Which bones can and cannot be given to dogs: permitted and prohibited types of solid food for treating an animal. Can you feed bones to a dog?

30.08.2019

One of the most common questions asked by many pet owners is Can you feed bones to a dog?? My personal experience on the example of our puppy Logan.

In our time, not only our diet is changing. But also the food of our pets. Evolution has turned dog food into real fast food, which is presented to us as a better and healthier alternative to homemade food.

We were very touched when in June we adopted a puppy named Logan. Very soon it dawned on us that puppy nutrition is almost a science! And no, he does not eat widely advertised dry food, which, in principle, in my concept is poison. We feed him natural dehydrated food, meat, fish, eggs and other completely human food.

And we also give our puppy bones. Natural, whole, raw bones. From the moment we took him, that is, from 5 weeks.

When I tell people that our puppy loves not only to gnaw bones, but also to swallow them, this puts most people in a stupor. How is that, is it possible to feed bones to dogs? Isn't that harmful?

I also remember the case when Logan first swallowed a bone from a chicken leg and I called a regular veterinarian to consult, they told me what a horror, what you feed him with is wrong and harmful, and they advised me to bring him to them to provoke vomiting and take an x-ray .

Later, after calling our natural holistic veterinarian, I calmed down! Well, what did she tell me and what I found out for all the time that we have Logan, I will tell you in this post. And I will explain why it is possible and necessary to feed our dogs with bones!

Can you feed bones to your dog?

Can!

But only if these bones are raw, and not cooked in some way. The fact is that cooking makes the bones more fragile, which greatly increases the risk that the bone will fall apart and scratch, or even pierce the esophagus or stomach.

By the way, this is exactly what happened to my parents' dog. Their French bulldog picked up a small but overcooked bone after the cold, it pierced his stomach and even the operation did not save him. The parents were shocked and deeply depressed after that.

So please, never feed your pets cooked bones! Cooking bones also draws out all the useful substances from them (therefore, it is very useful to drink, not only for us, but also for our pets).

This is why I feed Logan raw bones:

Raw bones are a healthy and wholesome food for our dogs. Their ancestors - wolves ate all the time and continue to eat them, and their DNA differs from our smaller friends by only 0.02%. They need bones to get useful substances, especially minerals.
Bones are also delicious, giving them the mental stimulation they need and exercises for the jaw muscles.
In addition, the constant use of raw bones strengthens the muscles of the stomach. By the way, a common condition that most large breed dogs suffer from - bloat (bloat) or "gastric volvulus" does not occur in dogs that eat the right food for them, that is, meat and bones, and not dry food. Remember Labrador Marley from the movie of the same name? He had exactly this condition and a huge number of dogs die prematurely from it.
The bones also cleanse the anal glands, which automatically triggers the elimination of toxins.

Many may argue that how can bones even be digested in a dog's stomach and how can they then poop them out? It turns out that in our smaller friends, the acidity of the gastric juice exceeds ours and the bones are easily and simply split into small pieces.

We feed Logan, now almost 5 months old, raw bones every day. Usually it's his breakfast.

It is very important to give bones along with meat, otherwise constipation may occur.

Chicken wings, legs, backs, necks. Whole! And that's okay! He does not eat the turkey legs and wings completely, but leaves large bones, which we then throw away. We also give him lamb on the bones, it takes him a very long time to gnaw them

Important: always watch your pet chew on bones! Do not feed pork bones or ribs - they can break very easily, which can provoke negative consequences. Don't cut the bones; I usually cut them at the joints so as not to damage the bones.

Dogs are carnivores, so bones are an essential part of their diet. Another thing is that the issue of choosing such a product must be approached very carefully. Otherwise, you can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

Why do dogs love to chew on bones?

Scientists after a lot of research managed to find out why all dogs love to gnaw bones. Once such predators lived and hunted in groups or so-called flocks. The process of adapting wild dogs to a pack lifestyle took place approximately eight million years ago, but under the influence of evolution, the jaws of the ancestors of domestic dogs gradually changed, due to the lifestyle and habits of the animal.

For animals with the largest and strongest teeth, as well as the strongest jaws, a successful hunt was characteristic, allowing them to survive even in very difficult natural conditions. Thus, the gene responsible for a well-developed jaw apparatus was passed down from generation to generation, and also helped animals to tear and grind even very heavy meat food. Domestic dogs managed to preserve such features of wild ancestors, so four-legged pets to this day just love to gnaw bones.

