Dogs love to gnaw on bones. And, you love everything that your pooch loves. Isn’t it? But, there have been a lot of controversies about whether to chew bones are safe for dogs or not among veterinarians and researchers. When one states that they are not safe, the other one puts a point that dogs being carnivorous, chewing on bones is natural for them. To this statement, the former debater does not miss on arguing that in the olden times, dogs usually ripped off the meat and left the bones. And this goes on…
So, what must have been the circumstances that led some of the experts to disagree with chew bones for dogs?
Let’s check these things that could go wrong with chew bones for dogs!
- A big risk for your dog’s teeth- As long as your furry friends just lick or gnaw softly on the bones, it is well and good. But, sometimes they just bite the bone to crack it open and swallow it. This could break your dog’s teeth and may need a surgery to fix it. So, unsupervised bone treat could get a bit risky for the molars.
- Mouth injuries could make your pet’s life harder- Apart from the tooth fracture there are many other injuries that could make your companion’s life hard. The sharp edges of the bones may scratch your pooch’s tongue, or even worse, it could get looped around the lower job. In such circumstances, surgeries become a necessity.
- Cooked bones are a big NO- Cooking make the bones softer and could be broken easily. They break into splinters and your pups may swallow them, which could be a big problem for their health.
- Could turn into a choking hazard if the bone is stuck in esophagus- Food travels through esophagus to the stomach. If the bone is small enough to pass the throat, but big enough to get stuck in the esophagus, then this could choke your canine. An immediate consultation with a vet may be needed to get the bone out of your dog’s system.
- Bone stuck in the stomach may need a surgery- There are many steps after a dog swallows a chunk of the bone. Even if it passes safely from his mouth and esophagus, it may not be able to pass through the stomach. There are fair chances of it getting stuck in the stomach. Depending on the size of the bone, your furry friend may need a surgery or gastrointestinal endoscopy. The same may happen if it gets stuck in the intestine. In both the cases, surgery becomes inevitable.
- Bone marrow may be a treat for your tykes, but is not recommended- Bison femur or hip bones are filled with marrow, although rich can cause diarrhea in pets. It may also become the cause of pancreatitis in pooches. Even if you decide to let your furry pals gnaw on bones, it is recommended not to let them have the marrow.
- Peritonitis may take your friend away forever- Bone fragments may poke holes in your dog’s stomach and intestine. These injuries can lead to the lethal bacterial infection known as peritonitis and it may create a life threat for your canines.
If you plan on giving a chew bone to your pet, make sure he is supervised. Train him to just gnaw on it softly rather than biting with all his strength. It is advised to treat them with bones after their meal. If their stomachs are full, they may just lick or nibble softly. A chew bone before your pooch’s meal may urge him to break it and swallow. Before taking any decision on giving chew bones to your pets, it is recommended to consult your vet.
To conclude, giving chew bones to your furry pals may go wrong in many ways. It may be best to consult your vet before giving a treat to your pooch. Supervising your pooches may be the best thing to do while your pawed friends chomp off the bone.
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