LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Comments

Hi Sweetwalter,

Thanks for the info. I especially like the idea of grinding the bones in a blender. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Have been feeding my german shepherds raw and cooked chicken bones for over forty years. Only the thigh and leg bones can cause any problem in cooked bones. Bite off the knuckles and throw the long bones away. The marrow in the rest of the bones is nutricious and tasty as well. Sometimes, throw all of the bones in a blender/ice crusher to make a pate/pudding and add to any kibble. Your dog will bless you.

-- Contributed by: Sweetwalter

Hi Dan,

A small amount of carbs is good. Try adding cooked brown rice to your recipe for carb content. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I feed my dog cooked chicken and bones. My Vet said that he needs carbos in his diet. Do bones and marrow contain carbos and do dogs need carbos. The vet said it can cause Kidney failure which scared me. Thanks

-- Contributed by: DAN

Hi Paul,

Yes, some dogs eat chicken bones and never appear to have a problem, but some dogs have unfortunately suffered punctures. It's up to every owner to consider the risk and feed their pet accordingly. Thanks for sharing your experience. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I just can't believe that a dog shouldn't eat chicken bones. Both my dogs were strays before I got them (one of them I had firsthand knowledge of its rummaging through garbage cans in an old neighborhood). I have been feeding both cooked chicken bones for four years now. Of all the bones that would digest in the stomach acid of dogs, humans, animals it would be the chicken bone. While a small % of dogs may run into problems as a result of inhaling bones, the majority of dogs have figured out how to eat a bone so it doesn't kill them. What a waste to toss all those bones...

-- Contributed by: Paul

Hi Dee,

I'm glad you found the article helpful, and thanks for sharing your opinion. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Thanks for this info. We were just about to give our dog a chicken carcass, but it was cooked. About the kibble and commercial pet food - we watched some footage at the peta.org site a few weeks back and have boycotted most commercial pet foods. If you're a dog lover and you take a look at their site (search for IAMS), you'll see why.

-- Contributed by: Dee

Hi David,

I'm glad you've been so lucky, and I hope that continues. Thanks for sharing your opinion on this topic. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I am a sheep farmer and have had many sheep dogs and fox terriers over the years and have fed them cooked and uncooked chicken and sheep bones without any problems.They have a scavengers digestive system perfected over eons and I have never had a health issue in my dogs caused by something they ate.

-- Contributed by: David

Hi Karen,

Chances are the bone was chewed well enough and digested without causing any punctures. I'm glad your dog isn't showing any sign of a problem. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

We have been diligent at checking every single bowel movement for 3 days. Our 3 year old goldendoodle at a cooked chicken leg bone on Thursday, this is Sunday evening and no sign of the bone. She appears to be fine, eating, playing, ect. Where is the bone?? Shouldn't it pass?

-- Contributed by: karen

I am from Europe and have a 18month old Belgian Sheepdog - a very natural breed. I give her cooked, broiled or raw chicken bones, but rarely the long ones (I just hold them and let her bite off the soft joints). Use your best jugment and common sense - if your dog is good and smart chewer (my dog never eats pieces of chewed off toys, plastics etc.) and it's a larger, kind of a natural breed (close to wolves) - why not?! With smaller and "overbred" breeds, toy dogs etc. be cautious.

-- Contributed by: Monika

Hi Kirsty,

There's a possibility the bones and rich fat are causing a digetive problem. Too much fat can cause an unpleasant reaction from the pancreas, while the bones mainly pose a puncture hazard. You should continue to watch your dog closely for any sign his condition is getting worse. It would be a good idea to call your vet to find out if your dog needs to be examined.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I hope your dog will feel better very soon.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dog has eaten chicken bones and pork fat! He is now listless and lost his appetite. This is the second day he has been feeling 'off' so I'm starting to get a bit worried about him.

-- Contributed by: kirsty

Hi LovemyDogs,

Your dogs have indeed been lucky. Cooked chicken bones do run a risk of splintering when chewed. Hopefully it's like you said and your dogs are good chewers that grind the bones small enough to not harm them during digestion.

Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dogs have eaten chicken bones that were carelessly discarded (by others, not me) more times than I can count, and they've never had a problem. Is this just luck, or is it that they always get beef and pork bones and are large dogs who chew them well?

-- Contributed by: lovemydogs

Hi Belen,

The best thing you can do is take your dog to your vet right away and have him/her remove it. If you try to do it yourself, it could become lodged even deeper. Better to let the vet handle it in case it proves difficult to remove.

Best wishes that all goes well.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

my dog seems to have a ckicken bone stuck in his troat what can i do?

-- Contributed by: belen

Hi Channon,

The fact that these were raw bones makes the situation a little better. People who feed their dogs the Raw Food and Bones Diet (BARF) do allow the dogs to eat the raw chicken bones because they are softer, and therefore easier to grind down with the dog's jaws rather than have them splinter while being chewed. My advice is to watch your dog closely for any unusual behavior or sign of physical distress. Hopefully the bones have already been dissolved by the digestive juices, but keep an eye on your pet just in case a vet trip becomes necessary.

Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

the chicken bones from the chicken breast rib cage were raw

-- Contributed by: channon

Hi there, I was cutting up chicken breast today and i had to cut out the rib cages...i a accedentally left them out and my dog ate them is this really bad...should i take him to the vet?

-- Contributed by: channon

My dog has accidentally eaten cooked chicken bones before and is doing fine and to CJ if the chicken directly next to the bone in fried chicken is completely cooked wouldn't the bone touching it also be cooked?

-- Contributed by: ryan

My best pet ever ("Colombo", 3 yr old 17 pound terrier mix) got a chicken leg bone (fried) and had chewed it partially, and ate the rest before I could get to him to take it away. It was not unusual for him to do this, so I didn't worry too much about it. When I went to check on the dogs an hour later, he was dead. I'm feeling a great loss in addition to feeling really guilty about not monitoring him closely after eating the bone, I would have gladly paid whatever it took to treat him.

I want to warn others that this is dangerous, and any chicken given to dogs should be stripped of the bones, except maybe for the end of the wing. I initially thought his death was caused by my much larger dog that had a tendency to viciously attack the smaller one and the smaller one wouldn't back off, but there were no signs of external injuries. I'm not positive the bone is what killed him, but there was nothing else I can think of, and he was very healthy and happy before the bone.

I also suspect that fried chicken is cooked so fast that the bone doesn't cook that much, so it's still near raw, but obviously quite dangerous.

-- Contributed by: CJ

MY DOG 7YR OLD ("PURE-MUTT") HAS A DIET OF CA NATURAL LAMB&RICE LITE, AND I ALWAYS PUT A LITTLE WET FOOD IN TO MAKE IT MORE TASTY. SHE NOW WON'T EAT THE DRY W/O THE WET. SHE HAS AUTHRITIS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS EVEN HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I USED TO GIVE HER HUMAN COATED ASPIRIN AND THIS HAPPENED MORE OFTEN. I GIVE HER A "DOG" ARTHRITIS PILLS NOW, 1/2 2X'S A DAY. THEY SAY A WHOLE 2X'S A DAY BUT SHE WAS THROWING UP MORE. HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF THE T.U. IS FROM THAT. SHE STILL DOES T.U. BUT WAY LESS OFTEN. IT'S ALWAY YELLOWISH AND KIND OF THICK. ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

-- Contributed by: TAM

Hi my dog a 9 week old siberian huskey just ate a drum stick whole he didnt even try and chew it i am afraid it will get stuck any advice?

Wow Tarrell,

I'm amazed a nine-week-old puppy could fit an entire drumstick down it's esophagus. I hope it was one of those mini drummies. Basically, it must have cleared the throat, so the choking hazard has passed. Just to be on the safe side, I'd give your vet a call and see if he/she wants to take a look at your pup. Depending on the size of the bone and how long it stays in the stomach being broken down by the acids, it could pose a blockage threat somewhere else along the digestive tract. Your vet can do an X-ray to judge the size of the bone as well as it's current position. This will help your vet decide whether it's safe to let the bone pass on it's own or if it truly needs to be removed.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog won't need any intervention.

