Can dogs have raw bones? Is it possible to give bones to a dog? We answer in detail! What bones can dogs eat?

To protect your pet from health problems, sometimes it is enough to limit its diet. Almost complete elimination of bones will help the dog live a long time.

Can dogs have bones?

By their nature they do not carry nutritional value. Cartilage, leftover meat, connective tissue- all this is eaten with pleasure by the dog, without harming it. The bones themselves, being eaten or swallowed, best case scenario make it difficult to work gastrointestinal tract. Due to their size, they may simply not pass through it. A dog's stomach juice has increased acidity However, this does not guarantee complete digestion of rough bone tissue.

Bones don't do anything good for a dog.

It can be dissolved to a certain state, but no more. At best, the matter may end in application Vaseline oil and enemas. Small, non-hollow bones with blunt edges can come out painlessly, but this is clearly not a reason to take risks. The body of a young animal is able to cope with their digestion, dissolving them to a rubber-like state. Puppies, lactating bitches, and older dogs are no longer able to do this.

It should be remembered that the benefit from such a risky type of feeding is very small, and taking into account all possible risks- doubtful. Bone tissue contains large amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which can provide the dog’s body with more in a safe way- giving vitamins, adding bone meal. This will help avoid injury to the throat and walls of the stomach, constipation, and possible surgical intervention.

Which bones will harm dogs?

First of all, tubular ones. Turkey, chicken, and duck meat are good for dogs, but this statement does not apply to their bones at all. When chewed, they easily break into small fragments with sharp edges. They can get stuck in various places: between the teeth, throat, trachea, anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Such bones should be categorically excluded from your pet’s diet, avoiding even accidental consumption.

Completely eliminate medium and small bones

Pork bones must be completely excluded. By itself, pork can serve as a source various diseases. The immunity of these animals is not resistant to many diseases that can be transmitted to dogs (helmitiasis, toxocariasis, rabies). Remains of meat and connective tissue will be the source of these threats; there is no benefit from pork bones. Even if they undergo heat treatment, due to the gluten they contain, they will complicate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, causing constipation.

This pattern regarding boiled bones applies to all types, regardless of origin. The reason lies in the same gluten, which turns them into a difficult-to-digest mass, which does much more harm than good.

What bones can you give to dogs?

Raw beef bones that do not have sharp edges (so-called mosles). They are safe for all animals and are very difficult to chew. When your pet has nibbled the meat and is satisfied, it is best to throw them away. The usefulness of such bones also lies in the fact that they help the dog reduce itching in the gums during the period of teeth change. For adult dogs, constant consumption of such bones is more likely to cause harm. Their teeth may begin to wear down and their bite may change. This is unacceptable for dogs participating in competitions and exhibitions.

Large beef bones are safe

Beef offal can serve as a painless replacement: trachea, dried tripe, dried ears. They will not harm the walls of the larynx and gastrointestinal tract, delivering into the pet’s body healthy calcium. On the shelves of veterinary pharmacies and supermarkets you can find many chewing sticks. They can be used as a safe alternative. If you still couldn’t keep track and the dog ate a bone, then it’s better to contact a veterinarian. Timely treatment will help to correctly assess the threat, and possibly avoid surgery.

Many people perceive feeding dogs bones as unacceptable. This is not surprising, because there is an opinion that you should not give your pet bones. However, any dog that is kept exclusively in natural menu, should also have solid food in their diet. For this reason, your pet should be given bones periodically, however, this must be done wisely.

What bones can harm a dog?

The right diet has great value in the life of a dog. It is very important to understand that improper feeding can easily lead to health problems for your pet. Bones in this regard are very dangerous product. Their fragments may not be removed from the stomach and remain there for more than one year. In some cases, even one harmless bone can be dangerous. For this reason, you need to know which bones should be given to your animal and which ones should not. We have identified a list of bones that are strictly prohibited from giving to your pet:

