Cooked lamb shank bones, however, may splinter and cause severe internal damage to your dog, so do not feed your dog cooked lamb shank bones.
Also, make sure that the bones are bigger than your dog’s muzzle, so if your dog accidentally tries to eat the bone, he won’t choke on it.
You should monitor your dog while feeding him lamb shank bones by making sure he doesn’t ingest too much of the slimy marrow inside the bone.
Lamb shank bones with a lot of marrow may make it difficult for your dog to digest and can cause stomach problems.
You should only feed your dog lamb shank bones that he will finish in one feeding because they are rich in fat and can cause complications if fed for too long.
Lamb shank bones are not recommended for dogs with sensitive digestive systems as well, because lamb shank bones may cause diarrhea or vomiting.
Are shank bones safe for dogs?
Dogs don’t have molars, so they can easily chew the fatty rib meat attached to a lamb shank bone.
This type of bone will also make your dog’s breath smell good and fresh!
The marrow inside a lamb shank bone is not recommended for dogs with sensitive intestinal systems either.
It may cause diarrhea or vomiting. If you are worried about your dog’s digestive system, it is better to stick with raw meaty bones.
Cooked lamb shank bones are good for dogs that have a strong jaw and that don’t mind chewing on slimy raw marrow.
If you decide to serve cooked lamb shank bones to your dog, cook them well so the bone doesn’t splinter.
The reason why you should avoid giving cooked lamb shank bones to your dog is that they are way too rich in fat and may cause complications if fed for too long.
If cooked lamb shank bones aren’t an option, then a raw meaty bone would be the next best thing since it still contains marrow but doesn’t have as much fat.
Are Lamb Bones Bad for Dogs?
So, the answer to “can dogs eat lamb bones” is yes, but there are some risks. The risks of lamb bones aren’t specific to this type of bone. In fact, they apply to all large bones given as dog chews, including beef, oxtail, and more. The major risks of lamb bones as a chew, or even as a part of a raw diet are:
Let’s take a closer look at each of these in turn.
Lamb bones can offer our dogs some important nutrients. But, if your dog is already eating a commercial kibble diet, or a commercial wet food diet, they will already be receiving the correct balance of nutrients. So, offering them a lot of bones and additional raw food can upset this. Generally, treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. And, studies have suggested that homemade diets, including homemade raw diets with bones, are at higher risk of nutritional imbalances than commercial diets.
So, if you’ve decided to give your dog lamb bones, either as part of their diet or as an occasional treat chew, you should do so under the guidance of your veterinarian. They will be able to monitor your dog’s health, and to ensure that your pooch is getting the right amount of nutrients.
We’ve already learnt that chewing on bones can help dogs by reducing dental calculus buildup. But, bones can also pose a threat to our dog’s dental health. The bones we give to dogs as chews are often thick and very hard, such as thigh bones, shanks, shoulder bones, and so on. These hard bones can lead to broken or chipped teeth, both of which can be very painful and require expensive veterinary assistance.
Dental problems caused by bones don’t just include broken teeth. Sharp pieces of bone can puncture or scratch the inside of your dog’s mouth, small pieces of bones can become stuck between teeth, and more. To minimise this risk, you should supervise your dog whenever they are chewing on a bone. Or, look into softer dental chews with your veterinarian.
Raw bones are less likely to splinter and break than cooked bones. But, there’s still a small chance that raw bones can break. Especially if your dog is chewing on them over long periods. And, it’s likely that your dog will consume any pieces they do manage to chew off. These pieces can be sharp, and small enough to present a choking hazard. If any are successfully swallowed, their sharp edges can scratch or pierce your dog’s internal organs and digestive system. This can be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening.
Signs of internal injuries from swallowed bone can include:
And more. If you think your dog has suffered internal issues from swallowing a small piece of bone, you should take them to the veterinary surgeon straight away.
Because bones must be given to dogs in their raw state, there’s a natural concern about the bacteria present on their surface. This isn’t just a concern for our dogs, but also for us and any other family at home. For instance, young children. There’s a lot of debate about whether or not this potential bacteria can harm our dogs. But, if you decide to give your dog lamb bones, make sure you’re vigilant in your personal hygiene and cleaning routines to reduce the risk of this bacteria harming you and the rest of your family.
The final risk to note is not related to our dog’s health, but instead to their behavior. Since most lamb bones are not consumed all in one sitting, but rather over several, your dog may become possessive over the bone whenever someone attempts to take it away. This is particularly problematic in homes with young children that might not be able to properly read dog body language, and that could really suffer from dog bite injuries.
Of course, not every dog will become possessive or aggressive when given a bone to chew on. But, it’s something to consider as one potential risk. Especially if your dog has ever shown possessive behavior around their other food or around toys.
Can dogs eat raw lamb shank bones?
If your dog is healthy, don’t worry about giving him raw lamb shank bones.
Raw meaty bones are the best option if you need to feed cooked or raw lamb shank bones to your dog since they still contain marrow and fat but have no potential risk of splintering.
Just make sure that the bone isn’t too big for your dog to digest. Also, if you are worried about the bone splintering and causing damage inside your dog’s intestines, then cook it well enough so that it doesn’t splinter.
It all comes down to how big of a risk you are willing to take with your dog’s health. Raw meaty lamb bones can provide your dog with a tasty and healthy treat and will lessen the risk of splintering.
If you are not comfortable with raw meaty bones but don’t want to take any risks, then cooked lamb shank bones would be the next best choice.
