Give the bones raw or boiled to the dog. What kind of bones can be given to dogs

Olga Fursova

Any dog owner knows how four-legged friends of a person, regardless of age and breed, like to gnaw on a meat bone. But is this treat good for dogs? And what kind of bones can be given to a pet without fear for his 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 predators by nature, and to maintain health they need to nibble something from time to time.

There are several reasons for this:

The constant load on the fangs allows you to keep them strong.
When chewing solid food a lot of saliva is produced, which processes the teeth and reduces the risk of caries.
Gnawing something, the dog simultaneously cleans its teeth from tartar and food debris stuck between the fangs.
Also, saliva washes the gums and palate, which means that the pet will almost certainly avoid painful stomatitis.
And, finally, four-legged hunters are simply pleased to indulge in a delicious bone.

On the other hand, bones often cause serious injuries. It is very common for dogs to be brought to veterinarians who are refusing 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 can just stick in soft tissues or, much more dangerously, become a strut in the throat, preventing the animal from breathing.

It is no less necessary 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.

What bones are contraindicated for dogs

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

The list of what should not be given to Bobs and Balls is quite large:

In no case should you give bones that have undergone heat treatment. In many families, dogs are fed leftovers from boiled or oven-cooked meat. This is the main mistake. boiled bones for four-legged friends are almost poison. Of course, a dog can live on such a diet for years and not know troubles, until a bone stuck or scratched in its mouth forces it to go to a veterinary clinic. But such animals are at risk: any lunch can cause constipation or gastritis.
Pork. It is contraindicated for dogs in any form, including bones. She has too much high content fat that disrupts work gastrointestinal tract.
Flat bones of waterfowl - ducks, geese, swans and others.
Fish bones. There is no nutritional value in them, but the risk of pricking the inside of the mouth or esophagus is huge. These thinnest needles often get stuck across the gastrointestinal tract, and it is almost impossible to pull them out on your own.

Chicken bones: pros and cons

Many owners are wondering if chicken bones can be given to dogs, and if not, why not. The answer to this is unambiguous: no way.

There are many reasons for this:

Chicken bones are not digested in the 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, they consist of chicken legs and wings) are also dangerous because when you try to crack them, they break into sharp fragments. Stuck in the palate or throat, such a needle can seriously cripple the animal. But even if the tubular bone is not stuck in the throat and safely reaches the stomach, 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 soft cartilage from chicken meat can and should be given to a dog. And for both puppies and adults.

What bones can be given to a dog

Bones can be given to a dog throughout his life, but you need to approach the choice of such a delicacy with knowledge of the matter.

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

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

There is another way to pamper your pet with a delicious 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. Sufficiently 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 a dog has a bone stuck in its throat

Even the most caring hosts a pet may at some point choke on a bone. This is very dangerous, because the animal in such a situation cannot eat and drink, and often begins to choke. Often a splinter stuck in the membrane of the larynx or esophagus causes inflammation and always, even in the mildest cases, becomes the cause of the dog's torment.

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

cough;
wheezing or wheezing;
squeals or moans;
attempts to shake your head or put your paw in your mouth;
strong salivation;
convulsive movements of the ribs (from the side it seems that the dog is breathing deeply and often, while in the most dangerous situations air does not enter the lungs of the animal);
grayish tint of gums;
and sometimes even fainting or state clinical death at which the pet stops breathing.

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

In the vast majority of sources of information about dogs, in one form or another, there is information that animals love bones. Children's books show a happy puppy with a bone in its mouth. And to the complaints of the newly minted owner of the dog that the animal gnaws 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 kind of bones can be given to dogs or whether they should be given at all.

Predators or not?

In nature, canines (wolves, coyotes, jackals, foxes) eat the flesh of prey along with the skin, entrails and bones, without suffering from digestive problems later. Females bring hard parts of carcasses of dead animals (bones, hooves, horns) to their cubs - playing with these parts is an important stage in development. hunting instinct at the young. But modern dogs so gone in the process natural evolution and artificial selection from wolves as well as jackals in eating behavior, morphology, the 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, from them the dog receives calcium, phosphorus, iron, but at the same time they are completely nutritious, because they do not contain carbohydrates, they are not taken into account in the amount of food eaten, they are not considered food, and even more so they cannot be the basis of a dog's diet. With any feeding system, a raw bone can be regarded as a toy that the dog enjoys and profitably does 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 flows out of them, they smell unpleasant. If the dog is kept in an apartment or house, then she can stain the floor, carpet, sofa - depending on where she wants to chew on her toy. This does not suit the owners, who then have to wash stubborn grease stains.