Chicken tubular bones. It is important to consider that it is forbidden to give the animal not only the bones of store-bought chickens, but also those of domestic chickens. Are located tubular bones in chickens in the thighs and wings.
Turkey bones. This bird itself is quite large; moreover, it is traditionally slaughtered at adulthood, at about 2-3 years. During this period, the animal’s bones already become quite strong.
Goose bones. The bones of this animal are considered one of the most dangerous for dogs. Only duck bones can cause more damage than them. The fact is that geese are usually slaughtered at the age of one or two years. By this age, birds have fully formed bones, which makes them very strong. The broken edges of such bones are very sharp and can easily damage internal organs animal.
Rabbit. Rabbit bones can also pose a serious risk. They are small and very sharp on the broken edges. The greatest danger is represented by bones with hind legs, spine and ribs. If you want to please your pet with delicious rabbit meat, it is better to choose meat or stew with cartilage for this purpose.

Many dog owners cook porridge for their pets with the addition of bones. In this case, you can use any bones, however, after preparing the broth, you need to carefully strain it and remove any bone particles, even the smallest ones. Cartilages can be left in porridge; they are beneficial for the animal’s body.

What stereotypes should you not believe?

We are told that dogs love bones, and cats only love milk and fish products. early childhood. However, such stories are nothing more than just a stereotype. Due to such stereotypes, most adult dog breeders cannot even think that bones can somehow harm their pet and, moreover, can even kill them. It is necessary to understand that many stories are just myths that have nothing to do with reality, and such myths need to be debunked:

A common stereotype is the myth that it is important for your pet to have solid food in its diet every day, as is the case with wild animals. It doesn't have to be bones; you can use hard vegetables and fruits. Wild animals have a shorter lifespan, typically living no longer than eight years. This happens because they lose their teeth quite early, as a result of which they cannot eat normally in the future. If you feed your pet food, then you shouldn’t even think about introducing solid food into the diet, it’s completely unnecessary.
Another common stereotype is that an animal needs to sharpen its teeth, so dogs need bones. It is important to understand in this case that dogs’ teeth do not grow throughout their lives, but always remain the same size, and they are not dulled by food, so animals have no need to sharpen them. But a pet can easily damage a bone tooth enamel or even break the fangs, causing additional difficulties for yourself in the future.
Animals need bones to clean their teeth. In this case, you should start with the fact that only cartilage, and well-cooked cartilage, can help in such a procedure. For this reason, many dog lovers introduce raw food into their pet’s menu. pork bones, legs and ears. However, we should not forget that from such food an animal can become infected with false rabies or other viruses that are absolutely not dangerous for humans, but are fatal for a dog. Digestion of cartilage can help in this case, since high temperature destroys everything bacterial cells. Such an additive in the animal’s diet will be very useful.
Bones should be given to dogs when they are teething. This stereotype is also very common. Perhaps more early times the bones were indeed used to eliminate itching in the animal, but, of course, they used not tubular bones, but moslaks. Today, there is no need for this, since in any pet store you can find a huge variety of chewable treats that last for a very long time. At the same time, they perfectly relieve the puppy from itching. Moslaks in this early age also cannot be completely safe, since there is a risk of jaw dislocation or damage to the bite.

Many people know that the gastric juice in dogs has increased acidity, due to which the bones become softer within just a couple of hours. However, it is important to understand that in this case the bones become a single viscous mass, which also does not bring anything good and can cause harm. Sharp bones can easily damage the stomach within two hours.

If for some reason you decide to feed your pet bones, for example, based on the earlier experience of your relatives, you should prepare in advance for possible consequences, which can overtake the animal:

Various pharyngeal injuries. Swallowing sharp bones is very dangerous. A small fragment can not only scratch the inner shell, but also pierce it. Since there is a large amount of blood vessels, the animal may experience internal bleeding. The pet can also pierce the trachea, which is also very dangerous.
Asphyxia. Dogs often get their bones stuck between chewing teeth. The animal cannot pull them out on its own and gradually begins to choke on its own saliva. If help is not provided in time, the pet may die from suffocation.
Dehydration of the body. A large bone stuck in the stomach can lead to such consequences. Because she doesn't go out traditional way, the stomach begins to react, throwing out vomit. However, in this way the bone also cannot come out, as a result of which the animal vomits until complete dehydration occurs. In this case, the only way to save your pet is through surgery.
Excessive accumulation of bones in the stomach. Most people suffer from this disease stray dogs. As a rule, due to poor nutrition Such animals have a metabolic disorder. As a result of such disturbances, a noticeable decrease in acidity occurs gastric juice. The eaten bones simply do not soften and come out, but remain in the stomach, clogging it. The animal may die from intestinal and gastric obstruction or internal bleeding. Help in this case can also only be achieved through surgical intervention.
Perforation of the small intestine. A similar illness can occur when a sharp fragment passes the esophagus and stomach, and then damages small intestine. As a result, it may begin heavy bleeding, and then tissue death.
Blockage of the colon. Poorly digested bones can accumulate in the large intestine, blocking it and stopping the bowel movement process. As a result, the animal experiences discomfort and pain during the process of emptying the intestines.