This is interesting! As a result of numerous studies, it was found that the formation of strong and powerful jaw muscles, as well as fairly large teeth, fell precisely on the period of group hunting of a predator.

How bones are useful or dangerous

It is known that the stomach of a domestic dog is sufficiently adapted to the process of digesting bones, but, as practice shows, such products do not have a high nutritional benefit, but, on the contrary, can harm a four-legged pet. Quite often, when gnawing bones, the gastrointestinal tract, as well as other organs of the digestive system, receive serious injuries that adversely affect the quality and life expectancy of the animal.

Elements of bone fragments often injure the oral cavity, get stuck between the teeth, dig into the gums and get stuck in the throat, causing obstruction or suffocation. Splinters stuck in the intestine often cause intestinal obstruction, as well as constipation, alternating with bloody diarrhea. In some cases, the only way to save a pet is surgery.

This is interesting! For show dogs, natural bones are categorically contraindicated, because their chewing often provokes excessive grinding of teeth, damage to tooth enamel and the development of caries, as well as a change in bite.

The most preferred option would be to use special chewing bones from well-established manufacturers. Numerous positive reviews from dog breeders are received by Happy dog products intended for medium and large breeds. Such bones based on beef and veal with the addition of a highly effective vitamin and mineral complex provide proper dental care, clean tooth enamel, prevent the appearance of plaque, and also massage and strengthen the gums.

What bones should not be given to a dog

It is strictly forbidden to feed chicken tubular bones to a dog of any breed. Gnawing causes crumbling of such bones into small and very sharp fragments that can quite easily pierce the intestinal lining.

Another reason why such bones should not be given to a pet is the risk of avian diseases of an inflammatory or infectious nature. The use of raw chicken bones significantly increases the likelihood of contracting various infections, which can be accompanied by severe poisoning.

Similar requirements also apply to pork bones. The consumption of raw bones with leftover meat by animals can be the main reason for infecting a domestic dog with various worms. Despite the pronounced softness, even cooked bones can do very great harm. A significant amount of gluten is formed in such bones, therefore, when it enters the digestive tract together with crushed bones, a very dense and practically indigestible lump is formed.

An unburdened result of the formation of such a coma will be the appearance of constipation, as well as gastric spastic pain. Severe cases may require surgery and a long recovery period.

Important! As the practice and experience of veterinarians shows, it is impossible to feed chicken, rabbit and pork, as well as lamb bones to a pet, so the purchase of special chewing bones will be a worthy alternative to such products.

What kind of bones can be given to dogs

Of course, it is absolutely impossible to include natural bones in the daily diet of a pet. Such food belongs to the category of very coarse products that can overload the jaw and chewing muscles. However, it is very useful for a dog of any breed to periodically gnaw bones during the period of teeth change, which allows the four-legged pet to receive an additional amount of such important mineral components as calcium and phosphorus.

Only by knowing exactly which bones are recommended to be given to your pet, you can diversify the dog's diet with such a product about a couple of times a week. Chicken heads can be a very good alternative to bones. This affordable and extremely healthy type of food is fed exclusively to adult dogs, always after preliminary trimming of the beak, which can severely injure the oral cavity, esophagus or gastrointestinal tract.

It is perfectly okay to feed raw beef ribs and trimmings from a large beef thighbone to a dog. Ribs at the cartilage stage are usually fed whole to a pet, but after they become hard, they must be discarded. Small puppies can be given large beef bones, from which the pet will gnaw on the remnants of meat. For an adult animal, veal cartilage ribs are optimal, which are almost completely gnawed by such a pet.

Important! Remember that even well-cooked beef bones are highly undesirable to give to an animal, since it is precisely such food that becomes the main cause of indigestion and prolonged constipation.

Consequences of eating bones

As a rule, with limited use of bones of the permitted type, severe consequences are not noted. However, the pet owner should be wary of the complications presented by:

poisoning with pathogenic microflora, toxins and bacteria that accumulate in animal products;
violation of the integrity of the enamel on the teeth;
damage to the oral mucosa;
digestive problems, including constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion;
profuse and prolonged vomiting, provoked by bone fragments stuck in the stomach;
suffocation caused by the ingestion of insufficiently chewed bone plates and fragments into the pharynx.

It should be remembered that chicken tubular bones located on the thighs and wings of a bird are of particular danger. It is also necessary to refuse the bones of a turkey. Such a large bird is slaughtered at the age of two to three years, so the bones are very hard, capable of injuring the gastric tract or esophagus quite easily. The same problems arise when using goose or duck bones obtained from a fully grown bird.

