Bones - What to feed your dog
It is usually recommended to feed raw bones to your dog to keep their teeth clean. But is it always a good idea and what type of bones?
We did a blog recently about raw chicken potentially causing some spinal disorders in dogs, so we now advise that raw chicken and chicken bones are off the menu.
Dogs should also never be fed cooked bones. When bones are cooked, they become hard, brittle and may splinter. They can also accumulate in the bowel and cause serious constipation.
Raw meaty bones are good for cleaning dogs teeth provided you follow some safety guidelines.
Dogs can choke on bones so they should be observed when eating them.
Bones with processes such as vertebrae should not be given because they have the potential to be swallowed and get stuck.
Marrow bones are not recommended for a number of reasons. They are thick and heavy - designed to hold up a cow !!!. Dogs can fracture their teeth on them leading to root canals or extractions. They also contain very fatty marrow which can cause gastrointestinal upsets or even painful pancreatitis.
Bones that can be offered are non-weight bearing bones such as flaps and brisket. They are gristly and should be of a size that the dog can demolish in about 10 minutes.
