this as a warning to supervise your dogs closely when they have bully sticks. I have since added a puppy, Louie, to the household and do give home bully sticks, not the knotted kinds, when I can supervise him. He is such a joy, but I still miss My sweet Rosa.


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