LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Comments

Hi H2O,

Beef bones can be an occasional treat, but they are so hard that they can wear down the teeth if you give them too often. The main thing to be sure of is that the bones are large enough not to pose a choking hazard. You'll need to watch how far your dog gnaws them down and then remove them when they get small enough to fit inside your dog's mouth.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

We have a 10-week old lab and have been giving him a Bully Stick as a chew treat and he really likes them. We wanted to mix it up a little and tried one of the Nylabone edible chew treats which he quickly chewed up and consumed in no time. Now, I'm thinking of trying some real beef bones from my trusty and dependable butcher.

What are the precautions (if any) and should I give our pup these as an alternative chew treat?

-- Contributed by: h20

Hi Mary, thanks for sharing your experience. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I bought my Dog something called PORK earz from Petsmart distributed by RANGE RIDERS..cost me $30...he wouldnt eat them so we thought maybe he needs to get used to the flavor or something..they smelled disgusting way different than regular old pig earz and are MADE IN CHINA.

We left one in his crate for a week..he gnawed on it this morning and proceeded to vomit all over his crate...DONT BUY THESE!

-- Contributed by: Marymomo3

Hi Dhendy,

Thanks for sharing your opinion. It's up to each owner to decide what is best for their pet. Hopefully this works out for the best for everyone. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

so dogs should not eat hide or bones of animals??? Or be allowed off a leash (allowing it to run and explore), or sniff other dogs, and god forbid, be a dog. And people should not be allowed in cars cause that kills them. Let's let dogs be dogs, not inmates in the prison we have set up for them. My dogs eat everything from whole chickens (resutling in a death commutted death sentence) to thier own poop. None came close to dying (except the one that ate the chickens). The only real problem is tape worms from various squirrels, rabbits, etc.

-- Contributed by: Country vs Suburban Dog OWNERS

Hi JH,

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It's a good reminder that we need to keep an eye on our pet's chews and throw them away when they become too small to be safe. I hope your dog has fully recovered. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Nylabone's are definitely not safe! Our puppy yellow lab mix swallowed one after chewing on it for a couple of weeks. After 4 days of vomiting and not eating, they had to perform surgery into the small intestine.

-- Contributed by: jh

I'm surprised you listed Nylabones as safe. Many Vets have been recommending against them for years- as they're one of the well known causes of GI obstruction, and even perforation in some cases. Unfortunately it seems nothing is 100% safe. I don't know what the answer is on "what is safe?". I can find evidence of harm or death on near everything commonly used as chew toys. I know many farmers that throw their dogs stuff that most of us "city folk" would never think of EVER giving our animals (cooked chicken bones, rib bones, about every animal byproduct you can think of)- with no problems whatsoever. Then you hear of dogs dying of impaction/obstruction with corn starch based treats, which in theory should be safe. In theory, so should pig ears and rawhide be safe- as they are digestible, just not as quickly as muscle fiber. My guess, as a scientist (though not a canine scientist or veterinarian), is that there are countless variations in physiological structure, and function (such as stomach acid pH) that we've caused through the last couple thousand years by selectively breeding the animals for form, or specific function- rather than evolution being at work for general health. The pre-fab diets (or even home cooked) are also likely leading to relatively weak digestive systems that can't handle killing pathogens, and dissolving things quickly and efficiently. (I'm not a RAW foodist, just making an observation). Don't count on anything being 100% safe. The only thing I'm sure is safe is I give my dogs frozen steaks that are past their human (due to freezerburn) expiration date- but that doesn't solve the day to day chewing needs. A logical approach would be to find out what your animals ... and sire used as daily chewthings. That might give a little insight into what your animals digestive tract can handle - but again, no guarantee.

-- Contributed by: dc

Hi Kuben,

All bones can pose a choking hazard if they become small enough to be swallowed. If the digestive tract can't dissolve them, they could lodge and cause a blockage, although this is fairly rare for the amount of bones people still offer their pets.

As for whether any actual meat from the bone or bone material itself would cause common indigestion, it's unlikely. The main concerns are over choking and blockage.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you find this answer helpful. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a maltese , that I give a lamb neck bone to regularly , is it harmfull to their system as far as digestion etc . Please try to answer?

-- Contributed by: Is bones good for dogs?

Hi Cara,

Nylon dog bones break apart in extremely small shavings that pass harmlessly through a dog's digestive tract. Additionally, the chewed end of the bone frays and becomes an effective tooth brush that helps remove tartar from a dog's teeth.

I've personally provided my own dogs with many Nylabones over the last 20 years and never had a single bad incident. Hope this puts your mind at ease.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi: i would like to know how NYLON can be safe for any animal to eat???? any kind of nylon... its just seems and sounds ridiculous.. like the previous blogger said.. go by your gut and my gut goes upside down with the thought of my dog eating NYLON..... pls assist!

-- Contributed by: cara

Re: Cow Hooves

I have a 1 year-old 70+ pound Husky Wolfdog and we had to make a trip to the emergency room just last night because a partial cow hoof was wedged deep in the back of his mouth pressed up against the roof of it. MoJo clawed and clawed at his mouth causing it to bleed trying to dislodge this thing. Cow hooves were one of his favorite chew items, but they are history around here now. I am so thankful it lodged in his mouth and not his throat.

Wow Mar, I glad things turned out alright. This is really a cautionary tale. With safer alternatives at hand, it makes sense to avoid the undesirable chew toys listed above.

Thanks for sharing.

-- Contributed by: Mar

I purchased a bag of those "basted" rawhide bones for my shih tzu from pets smart. The ones that are very small with a know on each end. I looked over at her and she was literally choking and finally coughed up the bone. I don't know if she is going to make it now as it did some serious damage to her esophagus on the way down.

Hi DJ,

I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your dog. I had Shih Tzus for years, and I worried about giving them those tiny bones, so I always seleted medium sized ones. This way they could chew them without totally getting them in their mouth.

I'll keep your little one in my thoughts. Please let me know if she's alright.

-- Contributed by: DJ
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