It is important to understand that bone is a mineral structure. The animal's intestines are unable to remove calcium or other useful substances, so eating bones is absolutely useless for your pet.

Video: what bones can and cannot be given to a dog

Any dog owner knows how much four-legged friends People, regardless of age and breed, love to chew on a meat bone. But is this treat really that good for dogs? And what bones can you give to your pet without fear for its health?

Should you give your dog bones?

This question can confuse many owners. Of course, bones can and should be given to dogs. These animals are carnivores by nature, and to maintain health they need to chew on something from time to time.

There are several reasons for this:

Constant stress on the fangs helps keep them strong.
When chewing solid food, a lot of saliva is produced, which treats the teeth and reduces the risk of caries.
While chewing something, the dog simultaneously cleanses its teeth of tartar and food debris stuck between the fangs.
Saliva also washes the gums and palate, which means your pet will almost certainly avoid painful stomatitis.
And finally, four-legged hunters just enjoy having fun with tasty bone.

On the other hand, bones often cause serious injuries. Very often dogs are brought to the veterinarians who refuse to eat and are clearly experiencing severe pain. Often, when examining such sufferers, it turns out that a piece of bone is stuck in the mouth; he might just stick himself in soft fabrics or, what is much more dangerous, become a strut in the throat, preventing the animal from breathing.

It is not less common to treat dogs for constipation, inflammation of the stomach or intestines, purulent peritonitis and many others unpleasant consequences bone offered by the host or guests. Therefore, owners need to be attentive to their pets at this time and make sure that the treat does not get stuck in the throat or between the teeth.

Which bones are contraindicated for dogs?

Not all bones are good for dogs. Moreover, some varieties are strictly contraindicated for four-legged pets. Other bones can be offered to puppies to chew on, but should not be given to adult animals.

The list of what you should not give to “Bobiks” and “Shariks” is quite long:

Under no circumstances should you give bones that have been subjected to heat treatment. In many families, dogs are fed leftovers from boiled or oven-cooked meat. This - main mistake. Boiled bones are practically poison for four-legged friends. Of course, a dog can live for years on such a diet and not know any trouble, until a bone stuck or scratched in the mouth forces him to go to the veterinary hospital. But such animals are at risk: any meal can cause constipation or gastritis.
Pork. It is contraindicated for dogs in any form, including bones. It's too much high content fats, which disrupts the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Flat bones of waterfowl - ducks, geese, swans and others.
Fish bones. Nutritional value they do not, but the risk of pricking the inside of the mouth or esophagus is enormous. These thin needles often get stuck across the gastrointestinal tract, and it is almost impossible to remove them on your own.

Chicken bones: pros and cons

Many owners are interested in whether it is possible to give dogs chicken bones, and if not, then why. The answer to this is clear: under no circumstances.

There are many reasons for this:

Chicken bones are not digested in a dog's stomach and are deposited as useless cargo in the rectum. The result is intestinal obstruction, colic and painful constipation.
Tubular chicken bones (namely, the legs and wings are made of them) are also dangerous because when you try to chew them, they split into sharp fragments. Sticking into the palate or throat, such a needle can seriously injure an animal. But even if the tubular bone does not get stuck in the throat and reaches the stomach safely, the danger does not decrease: the sharp end can scratch the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, causing peritonitis. In this case, only surgery can often save the dog.
But the soft cartilage from chicken meat You can and should give it to your dog. And both for puppies and adult animals.

What bones can you give your dog?

