If you’re a dog owner, you may have been told not to give your dog chicken bones. You may also have heard that raw chicken bones are good for your dog. With the vast amount of opinions and information available, it can get pretty confusing when it comes to whether or not to give your dog bones. Here we give you the low down on whether chicken bones are good or bad for your dog.
What to do if my dog ate chicken bones?
Despite our best efforts to keep our dogs away from bones, our pets can get into things really fast. Dogs getting into leftover food, digging the bin or ‘stealing’ from the dining table are not tales that are unheard of. So here’s what you should do if your dog ate chicken bones.
The best thing you can do if you suspect that your dog has eaten chicken bones (or any bones) is to stay calm. If you catch your dog in the act, remove the rest of the bones calmly. Do remember that dogs can be possessive over food and thus, try to gobble everything up before you can remove it.
Keeping your cool will also keep your dog calm. Panicking will confuse your dog and this can lead to dangerous outcomes.
If indeed your dog has eaten chicken bones, make sure that it can’t eat any more. You may have to keep your dog away while you clean up any spilled bones. If you have other pets, it’s also wise to make sure that other animals in the house are not able to get to the bones.
Your vet will be able to advise you on what to do as well as what not to do. Additionally, your vet will also be able to weigh the risk of whether your dog should be brought in for a check up based on factors such as its breed and size.
Most vets will tell you not to make your dog vomit to remove the bones as this risks the bones getting stuck in the throat on the way up. Instead, you may be asked to feed your dog some bread, or pumpkin to ‘cushion’ the bones to minimize damage to the intestines until your dog passes the bones.
Calling your vet will not cost you anything. Trusting your vet and acting on their advice is the best course of action that you can take.
Can chicken bones kill dogs?
While it’s a rare occurrence, there have been cases where chicken bones are the cause of death in dogs.
Bones can pierce the esophagus which runs from the mouth to the stomach. When the esophagus is perforated, bacteria that passes through the mouth can easily get into the dog’s chest cavity and cause infection and inflammation. This can cause serious illness and even death.
Should I Go to the Vet?
Dogs like to eat almost everything they find when out for a walk, and if your dog finds a chicken bone, he is going to try to eat it. Should you panic and jump in your car to get your dog to the vet whenever it happens?
To be blunt, no.
I have seen many dogs eat chicken bones over the years with no problems. My own dogs eat raw chicken bones almost every day. They consume a diet that includes chicken necks, feet, carcasses, and wings, and eating the bones is the way in which they get their calcium.
Many dogs that live out on the street also eat cooked chicken bones. I would not recommend this as a healthy diet, and certainly would not feed my own dogs this way, but those dogs are not suffering from torn throats and obstructions. They eat, chew the bones properly, and survive on other foods that make their stools bulky.
After eating a chicken bone you should not force your dog to vomit.
FAQ
How long should I monitor my dog after eating chicken bones?
Will a dog poop out a chicken bone?
What happens if my dog eats cooked chicken bones?
What should I do if my dog eats a chicken bone?