There are industrial analogues of raw bones - products made from tendons, ligaments, animal skin. Such substitutes are sold in pet stores. They do not pollute the environment with the contents they contain. bone marrow, do not deteriorate and do not have a repulsive odor for humans. You need to choose a purchased delicacy without a large number artificial colors and flavors, unattractive color (tendons cannot be beautiful pink, light green, lemon flowers), consisting of natural ingredients: skin, veins, cartilage, tendons.

Bones are like a "toothbrush" for a dog

On the dog teeth plaque forms over time. Its excessive accumulation leads to the formation of tartar and premature bacterial destruction of the teeth. Gnawing on hard objects cleans teeth and removes plaque. As a “toothbrush”, toys made of special plastic are successfully used, which do not crumble, but gently spring when chewed by a dog: tatters, rings, balls. it good alternative bones.

Do dogs need bones?

The question should not even be put how, is it possible to give bones to dogs, but do they need them? Fresh raw bones are needed for dogs that are on natural nutrition. In this case, chewing on the bones helps to clean the dog's teeth from plaque and massage the gums to improve blood circulation.

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

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

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

Larger dogs - most terriers (Bull Terrier, Staffordshire, Irish), bulldogs, most hunting dogs - can be offered beef drumsticks, forearms, metatarsal and tarsal bones.

For large dogs - like Black Russian Terriers, Giant Schnauzers, Great Danes, Boxers, most Shepherd Dogs - the hips, shoulders, shoulder blades of cows are suitable.

Well, the giants are the bullmastiff, Tibetan mastiff, German dog, Newfoundland, Irish Wolfhound, Caucasian and Central Asian Shepherd Dog- effortlessly cope with a sheep or goat skull, pelvic girdle and ribs of cows, goats and sheep.

What kind of bones a dog can have also depends on its health. If she has few teeth or they are strongly worn off, partially destroyed or loosely seated in the holes, then harmful bone exacerbate their condition. It is even recommended for such dogs to lightly soak dry food so that they do not damage their teeth further and absorb it normally. To massage the gums, animals with weak teeth can be offered apples, carrots, pumpkin pulp.

A solid treat is contraindicated in animals prone to constipation, who have undergone abdominal operations during the last couple of months, or who underwent surgery to resect part of the stomach or intestines. Until the change of teeth in puppies, they do not need bones. Before the age of six months, they should not receive excessive solid food at all.

A lot of controversy raises the question, is it possible for a dog to have chicken bones? It is possible, except for tubular ones - in a bird in the wings and hips. They break into sharp pieces that can puncture the esophagus, stomach and intestines, cause constipation or internal bleeding. The bones of turkeys, geese, birds, rabbits and small game are not recommended. When chewed, they break into pieces that the dog can easily choke on. A single bone fragment with a sharp edge is capable of piercing through the soft muscles of the organs digestive tract. In this case, only the animal can be saved urgent operation, which involves the removal of part of the damaged organ.

Pig bones should not be given to dogs due to high risk infection with helminths, which are simply teeming with pig carcasses. Only heat treatment helps to get rid of worms and pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Fish bones are not discussed at all: they are so thin and sharp that the dog cannot swallow them without choking. It is necessary to choose bones from slaughtered, and not fallen birds and animals, scald them with boiling water and only then offer them to the 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.

What do you prefer to feed your pets?

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porridge with various additives 46%, 8376 votes

A dog chewing bones is not surprising. However, many dog owners are seriously afraid to feed their pets with bones, believing that such food can seriously harm the health of the animal. Let's figure out if it is possible to give bones to a dog, and how safe they are for your pet.