Bones can be given to a dog throughout its life, but you need to approach the choice of such a treat with skill.

Only a few varieties are safe and beneficial for your pet:

Beef bones (exclusively raw and, preferably, with a small amount of meat and tendons: dogs also gnaw dry bones with pleasure, but they are of little benefit).
Cartilages, both beef and those located on the heads of tubular bones (many species have them poultry- chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl).
Beef and veal ribs. They are especially useful for puppies. Young, not yet hardened ribs can be given whole; But with hard ones you need to be careful and make sure that the dog eats the meat, but does not have time to start gnawing on the rib, since they, like tubular bones, split into sharp small pieces.
You can offer your pet tendons, dried scars or penises, tracheas (they consist of soft vertebrae that will definitely not get stuck in the throat and will be easily digested).

There is another way to pamper your pet with a tasty bone without fear for his health: buy a special treat in the store. They are made from skin, tendons and cartilage and are very popular with dogs. They are quite dense, at the same time they do not form sharp parts, do not get stuck in the throat, and in addition they also saturate the animal’s body with vitamins.

What to do if your dog has a bone stuck in his throat

Even the most caring owners your pet may choke on a bone at some point. This is very dangerous, because the animal in such a situation cannot eat or drink, and often begins to choke. Often, a fragment stuck in the lining of the larynx or esophagus causes inflammation and always, even in the mildest cases, causes the dog to suffer.

The following symptoms indicate that there is a stuck bone sticking out somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract:

cough;
wheezing or hissing;
squeals or groans;
attempts to shake your head or put your paw in your mouth;
strong secretion of saliva;
convulsive movements of the ribs (from the outside it seems that the dog is breathing deeply and frequently, while in the most dangerous situations air does not penetrate into the animal’s lungs);
grayish tint of gums;
and sometimes even fainting or a state clinical death, in which the pet stops breathing.

Please also note that a choking animal will experience panic, and even in the absence of other symptoms, fearful behavior serves as an alarm bell.

The best way to solve the problem is to visit a veterinarian, who can quickly (and most importantly, safely for the animal) remove the stuck object. Alas, in some cases, minutes count for an unfortunate dog, and the owner has to save his pet himself.

What bones can be given to shepherds is a question that interests many novice dog owners. According to popular belief, bones, along with meat, are excellent as everyday animal feed. But not everyone knows that a sugar stone instead good mood can give to a pet serious problems with health.

Benefit

Bone - natural source calcium and phosphorus, necessary for the correct anatomical development of dogs and maintaining healthy joints. This issue becomes especially important when keeping large, powerful dogs, such as Central Asian and Caucasian shepherd dogs. Their use promotes:

Cleaning teeth from plaque;
Prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Cartilage contains chonrotin and calcium phosphate, which are beneficial for joints. For dog breeds at high risk of dysplasia such as German and East European Shepherds, inclusion of these substances in the diet is an urgent need;
Good mood and order in the house. While the dog is gnawing on a bone, you don’t have to worry about the safety of furniture and shoes.

Stomach healthy dog is able to soften bones and remove them naturally.

Flaws

The opinion of experts regarding the inclusion of bones in the diet is radically different from the opinion of ordinary owners. Veterinarians consider them to be a low-use product that is harmful to the health of dogs.

Among the common problems that result from excessive use of bones:

Diseases of the intestinal and digestive tract

An unbalanced diet leads to an imbalance in acidity levels, as a result of which bones cannot be digested and excreted naturally. This leads to injury to the intestinal walls, blockage of the stomach and large intestine.

Dental problems

These include: gradual grinding of teeth, broken incisors and fangs, and destruction of enamel. Shepherd dogs participating in exhibitions are not recommended to be given bones at all after a complete change of teeth.

Respiratory problems

Large pieces can scratch the mucous membranes, get stuck in the throat and cause an attack of suffocation.

Many stray and domestic animals around the world die from these diseases every year. Problems can be avoided if you give your dog bones rarely and in moderation.

What bones are allowed and not allowed for shepherd dogs?

It is not recommended to give boiled and fried bones to dogs. During the cooking process, they lose everything beneficial properties, become brittle and crumble easily. This is what often causes constipation and intestinal obstruction.

