Rawhide chews

Q: Are rawhide chew sticks safe for little yorkies, as a way to help them cut their teeth ?

A: Rawhide chews may halp to prevent tartar buildup but there are a couple things I have a problem with. Especially with the smaller pieces like the straws and chips the puppy can tear off large sections that can become lodged in the GI tract sometmes requiring surgery. Also, rawhides do not contain any antimicrobials so once they become soft and moist they are an ideal place for bacterial growth, to me it is like leaving a piece of lunchmet laying around. Although the overall effectiveness if chew products in helping with "teething" or keepin teeth clean is debatable I prefer real, processed bones, antlers or the "greenie" types.