Is cedar shavings safe for dogs?
If your dog is a chewer, avoid using cedar chips. They can cause gastric upset, abrasions to the mouth or blockages if swallowed. Wood shavings should not be used for pregnant dogs or newborn puppies to avoid bacterial transmission.
Are cedar shavings toxic to dogs?
Either direct contact with cedar or inhalation of the aromas from cedar can make your dog ill if he is sensitive to it. Cedar chips and shavings are used by many owners as bedding in crates and in dog houses. Dogs can also be exposed to the aroma from the shavings through the use of a dog bed filled with cedar chips.
Although pine shavings and pellets are widely used, and a popular bedding choice, when the health and care of your animal are your main priorities, pine may not be your best option and here are four myths why. Pine & cedar shavings are absorbent – Shavings are not that absorbent.
These softwood shavings smell nice due to the volatile compounds (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols) that are given off. Unfortunately these compounds have been implicated as a potential health risk, especially with regards to respiratory problems (asthma, inflammation, allergic responses) and changes in the liver.
Premium Pine Shavings are a quality bedding solution for horses, livestock, and outdoor pets. These shaving pieces contain low amounts of dust and are smaller in size to increases absorbency and reduces the amount of waste during cleaning.
by GSDNewbie on 07 December 2004 – 16:12I did when I was using shavings under a a litter of ten week old pups she appearantly had been eating them she ruptured herself inside with a sharp harder piece that came in the bag and died. I dont use them under dogs anymore. May be a little extreme but I only used them under pups my adults are not kenneled and therefore didnt use them anymore. Only pup to have had a problem with it had no clue she was eating them as they were not fed on the shavings did not want meat smell or drippings on thier bedding.
by Het on 07 December 2004 – 18:12oh that is horriable. I do get my shavings from the feed store, and they are for the show horses in the area, and are pretty fine. I do find that other bags that i have bought out of need, did have these large peices that you are talking about. I stay away from that type as much as I can. I use the mixed pine/cedar, keeps the pups smelling good.
by MichelleG on 07 December 2004 – 15:12My dogs end up ingesting some wood shavings from the litter in their kennel. I try to feed them in a cement area in their pens but they always end up bringing their meal back to the wood shavings and consequently ingest some of it. Is this a bad thing? Anyone else have this problem?
by hodie on 07 December 2004 – 17:12I know lots of people use wood shavings, but in my research they ended up coming up as a bad idea over and over and over. Yes, many dogs do eat them, for a variety of reasons. And that can and has resulted in disaster. Many dogs are really allergic to wood shavings, especially cedar. The cedar is used in pet bed industry not because it is good for the dogs, but because humans like it. Also wood attracts molds/fungus. Fungus can and does also kill dogs, but often it is unrecognized because it has been inhaled. Of course, fungus are ubiquitous in the environment, but there is no reason to help provide the kind of living conditions favorable for growth. For these and other reasons, I would stay away from wood shavings.
by Hucklebuck on 07 December 2004 – 15:12I use pine & cedar shavings in my kennel. My dogs never eat them. They just eat the food in the bowls. Do you leave the food out all day? Or do you put the food bowls in only at feeding time? Perhaps if the food is left out, the horse around the kennel and stir up the shavings, landing in the bowl? If not, I would watch to see if they are actually eating the shavings directly. Too many will BLOCK the intestinal track.
Backyard work: Pine Shavings!
by MichelleG on 07 December 2004 – 15:12My dogs end up ingesting some wood shavings from the litter in their kennel. I try to feed them in a cement area in their pens but they always end up bringing their meal back to the wood shavings and consequently ingest some of it. Is this a bad thing? Anyone else have this problem?
by Hucklebuck on 07 December 2004 – 15:12I use pine & cedar shavings in my kennel. My dogs never eat them. They just eat the food in the bowls. Do you leave the food out all day? Or do you put the food bowls in only at feeding time? Perhaps if the food is left out, the horse around the kennel and stir up the shavings, landing in the bowl? If not, I would watch to see if they are actually eating the shavings directly. Too many will BLOCK the intestinal track.
by deutsche-schaferhund on 07 December 2004 – 15:12Hucklebuck is correct, wood chips will in fact cause an intestinal blockage. It may help to try and perhaps crate the dogs while eating? Intestinal blockages are nothing to fool around with, not only is it costly surgery, it can kill the dog if you dont notice it in time.
by oso on 07 December 2004 – 16:12If you have the food bowls raised off the ground and feed dry commercial food then they shouldnt eat the wood shavings, but with meat, yes they tend to take it out of the bowl and drag it round in the shavings! I usually feed my dogs outside of the kennels and avoid his problem.
by Diane on 07 December 2004 – 16:12Most young dogs (1 year and under) in my kennel will sample the shavings or chew on them when they are first put in the kennel. Ive asked my vet about this and he said small quantities will generally not be a problem, but if they ingest large amounts, you can get a blockage as mentioned by others. He suggested putting a spoonful of peanut butter in the food for the first few days a dog is in a kennel with shavings because it helps lubricate the digestive tract and helps them pass the wood. Ive never had a dog continue to eat/chew shavings past the first couple of days and do give the peanut butter in the beginning. The adults seem to know not to eat them without sampling and Ive never had a problem. If feeding raw, Id feed away from the shavings because they do tend to get meat coated in wood by accident. Has anyone actually had a dog get a blockage from eating shavings in the kennel?
by GSDNewbie on 07 December 2004 – 16:12I did when I was using shavings under a a litter of ten week old pups she appearantly had been eating them she ruptured herself inside with a sharp harder piece that came in the bag and died. I dont use them under dogs anymore. May be a little extreme but I only used them under pups my adults are not kenneled and therefore didnt use them anymore. Only pup to have had a problem with it had no clue she was eating them as they were not fed on the shavings did not want meat smell or drippings on thier bedding.
by hodie on 07 December 2004 – 17:12I know lots of people use wood shavings, but in my research they ended up coming up as a bad idea over and over and over. Yes, many dogs do eat them, for a variety of reasons. And that can and has resulted in disaster. Many dogs are really allergic to wood shavings, especially cedar. The cedar is used in pet bed industry not because it is good for the dogs, but because humans like it. Also wood attracts molds/fungus. Fungus can and does also kill dogs, but often it is unrecognized because it has been inhaled. Of course, fungus are ubiquitous in the environment, but there is no reason to help provide the kind of living conditions favorable for growth. For these and other reasons, I would stay away from wood shavings.
by Het on 07 December 2004 – 17:12I will feed my pups a big hunk on vasaline every morning and night and this will help pass through anything that they have eaten, rocks, woodchips ect. I do use the shavings under the pups as this keeps them from always wanting to poop and pee on the decks or patio of the new owners.Then when the get to thier new homes I just tell them to put out the woodchips where they want the dog to go and they do and the pups will go to that area of the yard and go potty. But I did have a pup eat them and get sick and we had to give her an enama to pass though all the shavings this is when I started giving the vasaline, and I have never had a problem sinse. Heather
by GSDNewbie on 07 December 2004 – 18:12it was determined not an impaction that caused death of this pick of litter but was a wood chip cut her inside when she swallowed it vasaline can not help this I only used the shavings under the pups in box and changed three times daily so molds mildews were also not a problem i used pine not cedar as the oil is too harsh for them.
by Het on 07 December 2004 – 18:12oh that is horriable. I do get my shavings from the feed store, and they are for the show horses in the area, and are pretty fine. I do find that other bags that i have bought out of need, did have these large peices that you are talking about. I stay away from that type as much as I can. I use the mixed pine/cedar, keeps the pups smelling good.