There is nothing dogs love more than chowing down on a fresh bone, and most aren’t picky about what they chew. As long as it smells like fresh meat, your dog is sure to be interested in any bone leftover from dinner.
If your dog gets its chops on a cooked bone such as a ham bone, it can potentially splinter as they chew and cause life-threatening harm to their digestive tract. If you suspect that your dog has eaten ham bones, you should be ready to go to your vet at the first sign of distress.
Here, I’m going to go over the dangers of ham bones for your dog and how to tell when it’s time for a trip to the emergency room. [Pro tip: If there is ANY doubt call your Vet emergency line immediately]
Can dogs chew on ham bones?
Yes, dogs can chew on raw ham bones, but only under constant owner supervision. Make sure you feed the bone after a meal and that it isn’t shorter than their muzzle so that your dog is discouraged from swallowing it whole.
What Happens When Dogs Eat Ham Bones
Bones are not that bad for dogs. Chewing on raw ham bones can be quite beneficial for their dental health and digestion. But if you do not supervise your dog with a ham bone, you might soon find it gone.
The sharp canines and incisors of your dog can help them breakdown an entire ham bone in just a few minutes. When they’re chewing on the bone, it breaks into hundreds of fragments that are capable of doing a lot of damage to your dog’s digestive organs.
Some dogs might even swallow a small piece of bone without noticing. And in most cases, this piece is what causes hundreds of dogs to get rushed to the ER each year.
Here are some of the most common risks associated with eating cooked bones for dogs:
Should I Give My Dog Ham Bones?
You should never give your dog cooked ham bones after dinner, even if they seem big and meaty enough to make a tempting treat.
If your dog ingests a cooked ham bone, it can severely harm its digestive tract. Depending on a dog’s age, breed, and size, damage can end up being fatal. The more bone that a dog consumes, the more likely you are to see problems arise.
Raw ham bones, on the other hand, are safe for dogs. The bone doesn’t splinter in the same way that a cooked one would. However, keep in mind that too much rich and fatty ham can quickly lead to obesity issues. Raw bones may also carry bacteria that can lead to diarrhea and vomiting.
If your dog manages to sneak itself a cooked ham bone for dinner, you need to watch closely for signs of discomfort or distress. If you notice anything amiss with your dog after 24 hours of eating, it’s best to take an emergency trip to the vet.
An enthusiastic chewer can destroy a cooked ham bone in a matter of minutes, reducing it to countless razor-sharp bone splinters. Ingesting even just a small piece of bone shard can end up causing potentially life-threatening harm to your dog. Here, I will go over the most common health concerns for dogs who have eaten ham bones.