What kind of bones are safe for puppies? Let’s Explore

What are the Safest Synthetic Dog Bones or Chews?

If you own a dog, then you are probably aware that most dogs need constant action, especially high energy breeds and puppies. Certain dog treats, synthetic bones, and chews are specifically designed to keep your pet mentally stimulated, busy, and their jaw exercised. These bones are especially helpful for puppies who are teething or dogs that are hyper chewers. Some synthetic bones and chews are more suitable for certain types of dogs. For instance, breeds with sharp canines, who are prone to aggressive chewing will be less mentally stimulated by a brittle natural chew and would benefit more from a long-lasting, durable synthetic dog bone. Another big mistake that dog owners make is giving their pets raw bones from their kitchen. Unfortunately, this is a big no-no that can make your dog sick and even cause fatal results.

The phrase “throw a dog a bone” exists for a reason. In the old days, it wasn’t uncommon for pet owners to give their dogs a raw bone from their chicken, t-bone steak, or whatever one might be cooking up in the kitchen. While this might seem like a convenient solution to keep your dog busy and satisfied, raw bones can be dangerous and unhealthy for dogs. There are a lot of detriments to giving dogs raw bones, whether they are cooked or not. Raw bones can lead to gastrointestinal disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, choking, and even death. Most vets and dog experts agree that instead of giving your pet a raw bone, it is better to opt for an edible synthetic bone or hard chew dog treat.

Product Reviews

The best overall dog bone for puppies is by N-Bone. These come in a pack of several teething sticks that are designed specifically for puppies. They help to satisfy the urge puppies get to chew and are made with a real chicken recipe that’s completely edible and digestible. This product doesn’t contain any artificial colors or preservatives and the texture is just right for puppies to experience some relief from teething pain and sore gums.

Each teething stick is flexible and pliable, which satisfies that strong urge puppies got to chew and gnaw at everything. Because the teething sticks are flexible, they don’t damage your puppy’s developing teeth. They contain soy protein concentrate, wheat gluten, gelatin, corn gluten meal, and chicken meal.

One of our testers tried these with her 13-week-old, 22-pound puppy. Right away she noticed that the treats are soft and have optimal flexibility. While some dog products have a strong odor, she noticed that these are not smelly and didn’t leave a mess behind. It takes her dog about 10 minutes to get through one of these teething sticks, which affords her 10 minutes of peace. Her only complaint is she wishes they lasted longer but she’s happy to have found a product that soothes her fur baby’s teething pain and is easy on her wallet. Best Overall

Pack includes multiple teething sticks

Designed specifically for puppies

Made with real chicken

Completely digestible

Free from artificial preservatives and colors

Safety Guidelines If you’d like to give your dog a bone to eat or chew, follow these rules so they enjoy their bone safely.

Supervise chewing. Don’t leave your dog to chew a bone alone. They may bite off too much and choke or gnaw too aggressively and cause injury.

Throw out gnawed-down bones. If your dog chews a bone down to the brittle part, splintering becomes a problem. Additionally, a bone that has been chewed down too small becomes a choking hazard.

Do not give bones to a dog who has had restorative dental work. These dogs are at risk for tooth breakage and dental problems.

Do not give bones with marrow to dogs who get pancreatitis. Marrow is high in fat and can cause a flare up or diarrhea.

Do not give a bone to a dog who’s likely to bite it in half and swallow large chunks. You know how your dog eats. If your dog swallows food quickly rather than chewing, a bone presents a risk.

Give the bone after a meal. A less hungry dog is less likely to chew and swallow a bone quickly.

Don’t feed your dog bones that can be swallowed whole. This depends on the size of your dog. A small chicken bone is not safe for a Great Dane, for instance.

Give your dog bones that are longer than the length of their muzzle. This will make it impossible for them to swallow.

Don’t feed your dog a bone cut lengthwise. A cut leg bone, for example, is more likely to splinter.

Don’t feed your dog pork or rib bones. These bones are more likely to splinter.

Only let your dog chew for ten to 15 minutes at a time. This reduces the likelihood of injury.

Refrigerate bones when not in use. Throw them out after three to four days. This reduces the likelihood of contamination.

Chewing is a natural and important behavior for dogs. Recreational bones act like a brush and floss for dog’s teeth. The sinewy bones break tartar down and reduce gum disease, cleaning the teeth.

Chewing also stimulates the production of saliva enzymes, which prevent plaque buildup. Dogs who chew on bones are also less likely to scratch or lick their own paws.

Raw bones are a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals. They have benefits to the digestive system, including strengthening the stomach muscles, preventing bloat, fostering healthy bowel movements, and preventing anal gland problems.

In addition to physical health, chewing has the benefit of mentally stimulating dogs. This can actually reduce anxiety, which is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.

Dog bones: Which Are Safe For Dogs? | Ultimate Pet Vet

You’ve probably heard that dogs love to chew on bones. You’ve probably also heard that bones are dangerous for dogs.

With all the contradictory information out there about feeding bones to dogs, it’s important to be able to sort out what the facts are, including both the health benefits and risks. Giving your dog a bone can be very dangerous, or, if you’re well-informed and follow some simple rules, it can be safe and even good for your pup.

That said, you should always have a discussion with your vet before giving your dog new foods, bones, or chews to make sure you’re being as safe as possible.

Here’s some information you’ll need to help you determine which bones will be good for your dog and which ones to avoid.

Cooked bones, including those that come from table scraps, are not safe for dogs to eat. They can easily break and splinter.

Additionally, the FDA warns that commercially available bone treats, which are often processed and differ from the bones you might receive from a butcher, may present similar dangers and cause illnesses in dogs.

In 2015, the FDA received 35 reports of dogs suffering from a variety of conditions related to commercially available bone treat products including Ham Bones, Pork Femur Bones, Rib Bones, and Smokey Knuckle Bones.

Companies often dry these products through smoking or baking and add preservatives, seasoning, or smoke flavoring.

If you are considering store-bought chews or bones for your dog, it’s best to consult your vet to make sure you’re getting appropriate products for your individual pet.

Rawhide chews sometimes cause similar conditions as store-bought bone treats. The manufacturing process of these bones can leave them with trace amounts of toxic chemicals, and they have the potential for contamination with Salmonella or E. coli.

Additionally, artificial dog chews can contain gelatin, artificial sweeteners, and other additives and preservatives that may be toxic or cancer-causing. Avoid chews with these ingredients.

Most raw bones that have not been cooked are edible for dogs. Raw chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef bones are soft enough to chew, eat, and digest.

That said, with all bones, there is a risk of choking if your dog swallows without thoroughly chewing, and bones that are too hard can cause damage to the teeth.

As long as you follow the safety guidelines below, these bones should be fine. Always talk to your vet first.

Recreational bones are not designed to be edible, but rather chewed by dogs. These can include large femur or hip bones from bison or beef and are filled with marrow.

These bones may have meat, cartilage, or soft tissue still attached. You can usually find these at your local butcher.

Bones with marrow are high in fat. Make sure to adjust your dog’s diet to compensate, and if your dog needs a low-fat diet, you may be better off not giving marrow-filled bones to your dog.

With raw bones and meat, there is some risk of bacterial contamination. You can reduce these risks with proper handling. Ask your vet for suggestions about the best way to safely handle and store raw bones.

Again, there are risks to giving your dog these kinds of bones, though if you follow the safety guidelines, your pup should be able to safely enjoy them.