Honestly, he's probably just overdosing himself on the bone marrow. That stuff is incredibly rich (and nummy! LOL). A family member overdosed Giselle with chicken liver and we had the Big D. Nothing a 24-hour fast couldn't fix Detox doesn't usually happen on rec bones. The amount of raw bones is minute compared to the amount of kibble. The whole point of detox is where the body is switched onto a diet in which it is given the chance to rid itself of toxins previously hidden due to the previous diet. Gonzo is basically on the same diet, however, it's just augmented with raw bones. I highly doubt it's detox.

I was also stuck in the middle for quite a long time. Eventually, the pros outweighed the cons. I honestly have not heard of a case where a raw bone obstructed the tract or a dog who contracted a sickness via E. Coli or Salmonella because of raw meat.

I follow the Golden Food Rule: As long as your dog is healthy and happy on the food, then stick with it. So far, Lucky has slowly detiorated on any and all kibble. We've tried multiple brands and nothing has improved. In fact, he began to develop hot spots, a smelly coat, bleeding/itchy paws, and numerous bouts of the Big D. I decided to give EVO a try, and it helped....for a little while. His hotspot is going away, but his energy level is at an all time low. And, the more I think about it...dogs weren't made to eat kibble. The idea of a 100% balanced meal every day for the rest of their lives is, imo, a bit repulsive. In the beginning, I was skeptical and the idea was almost ludicrous. In the blank spaces where my mind would drift, I began to realize that NO, dogs weren't meant to eat kibble. And that is my understanding of things and Raw is how my dogs will eat. Anyhow....off the soap box....

Re: Rawhides. I would never feed my dogs rawhide for the reasons you stated above While I've never heard of personal experiences with raw bones obstructing the GI tract, I *have* heard of rawhide incidences. Perhaps it's just the sheer fact that rawhides are more accessible and common than raw bones. Anything's possible.

Bckrazy, go with whatever works. I've found that starchy green toothbrushes aren't my favorite teeth cleaners (and irritate Lucky's stomach), rawhides have too much danger in them, and brushing my own teeth is a pain, much less brushing a dog's teeth. LOL. Alas, I have come to the conclusion that RMBs and rec bones are my favorite teeth cleaners. They really are Nature's toothbrush!