-- Contributed by: Tarrell

My 10 mo old Lab got into 3 chicken leg/thigh bones two days ago. He hasn't pooped since. He's still eating, playing, peeing and drinking just not pooping. I've given him milk, bread, bacon/bacon grease (only 3 pieces) and an egg. I'm hoping he'll poop by tomorrow. Otherwise we'll need a vet visit I think. What are your thoughts? Anything else we can do to make him poop?

Hi Kim,

This is a bit of a tricky situation. Serving your dog some plain canned pumpkin will usually move things along, however, if there is a bone lodged someplace that is preventing your dog from pooping, it could be dangerous to force a change in position because this could lead to a tear. It would actually be best to call your vet, tell him/her what's happened and let the vet decide whether it's worth it to take an X-ray to look for bone fragments.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog will be alright.

-- Contributed by: kim

Hi, Are beef or lamb steak bones, or beef ribs, raw or cooked, safe for dogs? I give them to my 20 and 10 lb terriers cooked, and so far no problems. Are raw chicken drumsticks safe, and raw chicken wings not safe? Bones seem to naturally clean their teeth in addition to my daily brushing. Can you recommend which commercial bones that are safe to digest if the raw ones pose a risk? I'm very concerned and your advice would really help! Thanks.

Hi Gina,

Cooked chicken bones seem to present problems more often than other types of bones. Raw chicken bones seem to be easier to grind down without having them break into sharp chards.

Beef bones on the whole are much safer, but size does matter with these. You don't want to offer your dog any type of bone that is small enough to choke on, and you should take any bone away after it has been chewed down small enough to fit inside your dog's mouth.

I did have a question once from a visitor whose dog had worn down its teeth by vigorously chewing marrow bones, so this is something to keep in mind. However, since you brush your dog's teeth daily, you've already got this angle covered.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Gina

My dog ate some KFC chicken bones the other night as well (as someone stated above). He is also limping around; I don't know if he has something stuck in his paw, but there is obviously no broken bones. He is starting to act sick, even getting a slight fever. I want to know if dogs recuperate from bodily injury by acting as though they are ill until their bodies heal from the wound or not. He has eaten cooked chicken bones throughout his life so far (and he is 3), and he's never had any ingestion or digestion problems before. If not, what are the signs that a "chicken bone" problem has occurred?

Hi Keri, I think you should watch your dog closely since it is acting sick after eating the bones. This might be the time they cause a problem. If it helps, think of your dog being injured or ill as the same thing. If it were my choice, I'd go ahead and call the vet and explain what's going on. Let your vet make the call on whether you should bring your dog in.

Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Keri

My little chihuahua got into the trash and ate some KFC chicken bones. Will she be ok?

Keep an eye on her Steph, and if she starts acting unusual take her straight to the vet.

Good luck.

-- Contributed by: steph

Hi everyone,

I grew in a chicken farm, my parents were in the business for 25 years. And we always had dogs, we had 4 fox terriers, a kuvasz, 2 rotweillers and you can guess what they were eating...raw chicken, cooked chicken, baked chicken bones, bones bones...when I first heard this thing that dog can't eat chicken bones I couldn't believe my ears. And then I really thought that this scam is can only be the product of the manufacturers of commercial dog foods. Come on man! No one will convince me if I eat a bone It will go through my pipes like the way I swallowed?! The stomach acid will make it jelly at least. And we really shouldn't forget about that fact that dogs are animals, they're survivals, they don't necessarily need balanced food. If your dog doesn't want to eat the dry dog food, he perfectly knows by instinct what is good for him.

Expert Input

Hi Csaba,

I appreciate your opinion, but I don't agree with it completely.

In some cases, dogs are able to digest chicken bones, but it depends on how well the dog chews them. Raw bones are also softer than cooked bones, and it is brittle cooked bones that pose the biggest threat.

As for knowing what is good for them, dogs will eat anything that interests them, including socks and antifreeze, so we can't rely on our dogs to use their own judgement about what is safe and what isn't. I had a dog that ate a toxic mushroom she found in the back yard and died from it. I'm sure she thought it was alright to eat, but unfortunately she thought wrong.