At the first sign of a pet being unwell after eating the bones, it is very important to deliver it to the nearest veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Very often there is a need for surgical intervention, so any, even a slight delay, can cause the death of the dog.

Important! Experienced breeders categorically do not recommend feeding boiled bones to dogs of any age, since prolonged heat treatment can destroy almost all useful components in the product.

A thoughtful and well-designed diet has a direct impact on the health of a four-legged pet. From the question: is it possible to feed dogs a bone? some are horrified, because they believe that it is harmful to the animal, while others, on the contrary, are sure that the pet menu should not do without them.

What is the right thing to do in the case when it is not clear whether it is possible to feed a dog with beef bones, and also what benefit or harm they will bring to a pet?

Your dog's natural diet should include solid foods. You can give her bones, but you need to do it very carefully and correctly.

Beef bones are allowed to be offered to dogs. It is best if these are large heads of the hip joints. Wait until the animal eats cartilage and meat, then immediately take the moslak from him. Spongy can be used as raw material for broth, or as a toy.

Be sure to specify at what age the animal was killed, whose bones you plan to feed your dog. If young, then they can be fed to a pet without fear.

Because the older the animal was, the harder its spongy substances become, which can break down and harm the dog while eating.

Benefit

The benefit lies in the fact that with them calcium, minerals, chondroitin and collagen enter the body.

Thanks to them, chewing muscles are trained, but only if they are given no more than two or three times a week. Daily use leads to excessive stress.
If you add the product to the diet in reasonable quantities, then the appearance of tartar and plaque will not threaten the teeth.
The spongy substance, bone marrow, which are part of the bones, are of great benefit to the dog's body, filling it with saturated and unsaturated fats.
Nervousness is reduced in those pets who sometimes have the opportunity to gnaw bones, in contrast to those who are deprived of this pleasure.

Harm

Unfortunately, the bones are not only harmful, but also endanger the health and life of a four-legged pet.

From them, dogs' teeth grind down, and sometimes even break. Bad teeth deprive dogs of the opportunity to fully eat, which also leads to various diseases, but already in the gastrointestinal tract.
The mucous membrane of the intestines, stomach and esophagus will be damaged by fragments of crushed bones.
Very often they get stuck in the throat. Not always the owner can pull it out on their own, without the intervention of a doctor.
One common problem is intestinal blockage. In this case, too, there is no way to do without surgical intervention.

Who can't?

Dogs fed commercial diets should not be fed bones. The acidity in their stomachs is altered so they cannot be digested, which usually results in vomiting. The health and life of the animal in this case is endangered.

If your pet eats mixed food and dry food alternates with canned food and meat in his diet, then in this case he should not be given bones either.

Pets who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and take the drug omez, this type of product in the diet is contraindicated.

Pregnant females who are fed raw foods are not allowed to give bones in the last weeks of pregnancy.

During the period when mothers begin weaning their puppies, bones should be completely excluded from their diet.

Which ones are better?

Not all beef bones are allowed to be given to dogs. Cartilage, young veal ribs, mosol with leftover meat are the safest for them.

Boiled or raw?

It is allowed to give them to the dog only in raw form.

Attention! In no case should you offer boiled beef bones to your dog! In a boiled form, when they enter the intestines, they create a fairly dense mass that cannot go outside.

In a baked and fried form, the product is also strictly prohibited, because dogs cannot digest it.

How to give?

It will be correct to add the bone to the composition of a serving of food, or after eating. It is absolutely impossible to feed them to a dog on a daily basis. It is recommended to pamper your pet with this product no more than twice a week.

What to do if you ate?

Asphyxia, which often happens to dogs from eating bones, is very life threatening. When the bone gets stuck in the teeth, the dog begins to salivate profusely. Often, pets choke on their own saliva.

It is very important at such a moment that the owner can notice in time that the dog has become ill and pull out the bone. If the moment is missed, then there is a high probability that the dog will die from suffocation.

Vomit

If your four-legged friend starts vomiting, then immediately take him to the veterinary clinic. Such a reaction of the body indicates that most likely a large piece is stuck in the stomach, which does not pass. Frequent vomiting dehydrates the body of the animal. Only surgery in this case can save your pet.

