PET owners have been warned about feeding their dogs rawhide products - a treat that can swell up to four times its size inside a pooch's stomach.

Rawhide bones are a common treat for our four-legged pals but vets have advised against feeding the snack that can cause internal blockages as well as damage to the mouth.

The River Road Veterinary Clinic released a list of the most dangerous treats to avoid giving your dog and rawhide was one that came out on top.

Rawhide is a cattle product that is processed using chemicals and is washed with water and bleach or hydrogen peroxide before being dried and flavoured.

The chews are stiff and have a leathery texture that can be hard for dogs and other animals to digest.

Rawhide bones can easily splinter off and cause destruction inside your pet's stomach and inside its mouth when chewing.

Dogs often chew off large chunks of the treat, swallowing them whole meaning they then have to be removed via surgery.

The chunks can also swell up to four times their size when mixed with water which can make it difficult for the dog, especially smaller breeds, to digest.

The River Road Clinic said: "They [rawhide] are often swallowed and they absorb water and swell within the stomach, growing in size and rendering them unable to pass through the intestines.

"Foreign body surgery to remove the large chunk of rawhide is then the only way to solve the problem."

Fuente: TheSun.com