Anyway, thanks for your input. It's always good to hear another point of view.

-- Contributed by: Csaba

My pup a lhasa apso ate some chicken bones... I'm not sure if they are the reason she is whining... other things shes done like digging and hiding under the bed makes us wonder if she is going to give birth... she ate them last night, i didnt see any blood or anything in her poop.. should i be worried that somethings wrong? :(

Hi Soma,

I would keep a very close eye on your dog and call the vet if she adopts any more unusual behaviors. You know her the best, so you will be most sensitive to any changes.

Best wishes that all turns out well.

-- Contributed by: Soma

Hi, I was just wondering what the difference is between chicken bones and say lamb bones? Is it just chicken bones that could be dangerous to dogs or is it all bones?

jane.

Hi Jane,

The bones from any type of fowl are particularly dangerous because they become brittle after cooking and can break off in sharp chards. This presents a puncture hazzard.

Lamb or beef bones are alright as long as you use caution. Doen't serve anything sharp or small enough to choke on. Also take the bone away as soon as your dog has gnawed is small enough to fit in its mouth.

Thanks!

-- Contributed by: jane linehan

My border collie lab mix ate a turkey leg along with other turkey I left out to throw away. STUPID ME!!!! She has eaten chicken wings that I left in the garbage before and has not gotten sick. Should I worry? She is acting ok but should I give her something so she passes them in a hurry?

No Jason, don't give her anything, but do keep a very close eye on her. If she begins to act as though she's in pain or becomes lethargic, take her to the vet right away.

Good luck!

-- Contributed by: jason

My mom's dog just got sick and died b/c she ate a chicken bone.(we suspect that's why) She is a poma-poo...pomeranian/poodle mix, a smaller dog. She died pretty fast, she was kind of old though, 12, so maybe her body couldn't handle it as well.

Gee Becky, I'm really sorry to hear that. Chicken bones tend to splinter and when this happens there's a good chance a chard will perforate the tummy or intestines.

Please accept my condolances.

-- Contributed by: Becky

Hello, I have a 9 month mastiff, he is huge, and I been reading all this stuf abouit feeding dog's with raw meat, how this works for his bonds? that's one of my concerns, ther will be how much should I give him to make it similar to the 1.3 kg I gave him of royal canin everyday? Thank you

-- Contributed by: Armando

as far as i can remember, ive been giving my dogs cooked chiken bones, and they love it. i jut dont give them the leg part since they say it could cause intetinal injuries. my problem is, my dog only wants to eat bones and no more. im trying to give him some dog food, but he doesnt eat it. also tried rice and meat, didnt work also.

can someone tell me how i can change his appetite? thanks

Expert Reply

Hi Patrick,

This may sound a little extreme, but you're going to have to let him get hungry before he's going to be willing to change.

I suggest you choose a very high grade dry kibble with a chicken based formula. Fill your dog's bowl with it, and make sure there is also plenty of fresh water available. After this, don't offer any other food or treats.

You're not starving your dog because the food is available to him from the moment you stop feeding bones. He may be stubborn at first, but he's going to eat when he can't resist any longer. Just keep an eye on him for excessive weight loss, but I think you'll have him on kibble in just a couple of days.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: patrick

Hello. Last night my dogs got into the trash and ate the bones left over from 7 large chicken wings. There was not one bone left in the trash. Do I need to take them to the vet right away or wait and see how they do? I have always been told that chicken bones are detriemental to pets and am a little freaked out that something will happen to them. I know they drank a lot of water overnight so I am wondering if that would help them digest the bones. Thank you in advance for your response

Expert Reply

Hi Renee,

Personally, I prefer to err on the side of caution where chicken wings are concerned. Do keep a close eye on your dogs tonight for any obvious signs of distress, and I think it would be a good idea to call your vet first thing Monday morning. He/She may want to examine them.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dogs will be okay.

-- Contributed by: renee

I have a bichone 6 yrs. old and he just at 6 chickens wing bones. I don't know what to do , i am afraid he will get sick. What should i do?

