How bad are bones (Pork, Chicken, Beef etc) for dogs?

Question

My Pomeranian Toy dogs love them but i've heard they can pierce their tummy?

Answer 1

Thats a pretty loaded question. There is lots of different opinions regarding the feeding of bones to dogs. Some people believe you should never do it, others feed any type of bone and still others feed bones but with some restrictions. It is really up to you to decide what risk you want to take with your dogs.

Feeding any type of bone carries some health risk to your dog. The bones could become lodged and cause digestion problems or internal damage.

Personally I do feed bones as i believe the benefits - jaw exercise, mental and physical stimulation, entertainment, teeth cleaning, outlet for natural need to chew and gnaw - outweigh the risks. But i do follow some rules to lessen the risk. I never feed cooked bones. I never feed sharp or easily shattered bones. I tend to stick to raw chicken necks and wings for pups and small dogs (they are soft and easily digested) and large raw meaty shank or marrow bones for large pups or adult dogs (they are less likely to shatter). No matter what you feed though there is always a risk of problems, but hey, we can't put our pooches in a plastic bubble, life is risky :)

I'd suggest you do a little research, talk to your vet and make an informed decision about feeding bones.  

Answer 2

Cooked bones are VERY bad.  You never want to give your Pom cooked bones.  They become dry and brittle, then break off into tiny shards.  It's like us swallowing glass.  They can pierce the esophagus, stomach and intestines.

Raw bones are really good for your dog.  I would only give those OUTSIDE, though (for germ reasons).  I'm a germaphobic so my two dogs get marrow bones every other week but they get them outside on the grass and I clean their mouth and paws before I bring them in.  We lost a dog growing up to a cooked bone (pierced stomach - she bled to death while we were at school) and my friend lost her yorkie a few years ago to a cooked bone as well.  It's not worth the risk.

Smoked bones are another, safer option as well.  You can get them at most pet stores.  Again, I would give them occassionally as a treat outside.

Answer 3

You should NEVER give your dog any kind of bone that has been cooked,  cooking causes the bones to soften and they will splinter and they can puncture the tummy, intestines etc,  If you want to give your dog a bone, go to a butcher shop and ask for a beef FEMER bone, ask the butcher to cut it into small pieces and let fido chew on it, they love them, and these bones are okay for them to chew on.  NEVER COOK the bones, you also may want to research the RAW diet for dogs, there is a tremendous amount of information out there.  

Answer 4

In a word?  REAL

Answer 5

Just make sure the bones are large enough they can be swallowed and tough enough they can be easily broken up. Bones themselves can be quite good for a dog. People who feed their dogs on raw diets are often told to feed with the bones in (as long as its cut in to safe pieces or ground up!)

Answer 6

I dont think its so much that they pierce their tummy. they splinter easily and can choke them. My friends dog choked to death on a chicken bone . =[

Answer 7

Not only can they pierce a dog's tummy, they get stuck in their throats very easily.  Especially small dogs..when I was growing up, we had a Westie that got into a neighbor's yard once and came home choking.  She had gotten a chicken bone stuck in her throat!!  Luckily, my dad was able to swipe it out with his finger, but that sadly, isn't always the case.  For the sake of your dogs, buy the ones that are specially made for dogs from the pet store.

Answer 8

COOKED bones are bad in any form.

Your Pom should easily be able to handle a raw chicken thigh, drumstick or wing.

Cooking changes the structure of the bones making them brittle. This causes them to shatter into sharp pieces.

Raw bones are soft and pliable, and easily taken care of by your dogs teeth.

My own dogs eat a prey model raw diet and get rmb's from pork, chicken, beef, lamb and rabbit.

***Your dog can choke on anything that fits in its mouth. Ever hear that *harf* noise when your dog is eating kibble? Guess what, he just choked. There have been many cases of dogs choking on kibble and dying, I haven't heard any cases of a dog choking and dying on a RAW bone. Maybe we should stop feeding them kibble too?

The link posted below is misleading. First the dog in the x-rays likely got sick from eating decaying rotten meat. The beagle in the pictures, that's a COOKED bone, and not a type of bone that would be recommended for feeding even raw, its to dense.

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html

Answer 9

Well i'm certainly no expert, but think about it this way if you eat to much of a good thing is this good for you tummy? So regardless of the dog not good. Also one time I gave a husky to many rib bones and he had diarrhea for days...whaT a mess

Answer 10

Chicken bones are especially bad mostly because they splinter and can choke your dog and poke holes in their stomach. I think beef bones are the best if you are going to let your dog chew on bones. My dogs (we live in the mountains of CA) bring home deer bones all the time and they last forever and my dogs (hound/border collie mix and maltipoo) are fine, but I know chicken bones are bad.

Answer 11

Go to this website before you give your dog any type of bone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/bones....

Answer 12

In my experience, I don't give chicken bones to dogs, given they can splinter.  Other bones I don't give are rib bones, as they can stick in the throat.  In saying this, bones are fine - how do you think wolves and wild dogs get on?  They cant go to the supermarket and buy dog food lol.  You can also have your dog on a RAW (?) diet, as in raw bones, raw meat, rice etc.  Dogs chewing on bones is good for their teeth health and helps their bowels.

Answer 13

do not give chicken or pork bones to your dogs please!   beef only!

Answer 14

Raw bones of any kind are safe to feed your dog.

It is cooked bones and weight barring bones that cause problems.

Please do the research for yourself. Holistic vets typically know what they are talking about.

What does a dog do in the wild for all those people saying not to give bones? I am sure it kills its meal, takes the bones out, then cooks it, then after all that, it eats it. I am being sarcastic if you cant tell. A dog thats in the wild will eat what a carnivore eats.

Answer 15

Raw bones are fine for dogs BUT since your dog is so small I would avoid giving him bones that he can actually swallow! So avoid chicken wings and neck which he would probably attempt to swallow whole. Think big, like chicken quarters or pork necks.  

Answer 16

Beef bones are fine and good for your dog. Just boil them or make sure they were cooked first.

Pork bones will most likely make your dog sick. I never give my dog pork, chicken or fish bones.

Answer 17

First of all, I wouldn't feed ANY cooked bones to my dog at all.  The only safe bone in my opinion is a raw soup or marrow bone that I get from my butcher.  Pork, steak and chicken bones DO splinter.  I don't care what anyone tells you, they splinter and can cut the dogs intestines and cause deadly blockages.  

Answer 18

You can give them pork and beef bones. Dont give them chicken bones it bad for dogs.

Answer 19

I wouldn't risk it. Chicken bones splinter easily. I would be cautious.

Answer 20

yea its not good to give your pup anything with a bone, she could choke.  my dogs like them too, so i get them knuckle bones, theyre bigger and they get the meat off of it, not the actual bone.  or rawhide, some vets say its bad and it upsets some dogs' tummies.  

Answer 21

I have heard of dogs dying from choking on bones,and I have heard of dogs dying from inhaling kibble the wrong way. I reccomend feeding RAW bone regardless if it's from a pig,cow,or chicken.  

Answer 22

Pork and beef should be fine, but the chicken bones splinter and dogs can easily choke. You can take the meat off the bone for your dog though.