Mary Allen
Most dogs like bones to eat. But there are a few things to consider when feeding them, otherwise, they can become dangerous. Everything you need to know about the delicacies.
Basically, Christian H. had not thought much about it. A neighboring innkeeper, who prepared fresh soup every day, made him an offer to let him have the soup bones for his dog. Christian H. gratefully accepted the offer. The next day, Bella, his five-year-old mixed breed dog, ate one bone after the other.
This real-life case is a typical example of how ignorance can make an animal seriously ill. It was three days later – Bella had eaten several cooked beef bones by now – when the dog threw himself on the ground, rolling, whining, and yelping. Christian H. couldn’t understand what was suddenly going on with his four-legged friend. He put the dog in the car and drove to the vet. She questioned him about feeding and took an x-ray. Then the diagnosis was clear: bone droppings. Mr. H. had never heard of this before.
If bones are fed in large quantities, they cause severe constipation in the intestine and at the same time severe abdominal pain. Bella was put on painkillers, medication to relax the intestinal muscles, and medication to soften the stool. She had to stay with the vet for two days before she recovered. Since then, Christian H. has known that the simple idea of a dog that a big bone makes all-around happy is not quite right. Bones can easily puncture the stomach wall or cause bleeding in the mouth.
Optimal Dental Care
Nevertheless, bones should not be condemned in general. If fed properly, they can even be healthy. Biting bones is optimal dental care for dogs. They also contain important minerals and trace elements and also offer a nice activity. In the interplay of advantages and disadvantages and in the course of the BARF trend, two real camps have now formed: those who see bone feeding as particularly natural and healthy and those who completely reject it.
One thing in advance: the digestion of our dogs can no longer be compared to that of wolves, because over the course of thousands of years of dog and human living together, changes have taken place, especially in the dog’s intestine. For example, it can utilize carbohydrates much better than a wolf. Therefore, no dog has to eat bones to be well and balanced. But most dogs love bones, and many owners are keen to give them bones. But then a few basic rules should be heeded:
- Only feed raw bones! There are several reasons for this: on the one hand, valuable ingredients are destroyed when heating, on the other hand, the bone substance becomes porous during cooking, which is why the bones splinter easily. That’s risky.
- Small bones are better. Many dogs are greedy. Especially when another dog approaches or the human wants to take the bone away, they tend to devour it whole. However, the gastrointestinal tract has difficulties with large pieces of bone. The risk of abdominal pain and constipation increases. Dogs are allowed to nibble on a huge bone that definitely cannot be devoured.
- Be careful with marrow bones. On the one hand, these are usually sharp-edged, on the other hand, they often get wedged in the mouth when the dog licks them out. It is not uncommon for a veterinarian to remove completely stuck marrow bones. Therefore: Better to do without it.
- Poultry is also allowed. Many dog owners have in mind that poultry bones are brittle and dangerous. That’s only true if the bones come from a grilled or roasted chicken—that is, if they’ve been heated or cooked. This is not the case with raw poultry bones. Dogs especially love raw, crispy chicken necks with bones and gristle. They are absolutely safe as dog food.
- Do not feed wild boar. People have always warned against using pork or pork bones because pork can transmit a virus that causes the disease “pseudo-rage”. This disease is fatal to dogs. Today, Switzerland is considered to be free of the pseudo-rabies virus in relation to domestic pigs. The all-clear can therefore be given for raw pork bones that come from Swiss animals. In wild boar, on the other hand, it cannot be said with certainty how widespread the pathogen is. Therefore, do not feed raw wild boar meat or wild boar bones.
- Use bones from young animals. They are smaller, thinner, softer, and therefore well suited as dog food. Particularly popular with Bello and colleagues: raw breastbones or ribs from calves or lambs.
- Once a week is enough! It is mainly the dose that can pose a problem when feeding bones. With a small ration once a week, dogs usually get along well even if there was a piece that was difficult to digest. Tip: Always offer some raw meat with the bone. This makes it easier for digestion.