Dogs and bones, some people believe that this is a wonderful combination, that these two things go together naturally and that bones are not going to hurt their dog. The sad realization is that dogs and bones should not go together because it is just to dangerous to the dog. There are at least 10 reasons that a dog should not be given a bone, even a big, old juicy rib or steak bone. Some of these reasons are things that can happen to the dog from the bone that can be life threatening while others are not so dangerous.
The least dangerous outcome of a dog chewing on a bone is a broken tooth. A broken tooth may be the least dangerous of this list, but it can cause the dog some pain and may require a trip to the veterinarian. So this bone that you gave your dog just caused your dog some pain and your wallet just became a little lighter after paying the veterinarian.
Bones that are being chewed on can cut your dogs gums and/or its tongue. The outcome of this disaster will be the dog being in pain and a bloody mess for you to clean up. If you are lucky, the dog will heal fast and no farther action will be needed. If not, and an infection sets in, then a trip to the veterinarian will be in order.
If a dog is allowed to chew on a bone, the bone can get stuck in the dog’s lower jaw. Once again your dog will be in pain and you may not be capable of getting the bone out of the dog’s lower jaw. So, once more trip to the veterinarian and more money spent.
Dogs that are allowed to chew on bones can get those bones stuck in other places as well. They can end up stuck in the dog’s esophagus, or its windpipe, or even in the dog’s intestines. If any of these happen, you will need to take the dog to the vet. If it is stuck in the dog’s intestine, then surgery will probably need to be performed.
The dog that is allowed to chew on bones can also have stomach problems associated with the bone chewing. The dog can become constipated from the bone shards that can cause him tremendous pain while they are scraping the sides of the dog’s intestines. Another problem can be Peritonitis which is a bacterial infection that can happen when the bone shards actually poke a hole in the dog’s intestines.
None of these medical conditions caused by chewing on a bone are worth the risk. So next time you have ribs and your best friend looks up at you with those big, puppy dog eyes, just think about how much pain he could be in should you give him that bone that he is wanting so badly.
