Dogs & bones

[Champagne]

I've heard that dogs should not be fed cooked bones because they can potentially splinter or choke the dog etc. etc.

But has this always been the case or is it a bit of an urban myth? When I was little it was commonplace for people to give the bones from the Sunday roast to their dogs. And I've never heard of somebody's dog choking on splinters! So when did eating cooked bones become a problem? And is it a problem at all?

[PatriciaH]

My sisters dog died after getting in the rubbish bin and eating a chicken bone, when i was little our dog always had the bone from the meat, but never chicken...our dog we have now never has bones off any meat we have and we dont give him any of "our food"

[SaxyJag]

It is most definitely the case. As a girl, I did some work for a vet as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award, and saw too many dogs with splinters stuck in various parts of their mouth and throat. Very common is when a splinter gets stuck across the roof of the mouth. With a bad-tempered terrier on the other end of the mouth, it ain't no fun to deal with.

[hometex]

Yes it is a problem, dogs should only be given raw uncooked bones. try your local butcher he will have some spare. even raw checken bones are fine for large dogs. the problem with cooked bones is simply when you cook them they become dry and brittle so when a dog takes a bite from it, the bone will crack and the tiny sharp splinters can get stuck in the dogs mouth or throat. i have seen this happen and its not a nice thing to see. marrow bone is about the best you can give a dog however i have 9 dogs and i NEVER give any of them a bone, it can make them agressive.

[Oh Bother]

I used to have a Rottie, Boris, he went to live with my dad and his girlfriend while I went on holiday, I came back, and he was in the vet's, He had been in the bin and gotten a lamb bone out, the vet showed me the remains of it, the insurance paid for a massive operation, but unfortunately my Boz did not survive. The splinters were stuck in his stomach wall apparently.

So yes it is a problem.

It probably became a problem when people became accountable for their pets health.

[YvonneM]

Ask your butcher to cut you a middle marrow bone they are large and virtually indestructible and will keep your dog happy for hours

[veritymoon]

i work at an emergency clinic and we spend most of our time removing bones from oesophagus and intestines very dangerous giving your dog bones not to mention expensive!

[Kimmiebear]

Even raw bones can cause splinter problems if the dog is a veracious chewer. Raw bones can also give Salmonela or other bacteria which is no good. I like Kongs myself.

[Champagne]

So in conclusion the safest option is not to give bones of any sort to your dog. I'll stick to the substitues which can be purchased at any good pet store.

My dog loves the pig's ears and the dried sausages anyway.

[KZAB]

I bought my dogs some of the smoked marrow bones from the pet shop. Three of the dogs sicked up sharp pieces of bone and I've never bought them since

[Snappy]

Raw bones are safe for dogs! How do you think they survived in the wild?! All bones fed should be raw, freeze them first, then defrost, this kills the bacteria. Start off on raw chicken wings, these teah the dog how to crunch, rather than gulp. Shanks and knuckles for chewing and rib bones for eating