Diarrhea with blood

Dogs that are fed bones too often develop blockages in their large intestines. This leads to pain and bleeding during bowel movements. If you notice such an ailment in your dog, then you must urgently show it to a veterinarian.

Puppies

After two months from the moment of birth, puppies are allowed to very rarely indulge in a delicious bone.

Reference! In order to avoid many serious problems, do not leave the baby alone with the bone. Make sure that he does not start to gnaw and swallow it.

A puppy can only be given bones in the form of cartilaginous veal ribs. With their milk teeth, they gnaw out the spongy substance that is useful for them, eat cartilage and tendons.

If you decide to give the baby beef callus, then it should be so large that the puppy cannot swallow it.

The bone must be intact and without chips. Naked, without the remains of meat, it is forbidden to give babies.

The product must be necessarily fresh and get into the puppy's food only in its raw form.

Breed features

Dogs of any breed and any age will benefit from beef bones in reasonable quantities and under the strict guidance of the owner.

For large breed dogs, avoid large beef bones such as thighs and drumsticks.

On the contrary, it is better for small dogs to gnaw on a large brain, because their jaw will not be able to grasp and bite through it.

Conclusion

It is best to feed your dog only high quality foods that will only benefit his health. Bones can not always be attributed to useful products, although dogs love them very much. Often they bring harm and death to the animal.

If you still decide to sometimes treat your pet with a bone, then approach the process seriously and responsibly. Choose the safest and most special treats available in pet stores. Remember that you are responsible for your little friend and take care of his health.

In contact with

Beginner dog owners and experienced kennel owners are wondering if puppies, teens and adult dogs should be given bones? Let's figure out in what form they are safe for a pet and how often they can be offered to pets?

Arguments for

Experienced owners and breeders are unanimous and say that raw bones can and should be given to dogs. Our pets are descended from wolves. They are only 0.02% different in genotype from their older brothers. When wolves pack their prey, for example, a deer, the leader with his female is the first to saturate, and then other members of the pack come up. With pleasure, predators eat meat and entrails, and finally gnaw the bones, bury them. Having feasted for a day, the flock knows that there may not be a large prey for a week.

If you want to treat your pet with bones, remember that you need to give them raw. When cooked, they become brittle and there is a high risk of scratching the stomach or esophagus. In addition, useful substances are digested from the bones, they remain in the broth. You can cook it on the bones, but discard the boiled bones.

The soft bones will not damage the pet. This is how they become when they are extinguished for a long time. For example, small fish or chickens, etc., but they are of little use. It is better to purchase an electric meat grinder, scroll the necks through it and add them to cereals along with vegetables and vitamins.

Give the dog flat beef bones and the more meat on them, the better. Take the moslaki or hip bones after the pet gnaws on the remains of meat and the cartilaginous layer. Boil the broth on them, and discard the bones. If you leave Moslaks to a puppy, he may chew them so hard that he will dislocate his jaw. Better let it gnaw and take it.

Babies can be given lamb or beef spongy bones. Here it is important that it be a calf, a lamb. Then the bones are not too hard. Otherwise, when they break, they have hard edges and can injure the esophagus or stomach.

Consider the arguments why raw bones are good for our pets:

Dogs have a higher acidity in their stomachs than humans because their stomachs are adapted to digest raw bones. It is best to give the bones whole, cutting into the joints, do not crush them.

Arguments against

Unfortunately, bone fragments can accumulate in a pet's stomach or intestines for years. It happens that they stray into a ball, which interferes with the digestion of other food. You will not understand why, but one day a pet may die from a small tubular bone that will pierce his stomach. Bleeding will begin and if you do not urgently take the dog to the doctor, do not perform an operation, he will die.

Remember which bones a pet is strictly forbidden to:

Boil porridge on any bones, except for pork (you can not give pork). Throw out the bones, leave the cartilage.

Important! Pets should not be given boiled necks or spines from any of the birds. They are fragile and break up into many sharp fragments that can injure the esophagus with the pet's stomach.

