Dogs have been eating bones for centuries and millennia, they ate bones in wild and they ate bones in the olden times, as pets and as predators. These days, they still eat and chew on bones, however, since we, humans, have more information and veterinary knowledge than ever, there are things we all must know when it comes to giving our dogs bones on the premise of it being their natural food.
Not all bones are equal, and not all of them should be given to pet dogs as a treat. There is a definite classification in the veterinary industry about what types of bones are absolutely harmful to dogs, which of them aren’t and which should be assessed on a case by case basis.
In this piece, we will be discussing the most common types of bones dogs find themselves chewing thanks to their owners or their own hustling.
Cooked Bones
Many owners think that after eating steaks or ribs, giving the leftovers bones to the dog is supposed to be a treat that the dog would enjoy. It is not. On the contrary, it is actually dangerous for dogs to chew cooked bones as they become brittle after cooking and can easily turn onto shards after chewing. If the dog, being a naïve animal that it is, tries to swallow those shards, they can end up injuring it very seriously.
Raw Bones
Raw bones are certainly the best option for dogs if you want to give it to them for chewing. The size and type of does matter as compared to the dog. Big dogs should only be given big knuckle bones, neck bones and pelvis bones of large animals. For the dogs of smaller sizes, any bone that they can’t shred and swallow after chewing is good.
If your dog is really prone to chewing hard and swallowing, get a bone that it is equal to or bigger than the size of its head. That way, it will be impossible to swallow or even break these bones as the dog’s mouth wouldn’t be able to open as much as required to make it happen.
Recreational Bones
The above point brings us to recreational bones. These are bones that are not meant to be eaten at all. There only purpose is to be gnawed and give psychological satisfaction to the dog. A raw recreational bone with meat, tissue and cartilage is also good for the dog’s teeth. It serves the purpose brushing and flossing does for humans. A dog can typically spend hours gnawing on a recreational bone, however, it is important to maintain supervision so as to avoid any accidents.
Pork Bones
Contrary to what some people might think, pork bones are not suitable for the dogs at all. They can easily crack and splinter when being chewed by the dog which is dangerous because dogs don’t have the sense to realise swallowing these splinters might be dangerous. They do it anyway and this can lead to several severe diseases, ranging from lethargy, indigestion and loose stools to internal bleeding and infection.
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