Veterinarians have been warning pet parents about feeding a dog real bones for ages and now the FDA has reconfirmed this advice. Most of us already know that poultry bones are dangerous, can easily splinter and get stuck in a dog's throat causing choking.
Recently, the FDA recently published information saying that bones from any size animal are unsafe and can cause injury to a dog's mouth and tongue and can even break his or her teeth.
According to the FDA, there are 10 reasons why it's a bad idea to give your dog a bone:
1. Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
2. Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see the veterinarian.
3. Bone gets looped around your dog's lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for dogs and potentially costly, as it usually means a trip to the veterinarian.
4. Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Dogs may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see the veterinarian.
5. Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if dogs accidentally inhale a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because the dog will have trouble breathing. If this happens, the dog should go to the veterinarian immediately.
6. Bone gets stuck in the stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone's size, dogs may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which veterinarians use a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
7. Bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage. It may be time for surgery.
8. Constipation due to bone fragments. Dogs may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they're very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to the veterinarian.
9. Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It's time for a trip to see your veterinarian.
10. Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat abdominal bacterial infection is caused when bone fragments poke holes in the dog's stomach or intestines. Peritonitis can cause death, so dogs would need an emergency visit to the veterinarian if this happens.
These FDA warnings are very good advice. Bones have been known to cause these issues and if they lead to diarrhea and bloody stools...the results can be fatal, especially if it's peritonitis.
So is there any alternative?
Maybe Nylabones, made from a synthetic and said to be pretty safe. Or another option are Kongs, made from heavy hard rubber material. Most dogs work on them for a while before they start to break up. At that point you would just throw it out and give them a new one to chew.
Rawhide chews is also an option. Just make sure it's made in the USA!!!
Besides real bones, do not give your dog Dried Pig Ears. They can cause vomiting and upset stomachs for some. And, stay away from chew hooves! They can be very dangerous...even deadly!
If you're not sure what to do, ask your veterinarian to recommend bone-like substitutes that are safe for your dog to chew, or just stick to chew toys and artificial bones.
The FDA recommends: "Always supervise your dog with any chew product, especially one your dog hasn't had before. "And always, if you notice your dog 'just isn't acting right,' contact your veterinarian immediately!"
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