Many people think that bones are good for dogs because the animal sharpens its teeth on them. This is not entirely true. In fact, after the change of milk teeth to permanent teeth in a dog they no longer change - moreover, over time they become dull. However, no bone can sharpen dog fangs.

On the contrary, by cracking a hard bone, the animal runs the risk of damaging the enamel, or even breaking the canine. But dogs are very fond of chewing on treats - it is good for gums, teeth, and simply entertains the animal. The main thing is to know which bones are considered acceptable for pets.

Tubular chicken

Tubular bones for dogs are of great danger. Let's see why.

When an animal chews on a bone, the bone breaks into small pieces with sharp edges that can injure the walls of the stomach or intestines, in some cases causing peritonitis. The only way to save the situation in this case is surgical intervention, wherein positive result is not always likely.

Turkey boned

Turkey bones are just as dangerous (if not more) than chicken bones: they have a similar structure, but are much harder. The fact is that this bird is slaughtered upon reaching two or three years of age, respectively, the skeleton has time to grow stronger. In addition, the turkey is a rather large bird, so the bones themselves are much larger.

goose

A similar story with goose bones - they are large and hard, so they can significantly injure oral cavity and the intestines of the animal, causing serious problems with health.

Bunny bones

Some dog owners are not afraid to give rabbit bones to their pets, believing that since they are small, they are not dangerous. In fact, a fractured costal bone, spine or limbs are characterized by extremely sharp edges.

Dangerous Consequences

Gnawing hard bone, dogs will inevitably injure tooth enamel, which negatively affects general condition teeth. In addition, sometimes the pulp can also be damaged - then at the site of injury, over time, a open wound, which sooner or later will lead to the development of pulpitis.

Fragments of bones that the animal swallows can not only injure the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract, but also get stuck in the pharynx, esophagus or intestines. It is impossible to get them on your own, and a pet that has eaten such a “delicacy” will definitely need surgical intervention from a veterinarian.

And it also happens that small fragments are knocked into a tight lump that clogs the intestines, and then the animal will need a cleansing enema.

What is allowed

The only option that bones can be given to dogs is beef. The animal can "eat" a large femoral beef bone(the so-called mosl), or rather, gnaw all the meat from it and cartilage tissue. The mosol itself must be taken away from the pet in time to avoid possible troubles.

If a we are talking about a puppy, he can be pampered with young veal ribs, offering to gnaw soft cartilage, and taking it away when only bare bone tissue remains.

For most canine theorists, the phrase “I feed the bones” causes true horror and a stream of indignation. For a dog diet, the product is, frankly, questionable, but a dog kept on natural diet should receive solid food. So is it ok to give bones to dogs? You can if you are smart and careful.

Important! A bone can be considered as a toy or temporary leisure for a dog, but not as food!

In case you did not read the article to the end, let's start with the most important, with the prohibitions. It is important to understand that not proper feeding dogs will definitely lead to health problems, it's a matter of time. With bones, the danger is much higher, them fragments can accumulate in the stomach and intestines for years, and it happens that just one bone becomes the cause of death pet. So below a list of bones that should never be given to a dog under any circumstances:

Tubular chicken bones- the ban applies to both factory and poultry. Tubular bones are found in the thighs and wings.

Turkey bones- this is a rather large bird that clogs in adulthood (2-3 years), that is, when the bones have already grown stronger.

goose bones- probably the most dangerous view bones and damage to the health of the dog, can only be compared with duck. Geese and ducks are slaughtered at 12–24 months of age. By this time, the skeleton of the bird is fully formed. Broken bones, especially tubular ones, have very sharp edges.

rabbit bones small and sharp when broken, especially the ribs, hind legs and spinal column. If you really want to pamper your dog with rabbit meat, choose meat or stew, which may contain fragments of cartilage.

Important! You can cook porridge on any bones, but after preparing the broth, it must be filtered, eliminating the ingress of small fragments into food. Cartilage removed from boiled tubular bones can be left in the porridge.