Can a shepherd dog eat pork bones?

Is it possible to give your shepherd chicken bones?

Chicken, duck, goose, turkey and rabbit bones are prohibited for pet dogs. The fragile, hollow inside bones, when chewed, form sharp edges that can easily injure the stomach and scratch the throat. Consequences - stomach bleeding and an expensive operation. In this case, death is more than possible.

What can a dog do?

A delicacy that can be given to a dog without harm to health is beef bones (shoulders, shoulder blades, brisket). It is also permissible to give lamb bones with cartilage and leftover meat. They should be large without sharp edges or chips, so that the puppy or adult dog were unable to bite off small pieces or swallow them whole.

Before giving a beef leg or shoulder to a dog, they must be heat treated: scalded with boiling water or placed in the microwave for 30 seconds.

How often should you give bones without harming your dog? Once every 2 weeks will be enough. The dog will be happy, and his health will not suffer.

An alternative to natural bones are artificial ones, made from compressed beef tendons and leather. Such a delicacy will not harm the health of Veo or any other shepherd. They can be selected according to size - from the smallest, suitable for decorative dogs, to large heavy bones that even the Alabai will like.

Another safe option- deer and elk antlers. Horn bone tissue contains a unique set of vitamins, amino acids and microelements. Among them are calcium, zinc, glucosamine and chondrotin - necessary for every shepherd dog. During the chewing process, the horn gradually wears off, providing gentle cleaning of the teeth, and the chewed pieces are easily digested in the stomach.

Little puppies

You can give bones to a shepherd puppy starting at 3.5 months. During the loss of milk teeth, puppies are given beef moles - large heads hip joints. They promote tooth change and do not cause stomach problems.

After your pet chews cartilage tissue and the meat and callus are taken away, since, trying to chew it, the puppy risks dislocating its jaw.

Alternative opinion

Not all veterinarians are of the opinion that bones are dangerous and harmful product for the dog's body. The book Give Your Dog a Bone describes the BARF nutrition system, which is based on feeding dogs raw, natural foods.

As an everyday food, it is proposed to give your shepherd dog, in addition to other ingredients (offal and vegetables), raw meat bones:

chicken and turkey wings, necks, backs;
beef tails;
beef brisket, ribs.

Whatever your opinion, you need to keep in mind that feeding your shepherd dog bones, completely replacing one of the meals with them, is unacceptable. The bone is a delicacy and a toy, and not the main food: it does not contain protein, vitamins, fatty acids, enzymes, carbohydrates make up a significant part of the diet of an adult dog.

The vast majority of sources of information about dogs contain information in one form or another that animals love bones. Children's books depict a happy puppy with a bone in his teeth. And in response to complaints from the new dog owner that the animal chews things, he is advised to give the pet a bone. Moreover, many are sure that bones are not just a treat, but a complete food for a dog. But there is still very little reliable information about what bones can be given to dogs or whether they should be given at all.

Predators or no longer

In nature, canids (wolves, coyotes, jackals, foxes) eat the flesh of their prey, along with the skin, entrails and bones, without subsequently suffering from digestive problems. Females bring hard parts of killed animal carcasses (bones, hooves, horns) to their cubs - games with these parts constitute important stage development of the hunting instinct in young animals. But modern dogs so far gone in the process of natural evolution and artificial selection from wolves and jackals in eating behavior, morphology, formation of reflexes, that for some of them, eating bones becomes dangerous to health.

Bones as a treat

A bone is a treat or tasty toy for a dog. Yes, the dog gets calcium, phosphorus, and iron from them, but at the same time they are not nutritious at all, since they do not contain carbohydrates, are not included in the amount of food eaten, are not considered food, and especially cannot be the basis of a dog’s diet. With any feeding system, a raw bone can be regarded as a toy, which the dog engages with pleasure and profitably, without spoiling the owner’s things, shoes, furniture, and as a delicacy due to its pronounced aroma and taste.

Animal bones have a number of disadvantages: they are fatty, bone marrow leaks out of them, and they smell unpleasant. If a dog is kept in an apartment or house, then it can dirty the floor, carpet, sofa - depending on where it wants to chew its toy. This does not suit the owners, who then have to wash off stubborn grease stains.