Expert Reply

Hi Dale,

Things might work out okay, so don't panic. I think you should call your vet on Monday morning and see if he/she wants you to bring your dog in for an exam.

Cooked chicken bones are more brittle, but since they are smaller, your dog may be able to digest them. I'd let your vet make the call.

Thanks for your question, and I hope everything turns out alright.

-- Contributed by: Dale

Hi, I have owned a few dogs thruout my lifetime, in the beginning we raised 2 German Shepherds back in Mexico and we use to feed them just boiled chicken wings and tortillas and the occasional left over (which they loved). Had both dogs for over 10 yrs and never gave us any problems and never had to take them to the vet, except for their vaccines.. Now my question is, we recently bought a 2 month old German Shepherd and now I read about the damage that can be done to the dog, but it seems like the dog will not eat dog food, he will only eat chicken or meats.. What should we do? My parents feed him cooked bones once in a while, and they say its ok since they raised their dogs the same way... The dog seems to be happy and healthy, should I take him to the vet and get him checked? His stool looks normal, no blood. Thank You.

Expert Reply

Hi Rob,

I'd say your family has been fortunate that the cooked chicken bones haven't caused a problem for any of your dogs. Perhaps the Shepherds strong jaws are better able to crush the bones than some other breeds. If it were me, I'd rather not have to worry about the bones and refrain from feeding them.

That said, unless your dog appears to have developed a problem from eating the bones, there's probably no immediate need for a trip to the vet. Home cooked foods can be a great alternative to commercial kibbles as long as you're careful to provide well rounded nutrition.

I recommend you read our article about Home Made Dog Food Alternatives. It's full of useful information that will help you prepare healthy meals for your dog.

Thanks for your question!

-- Contributed by: Rob

Hi Robert,

The only way to be sure if your dog ate a chicken bone would require having her x-rayed by your vet.

That said, has she been passing bowels normally since she might have eaten the bone? If so, there's a good chance the bone hasn't caused a blockage. You should also watch for blood in her stool, which may indicate a perforation of the intestines if the bone caused a puncture.

If you truly believe there's a chance she ate a cooked bone, it would be a good idea to let your vet take a look. If it happend to be a raw bone, she's probably capable of digesting it since raw bones are soft and flexible.

I hope everything turns out okay.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hello, my 4 year old golden retriever might have eaten, licked or chewed on a chicken bone in the garbage from 1 week ago or so. Is there anyways to know she did eat it?

-- Contributed by: Robert

Hi James,

I'm actually surprised your vet is waiting so long to do the surgery. Cooked chicken bones are brittle, and break into sharp splinters. This is the main reason we don't feed them to our pets as we do beef bones.

I do not believe the same procedure can be used on the bones as on gall stones. The possibility of puncturing the intestines would be too great, and I believe the density of the bone may be greater than that of a gall stone.

It's probably best to let you vet complete the surgery. The greatest risk you Chihuahua faces is the anesthesia, so discuss this factor with your vet before the surgery so he/she understands how deeply concerned you are about your dog.

My very best wishes for a happy outcome.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi,I have a yorky-poo who is 2 years old,named Chupa.I had placed some chicken bones in the garbage outside and somehow another tennant left the garbage door open,and my baby boy got into the bag.I brought Chupa to his doctor and after X-rays and examination his doctor told me that he had a chicken bone inlogged in his intestines and would reqire surgery.The reason i am asking this 2 u is because we have no one else to ask that will answer my question easily.Now days they use ultrasonic waves to crush gullstones (i hope i have that right )so would it be possible for the same actions be taken in this situation?I am in desperate need of answers,we have a surgery date on the 7th of August 2007.I realize that surgery is the easy answer, but it is also very expensive,(I feel so bad and poisoned typing in those last few words)So i am hopeing some reader will have questioned this before.We love Chupa so so much and we donot want to lose him,we are awaiting a response patiently...

Thankyou JAMES,TRICIA AND CHUPA JEFFERY

-- Contributed by: James Jeffery
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