Read also: Why the dog does not eat: a few important reasons and ways to improve appetite

A dog with a bone in its teeth - dangerous stereotypes

Dogs love bones, cats love milk and fish - these are stereotypes imposed on every person since childhood. Fairy tales, cartoons, stories lay in our minds an unshakable truth. That is why it never occurs to an adult owner of a tailed friend that bones can kill a pet or significantly shorten its lifespan. We invite you to debunk the main clichés associated with the appropriateness of bones in a dog's diet:

The pet should receive solid food every day, because that's how they live wild dogs- solid food, perhaps, but not bones, but raw vegetables and fruits. For reference: wild and stray animals rarely live past the age of 8, as they lose their teeth early and begin to experience digestive difficulties. If you feed your dog industrial feed, feeding "dangerous treats" is not at all appropriate.

Dogs need bones to sharpen their teeth - mammals change milk teeth for molars. Dog teeth do not grow and become dull with age. But the dog does not sharpen its teeth with bones, it grinds them down, scratches the enamel and risks breaking fangs or incisors!

Bones help the dog clean his teeth - let's start with the fact that not bones, but only cartilage, preferably well boiled. Based on this fact, the owners introduce raw pork bones, ears, and legs into the diet of their pets. However, pork can be a source of false rabies, a virus that is harmless to humans and deadly to dogs. Microorganisms die during heat treatment, so feeding boiled pig ears is not only safe, but also really useful.

It is useful to give bones to a puppy during the period of changing teeth - perhaps in the USSR this statement was relevant, and then, to eliminate itching of the gums, dogs were given moslaki, but not tubular bones. Today, pet store shelves are bursting with "long-lasting" chewable treats, and they're just as good at relieving itching when changing teeth. By the way, moslaks are also not as safe as they seem, being too carried away by the bones, you run the risk of spoiling the dog's bite with your own hands or, worse, treating the pet after a dislocation of the jaw.

Note! Gastric juice healthy dog has a high acidity index and really turns the bone into a softer substance for 2-3 hours. In fact, the bone becomes a solid piece similar in structure to rubber. There is nothing useful in this “gum”, but in 2 hours with a sharp bone in the stomach, trouble can happen.

Read also: Tail docking in dogs: why, when and to what breeds

Do you feed your dog bones? Get ready for trouble!

You decided to give your dog raw bones in defiance of all prohibitions, for example, relying on your grandfather's experience, Sharik ate only chicken bones all his life and lived to be 15 years old. Well, it's up to you, but possible list of consequences we recommend to read:

Throat injuries- swallowing fragments from the bone, the dog can not only scratch the mucous membranes, but also pierce them. In the area of vocal cords there are many vessels, damage to which will lead to heavy bleeding. Damage to the trachea is also deadly. Usually, if a dog has injured its pharynx or trachea, they do not have time to take it to the hospital, the animal either dies from blood loss or chokes in it.

Asphyxia is the most common cause of animal death. Usually, if the bone gets stuck in between the chewing teeth, the dog starts to choke on its own saliva. Without timely assistance, the dog dies of suffocation. A very popular outcome if the pet is fed the spines of a large bird.

Persistent vomiting and, as a result, dehydration and life threatening- usually, this happens if the dog swallowed large bone and she got stuck in her stomach. The natural reaction of the body is vomiting, but the bone does not come out with vomit. The situation can only be resolved through surgery.

Accumulation of bones in the stomach- the case is similar to the one described above, but implies clogging of the stomach with small bones and their fragments. Majority stray dogs dies from this disease. Impaired metabolism associated with prolonged malnutrition, leads to a decrease in acidity gastric juice. As a result, the bones do not soften, do not go into the intestines, but accumulate, forming a “ball of needles”. The animal dies from obstruction or bleeding. The condition is stopped by surgery.

A dog sitting in a booth with a bone in its teeth is a stereotypical illustration familiar to many from childhood. As a result, for many owners, the question of whether dogs can have bones does not even arise. Specialists and veterinarians long time debunk misconception that it is necessary to feed a dog with bones to maintain teeth. In fact, eating bones can cause enormous harm to a pet's health, up to fatality. It is important for the dog owner to understand what bones can and cannot be given.

Why dogs shouldn't be given bones.