What else can be consequences after eating bones by a dog? Consider common injuries:

If the dog swallows a sharp tubular bone, it can scratch the mucous membranes and even pierce the throat. There will be heavy bleeding.
If, when swallowing a bone, it damages the trachea, this can be fatal for the dog. There were cases that the owners even immediately took the pet to the veterinarian, but he lost too much blood or choked and died in their arms.
Asphyxia. If a small bone gets stuck between the teeth, the dog will reflexively release a lot of saliva. There were cases when pets choked on their own liquid. If you do not notice what is happening to the dog and do not pull out the stuck bone, he will die from suffocation. Often the spine of a turkey, goose, duck will get stuck in this way and the dog dies from suffocation.
Is your pet vomiting? Take him to the vet immediately. This could be a sign that he has a rather large piece of bone stuck in his stomach. Reflex desire to remove it from the stomach along with the vomit, but unfortunately it is too large and does not go away. The pet becomes dehydrated after frequent vomiting. You can pull out the bone only by operating on your pet.
Bones, along with fragments, can accumulate in the stomach and clog it. Many stray dogs die from this. They do not eat properly and the acidity of the gastric juice in their stomachs drops. Bones do not dissolve and are not excreted from the body naturally through the intestines. "Lump with needles" clogs the stomach and requires surgery. The dog will die from internal bleeding or obstruction. The veterinarian can open the intestines, get bones with fragments, but then the dog will have a long rehabilitation period.
It happens that the large intestine is clogged. This happens when bones in a semi-digested form accumulate in the large intestine, forming a kind of plug. Your dog will feel pain while defecating. This may be accompanied by bleeding. Veterinarians note that in those dogs that are often fed any bones, there is just such a blockage in the intestines.

Bones contain a lot of calcium and phosphorus. They are digested well in raw form, digested by gastric juice. There are no other nutrients. Cartilage is more useful in its raw form, but they can also be given boiled with buckwheat, rice, oatmeal porridge (others are less useful).

If you want to treat your pet with delicious and nutritious bones, then buy those with more meat and offer them only raw. Boiled it can be chicken necks twisted in an electric meat grinder or very soft from rabbit or chicken, etc. stew. Boiled tubular bones are strictly forbidden for dogs.

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Healthy treat or...?

The health of your four-legged pet largely depends on how well thought out his diet is. All products that can cause at least some harm to his body should be excluded from the daily menu. Useful products, on the contrary, the dog should receive every day.

What to do in the case when it is not clear how exactly the animal's body will react to any type of food, that is, how harmful or beneficial it will turn out to be? Of course, each case should be considered separately. Today we will find out if a dog can have beef bones, what benefits they will bring to an animal and how dangerous they can be if used incorrectly.

There is an opinion that beef bones for dogs are a delicacy that our pets simply cannot do without. Is it so? Cow bones contain a large number of various minerals, the most important of which has long been recognized as calcium. It is especially necessary for puppies during the period of active growth and during the change of milk teeth to permanent ones. In addition, calcium and some other minerals contained in the bones are very necessary for pregnant and nursing dogs. Does this mean that they can safely offer beef bones and not worry about the consequences? Unfortunately no!

First of all, it is worth answering the question, is it possible to give boiled beef bones to a dog? Remember that boiled beef bones should not be offered to a dog under any circumstances. Swallowed soft boiled bones form such a dense mass in the intestines that it cannot come out in any way. We have already written about how, so we will not repeat ourselves. As for raw ones: yes, they can be given to a pet, but not all of them.

Of course, beef bones and any others (as well as) cannot be a substitute for meat, the main source of protein and other essential substances.

The most useful and completely safe cartilages, which are young veal ribs - they can be pampered with both a small puppy and an adult dog. Relatively calmly, you can offer to gnaw on your pet mosol, while it is desirable that there are remains of meat on it (but not fat, since such fat is extremely unhealthy and causes intestinal disorders). It is not recommended to give the ribs of an adult cow that have already passed into the stage of bones, as their swallowed sharp pieces can damage the walls of some internal organs.

If you have a little naughty child who likes to stir up his four-legged friend, make sure that he does not stick to the dog at the moment when he enjoys a delicious bone. During the absorption of a favorite treat, a usually good-natured dog can show aggression and even bite the baby, thinking that he wants to take away the treat.

Can a puppy be given beef bones? Yes, but only, as written above, in the form of cartilaginous veal ribs. As a source of calcium, so necessary for a young dog, it is better to offer him. Follow the link to learn more about this useful and inexpensive product.

If you decide to give your pet a bone from time to time, do not do it too often. A dog that constantly chews on bones grinds its teeth very quickly almost to the ground and becomes toothless in old age. Even a young dog leaning on such treats can lose a tooth by breaking it. There is no doubt that the dog must sometimes chew on something - this is good for him, but the bones are too hard for this. It is better to pamper your pet with special treats (bones, dried ears, etc.) sold in pet stores.