There are industrial analogues to raw bones - products made from tendons, ligaments, and animal skin. Such substitutes are sold in pet stores. They do not stain the surrounding space with the contents contained in them bone marrow, do not deteriorate and do not have a repulsive odor for humans. You need to choose a store-bought treat without large quantities artificial colors and flavors, unattractive color (tendons cannot be beautiful pink, light green, lemon colors), consisting of natural ingredients: skin, veins, cartilage, tendons.

Bones are like a “toothbrush” for a dog

On dog teeth Over time, plaque forms. Its excessive accumulation leads to the formation of tartar and premature bacterial destruction of teeth. Chewing on hard objects cleans teeth and removes plaque. Toys made of special plastic, which does not crumble, but softly springs when chewed by a dog, are successfully used as a “toothbrush”: shredders, rings, balls. This good alternative bones.

Does a dog need bones?

The question should be posed not even as to whether dogs can be given bones, but whether they need them? Fresh, raw bones are needed by dogs that are natural nutrition. In this case, gnawing on bones helps cleanse the dog's teeth of plaque and massage the gums to improve blood circulation.

If your pet receives high-quality industrial dry food, then it “cleanses” its teeth while eating, and the hard granules help massage the gums. The more often a dog chews bones, the faster his teeth wear down. Therefore, you can pamper your pet no more than a couple of times a month. Those who like to chew something are constantly offered carrots, apples, and branches of fruit trees.

Bones for dogs depend on the size of the animal, the condition of its teeth and gastrointestinal tract, the presence or absence of allergies to certain types of meat, and its nutritional system.

Small dogs like Russian Toys, lapdogs, Pekingese, dachshunds, Spitz dogs can be offered raw skinless chicken necks, bird keels, skinless chicken and turkey backbones.

Larger dogs - most terriers (bull terriers, Staffordshire, Irish), bulldogs, most hunting dogs - can be offered beef shins, forearms, metatarsal bones and tarsus bones.

For large dogs - like Russian black terriers, giant schnauzers, Great Danes, boxers, most shepherd dogs - the hips, shoulders, and shoulder blades of cows are suitable.

Well, the giants are the bullmastiff, tibetan mastiff, Great Dane, Newfoundland, Irish Wolfhound, Caucasian and Central Asian Shepherd Dog- can effortlessly handle a sheep or goat skull, pelvic girdles and ribs of cows, goats and sheep.

Which bones a dog can eat also depends on its health. If she has few teeth or they are heavily ground down, partially destroyed or do not sit firmly in the sockets, then the harmful bone tissue will worsen their condition. It is even recommended for such dogs to slightly soak the dry food so that they do not damage their teeth even more and absorb it normally. To massage the gums of animals with weak teeth, you can offer apples, carrots, and pumpkin pulp.

Solid treats are contraindicated in animals prone to constipation, who have had abdominal operations within the last couple of months, or have undergone surgery to remove part of the stomach or intestines. Before puppies change their teeth, they do not need bones. Before six months of age, they should not receive excessive solid food at all.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the question: can a dog eat chicken bones? It is possible, except for tubular ones - in the bird’s wings and hips. They break into sharp pieces that can puncture the esophagus, stomach and intestines, causing constipation or internal bleeding. It is not recommended to feed bones from turkeys, geese, birds, rabbits and small game. When chewed, they break into pieces that a dog can easily choke on. A single bone fragment with a sharp edge can pierce through soft muscles organs digestive tract. In this case, only an urgent operation can save the animal, which involves removing part of the damaged organ.

Pork bones should not be given to dogs due to high risk infection with helminths, which simply infest pork carcasses. Get rid of worms and pathogenic bacteria, mushrooms and viruses, only heat treatment helps.

Fish bones are not discussed at all: they are so thin and sharp that a dog cannot swallow them without choking. You need to select bones from slaughtered, not dead, birds and animals, scald them with boiling water and only then offer them to your pet. Boiled and fried bones from any animal clog the stomach and cause constipation, forming dense “plugs” in the intestines. Therefore, you can only give raw and fresh ones.