Despite the fact that many dogs eat bones without apparent harm to health, and their stomach has the ability to digest them, they are harmful for the following reasons:

Chewing bones by a dog provokes: grinding and breaking of teeth, destruction of enamel, development of caries. Such damage reduces life expectancy, which is noticeable in dogs living in nature.
Large fragments of bone get stuck in the pharynx, block Airways which can lead to suffocation. In case of an unfavorable outcome, bone extraction is performed only veterinarian, surgical method with the use of anesthesia.
Trauma to the stomach and intestines by bone fragments occurs in the case of incorrect operation GIT. Undigested bone fragments scratch the mucous membranes. Eating bones often results in diarrhea or constipation for the dog.
If the bone gets stuck in the stomach, and the inability to pass into the intestines, causes bouts of persistent vomiting. Surgery is a common outcome.
Bone obstruction of the intestine and general obstruction. The most unfavorable result of eating bones. Fluoroscopy with contrast agent determines the area of obstruction, after which it is assigned surgery. Postoperative rehabilitation long and difficult for the dog.
Blockage by bone fragments of the large intestine, preventing the dog from emptying the intestines. Symptoms indicating this problem are: adoption by the dog of a pose for emptying, squealing, drops of blood. In this case, a cleansing enema with oil is used, and a subsequent therapeutic diet.
Any boiled bones for dogs are prohibited. Boiled bones (or bones from jelly) form a dense mass in the intestines, clogging it. AT best case get rid of the enema and vaseline oil inside. At worst - surgical intervention and long postoperative period.

Why you shouldn't give chicken bones to dogs.

Bird bones are completely unacceptable for dogs for a number of reasons:

Tubular bird bones are very sharp, getting into the stomach and intestines, easily injuring it.
They easily crumble and get stuck in the teeth, causing pain to the dog while eating.
Infection and toxins contained in the bones are dangerous for the dog. The bird's body temperature exceeds the dog's body temperature, which allows it to resist infection. The dog may develop a toxic infection, characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, and weakness. In this case, medications are immediately prescribed.

Is it ok to give bones to a dog as a puppy?

Do not give bones to puppies, because of the damage to the growing teeth. At the age of 3.5 to 6.5 months, milk teeth are replaced by molars. Molar teeth do not grow during life, and are not replaced. Dental health is affected by heredity and proper nutrition. If, during the period of growth and formation of teeth, the puppy eats bones, then instead of teeth, he may have only "stumps" that have been ground off prematurely. Also, pinching of soft tissues (pulpitis) is likely, and the likelihood of tooth loss, without proper treatment.

What to do if a dog swallowed a bone.

Symptoms of bone swallowing may vary from person to person. different dogs. To common features include: cough, belching, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, vomiting, shortness of breath.
The first thing to mention is what not to do:

You can't induce vomiting. A sharp contraction of the walls can cause perforation of the stomach and intestines.
Laxatives should not be used.
You can not wait for emptying, at this stage time may be lost.

If the dog's condition is satisfactory, you can try to help her yourself.
When swallowed chicken bone or another dangerous object, you need to take a candle made of pure wax (not paraffin). Wax has a melting point equal to temperature body, and, dissolving, covers the sharp corners of bones and objects. The candle is cut into round pieces and fed to the dog (the wick is removed). For a small dog (up to 2 kg), a few centimeters are enough. big dog you can give half of the smallest candle. A candle is given 3 times a day, not excluding ordinary food.
Any foreign body is dangerous for the dog's body, due to blockage of the intestines. Compression of the vessels around itself leads to peritonitis, infections, inflammation. At best, modern endoscopic devices will make it possible to extract small foreign bodies from the stomach. In any case, delay in contacting a specialist is not acceptable.

Feeding bones: pros and cons.

There is still no absolute consensus on whether to give a dog bones. There are both benefits and dangers of this practice. For the dog itself, the process of chewing a bone is relaxing, relieving stress, captivating it completely for a while. When a dog chews on a bone, endorphins, happy hormones, enter the brain, which is a fight against stress. The chewing muscles, the general muscles of the head are trained. Today, a dog can chew with taste not only bones that are dangerous for her.

The most common recommendation for the question of whether bones can be given to a dog are specialized chewing products. Such as gelatin bone, dentifrice bone, or dried, cured chews, and variations thereof. You can learn more about feeding dog bones in the following video: