Dogs love to chew on them, but can dogs eat rib bones? Read this guide before giving rib bones to dogs.
If your dog loves chew toys then you might be tempted to give them a leftover bone after dinner. Can a dog eat rib bones? What are the dangers?
In this guide, we will look at how safe it is to give dogs any kind of animal bones, including pork ribs. Before you give your dogs rib bones, read this guide.
For ultimate pet safety, please ask your vet any questions you have regarding your dog eating rib bones.
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No, it is not a good idea to give a dog pork rib bones or bones of any kind. It might be a common thing for pet owners to save bones from their food to give to their dogs, but this comes with lots of health and safety risks.
Rib meat is safe for dogs to eat (even though it might be a bit high in fat). It’s the bone splinters that cause the most concern for pet owners.
There are safer alternatives to these tasty treats. Keep reading and I’ll share everything you need to know about dogs eating rib bones – and other types of bones too.
Please remember that this is a general information article, which will discuss how safe bones are for most types of dogs. Lots of things will affect the safety of bones for your dog – including the size of the bone and the size of your dog’s jaw. If you have questions about whether to give your dog rib bones, please talk to your veterinarian.
Many dogs have a need to chew. In fact, a dog chews as a stress reliever, boredom buster, or a natural way to clean their teeth. Bones give them that release of their chewing instinct.
Dogs also love bones because they taste so good! Bone marrow is high in fat and the bones themselves are high in calcium. Dogs are also known to be carnivores, so any scraps of meat on the bones are a tasty treat.
Research shows that dogs descended from wolves, so they still have a need to eat meat, and enjoy chewing on bones. Unfortunately, many bones are unsafe for some dogs.
Can I Give My Dog Rib Bones?
The short answer: No. “I do not recommend giving pork rib bones to your dog,” said Susan Konecny, RN, DVM and medical director at Best Friends Animal Society®. Raw poultry and pork bones, in addition to cooked bones of any kind, should be off limits when it comes to your dog’s diet.
“While pork itself is a fine protein source, the bones should be considered something that’s dangerous and should be disposed of and not as a treat,” said Stephanie Liff, DVM and owner of Pure Paws Veterinary Care of Clinton Hill Brooklyn, NY.
Can Dogs Have Pork Rib Bones?
Ribs aren’t necessarily dangerous to your dog’s health, but there are definitely precautions you need to take to ensure they aren’t going to cause any problems.
If you want to give your dog ribs, it’s best to feed them raw ribs. Cooked meat isn’t bad for your dog, but cooked bones definitely are.
It seems counterintuitive, but when bones are uncooked, they’re still soft, flexible, and chewy. They need to be soft so your dog can safely chew, swallow, and digest them.
As soon as bones are cooked, they become brittle and splinter into shards that can be very harmful to your dog.
Raw rib meat is more nutritious for dogs than cooked meat. If you consider a wild dog’s natural diet, it doesn’t consist of cooked meat.
Raw meat gives your dog the best source of nutrition, but if you’re feeding pork, you need to be extra cautious with how you store it.
It’s not uncommon for raw pork to be contaminated with a parasite that can make your dog really ill. To know more about raw pork just click here.
There are only two ways to kill the parasite. One of them is to cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
The second way is to freeze your pork for at least two weeks prior to feeding it to your dog.
My Dog Ate A Porkchop Bone: What Should I do?
If your dog has eaten a pork chop bone, the best thing you can do is call your veterinarian or take your dog to the vet immediately.
The danger in the bone correlates with your dog’s size, the size of the bone, and whether it’s cooked or not.
Contrary to popular belief, raw bones are actually safer for dogs.
Cooked bones become very dry and brittle, meaning they may be broken off into dangerous shards that can injure your dog’s mouth or cause damage to their stomach or intestine after being swallowed.
Most of the time these small pieces will pass without event, but if they do cause a problem, it can lead to your dog becoming very ill as there is a potential for the stomach or intestinal perforation.
Always throw bones away in a receptacle that your dog can’t access, avoid giving your dog porkchop bones as treats, and opt for a dog-specific bone instead. What other pork bones can you give your dog? Which ones are dangerous? Click here to find out more.
WHAT KINDS OF BONES CAN DOGS EAT?
There are different types of animal bones. Dogs cannot eat all types of animal bones. There are some types of animal bones that your dogs should chew.
FAQ
Is it safe for dogs to eat rib bones?
What kind of bones are safe for dogs?