WITH early childhood we are taught: “The bunny eats carrots, the goat eats cabbage, the cat eats fish, and the dog eats a bone.” But is everything really so clear?
Today I invite you to discuss an important topic:

Bones for dogs

Bones in the diet of dogs have perhaps been and remain one of the most controversial foods. Dog owners long years There is a heated debate about whether dogs can be given bones, and if so, what kind.

What are bones for and what are their benefits? The benefits directly depend on the type of bone.

Types of bones for dogs

Useful spongy bones– sternum, pelvis, spine bones (including necks and tails).

IN tubular bones(animal limb bones) only the heads are good for dogs. Butchers cut them up and call them sugar pits.

The former are eaten by dogs as part of a portion of food, and the latter can only be crushed by very powerful jaws; all others can only gnaw them. But any bone suitable for a dog consists of whole or divided joints, their heads are covered hyaline cartilage, the joint itself is dressed in a capsule, inside - synovial fluid. Tendons are attached to bones.

Benefits of bones for dogs:

• Bones are a source of calcium, phosphorus, minerals, so necessary for animals of all ages, glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen, which dogs will absorb in at its best and without side effects, in contrast to commercially synthesized drugs.
• Bones train chewing muscles, strengthen gums, promote mechanical cleaning of teeth, and prevent the deposition of tartar and plaque.
• The dog chews the bone and produces saliva and gastric juices, which are needed for good absorption food. For this and not only reason, bones should be given after meals, but we will come to this later.
• Bones contain spongy substance and are a hematopoietic organ. And this very substance is very useful for dogs. Bones also contain bone marrow, a source of unsaturated and saturated fats.
• Bones contribute to the formation of feces and facilitate its passage through the gastrointestinal tract and mechanical emptying of the paranal glands.
• Gnawing bones, the dog gets a release and calms down.
• And finally, bones are simply delicious! Dogs love them!

So, the benefits of bones for dogs are obvious.

What bones can you give to dogs?

• All spongy bones are possible: necks, backs, tails, bones of the spine, sternum, scapula and head tubular bones.
• Relatively soft bones dogs eat it completely, but they rather gnaw off the heads of large bones, and if they are cut, they eat away the bone substance.
• Dogs can also be given bones as part of fish carcasses, fins, salmon ridges, and fish heads.

What bones should dogs not eat?

• All tubular bones of large animals, bones of soup chickens.
• Bones outside a piece of meat, bare bones, are especially dangerous.

If you give a leg of a 35-day-old broiler, the dog will not be able to swallow it without chewing. She will turn it into a cutlet with bones inside. And in this form, the bones are completely digestible and safe for gastrointestinal tract.

• The ribs aren't the best. While the cartilaginous ends of the ribs are very useful, they themselves can crumble into long, sharp pieces.

How to give bones correctly?

Bones are given raw, as part of a meal or after it. The necks of chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, quails, rabbits, lambs, beef tails, as well as the backs of chickens, quails and the like contain quite a lot of meat and can make up up to half of the entire meat and bone portion of a dog’s diet. They are given with food or immediately after. Animals eat them without leaving a trace. Bones of large joints and others, practically devoid of meat, are given after the main portion of food. It is good to periodically feed bird and rabbit heads. They are rich in brain, one of the sources of unsaturated fatty acids. Depending on the meatiness, bones occupy from 5% to 50% of the total protein portion of a dog’s diet. When feeding fish with a soft spine and small fish(herring, herring, capelin, etc.) there is no need to pull out the spine and remove the head. Hard and sharp spines large fish It’s better to mince it through a meat grinder.

It is important to balance the dog’s capabilities and habits with the bones given. For voraciously swallowing dogs, those who do not know how or cannot chew due to age or weak teeth, it is safe to give soft bones beaten with a hammer or rolled through a meat grinder. In this form they retain all their beneficial features, but will never cause any harm. Dogs that are effective bone chewers will do well on the heads of large bones. But it is important to ensure that they do not bite off or swallow large and sharp pieces and do not eat more than 10% of the food in order to avoid too dense feces and/or coprostasis. It is also worth taking away the remains of any bones to avoid swallowing them whole. A puppy, for example, in excitement can swallow a whole rib or a piece of neck, but will not be able to digest it.

Always keep an eye on your pet's mouth. It happens that a bone can get stuck, a tooth can break off or become damaged (by the way, not necessarily from the bones, but still). Usually large bones serve as a good “brush” and there are no tartar deposits, but monitor the process and condition oral cavity, gums and teeth makes sense.

Any bones that are boiled, fried or baked are strictly prohibited! The dog is not able to digest them in principle. Neither big, nor small, nor spongy, much less tubular. Cold bones or fried chicken, stewed rabbit or baked goose belongs in a garbage can, not in a dog bowl! Seen scary photos and a video of how they operate and remove deposits of bones from a dog’s stomach? That's exactly what they are, sharp fragments of bare tubular boiled bones, which were also given without any measure.

Who can and should be given bones?

• You can absolutely safely give bones to raw-fed dogs. natural food. The acidity in the stomach of such dogs is pH 1 or lower. In such an acidic environment, bones are digested by gastric juices and of hydrochloric acid highly successful.
• Bones are shown to puppies from the moment of weaning, even with their milk teeth they perfectly gnaw out the spongy substance from the chopped strong heads of bones, gnaw the heads, eating cartilage and attached tendons.
• Even old dog or with an incomplete set of teeth will receive their pleasure and benefit from bones. For getting useful substances It is better to grind the bones, and give larger ones purely for pleasure without taking into account the total number bone component, if the dog can only pickle the bone, but does not eat part of it.

Who shouldn't be given bones?

First of all, these are dogs that eat industrial food. These feeds contain a lot herbal ingredients, which lead to changes in stomach acidity. Instead of pH1 typical for carnivores, it has pH4 and higher values. In such an environment, bones cannot be processed effectively, which leads to problems. Often this is vomiting of eaten bones or feces with pieces of undigested bones. This threatens the health and life of the animal. A similar situation can arise in dogs that eat a mixed diet - dry food/canned food and meat. Bones are also contraindicated for dogs with gastrointestinal diseases, especially those taking medications that reduce gastric secretory activity (for example, omez).
Bitches should not be given bones when they are starting to feed their puppies.

Many dogs can regurgitate food, and in this case, sharp pieces of bone that would be safely digested in the mother's stomach can cause significant harm to the puppies, who are unlikely to be able to digest them. This is especially true for bitches who eat dry food or have a mixed diet. Pregnant bitches who eat raw foods are also not given bones in the last week of pregnancy.

This measure reduces the risk of developing hypocalcemia and related conditions and facilitates the activity of the gastrointestinal tract during later. Essential for fruits and labor activity Calcium during this period will come from the mother’s bones under the influence of parathyroid hormone, the activity of which is activated at the end of pregnancy.

How to safely introduce bones into your dog's diet?

The first thing to do is switch your dog to raw feeding. Only animals with a low pH1 value can eat bones well, animals that eat industrial feed have pH4. Acidity will decrease after 2-3 weeks of feeding raw meat, poultry and fish. You should start with rolled or beaten soft bird bones. As a rule, from the 10th day the dog can assimilate them well. If you observe vomiting of bones, it means it’s too early, or the pieces are too large and the stomach returned them. Give bones of the necks and in the carcass of the bird, back, gnaw beef bones possible 3-4 weeks after transfer to raw food. Always watch how the dog eats; many need to be taught to work with their jaws, holding the neck or wing by the tip, so that the dog learns to chew and not swallow greedily. Don't rush, there is no need to force the process. Each animal is individual, and if one dog easily and quickly switches to raw food and can digest bones within a week, another may require 2 months or half a year. It is convenient to make mixed meat preparations by grinding soft bones into it. Especially for small, toothless dogs and during the transition period for puppies. You can grind the necks and backs of birds or rabbits and freeze the balls.

Add these balls to the meat, gradually increasing their quantity to the prescribed amount. Cartilage is the most difficult to digest. Therefore, at first they are appropriate in ground form, and then dogs will be able to successfully chew and digest them.

• We give all bones to the dog only in raw form.
• Meat bones - up to 30-50% of the meat part of the diet, “naked” - no more than 10%.
• We give bones to gnaw after meals and never on an empty stomach.
• We take away sharp fragments from the dog and those large enough pieces of bone that it can swallow.
• We do not give sick bones to dogs with gastrointestinal problems.
• We do not give bones to bitches in the last week of pregnancy and during the feeding period of puppies.
• Avoid bones that can produce sharp fragments.
• Dry, crumbly stool white speaks of excess bones in the diet. Reduce their number.
• We monitor the condition of the animal’s oral cavity.
• If it is difficult for you to consider the bones in the legs and wings of a 30-day-old broiler to be soft, we do not give such bones.
• In general, if you personally think a bone is unsafe for your dog, don’t give it. There is always an alternative - ground bones.
• Bones in the diet are the privilege of dogs that eat meat and other raw foods. Do you want your dog to crunch too? useful bones– switch to a raw diet and only then will she be able to get the maximum benefit from the bones.

I wish your pets a healthy and happy life!

Continuing the topic of dog nutrition, I would like to bring to your attention a few more useful articles:

— What to feed a natural dog: 33 recipes
— 30 ​​foods prohibited for dogs

Is it possible to give bones to a dog, why are they given, from which farm animals are they suitable, which will be optimal, and which can be harmful. Let's find out together.

Why are dogs given bones to chew on, whether they are healthy or not?

As a food product, they are ineffective for dogs. They are low in calories, are absorbed by the body very poorly, and domestic dogs are simply unable to digest most of them. Even well-cooked bones are dangerous for the animal. When eaten, they are crushed by the teeth; a large number of them can cause intestinal blockage. It’s good if you get by with treatment - laxatives, enemas, etc. If the course is unfavorable, this is surgery. But when purchasing a puppy, many owners immediately have a picture in their head of a dog chewing on a bone. So can dogs be given bones?

It is worth noting that they are suitable for making broth, especially large beef moles. An excellent porridge is then prepared using the broth. There's a lot on these bones cartilage tissue, collagen fibers, leftover meat. This is why dogs love to chew bones - because of their usefulness - collagen and cartilage. Usually in pure form They rarely get these products and their instincts kick in. Dogs readily gnaw them. The bone itself remains almost intact. This eliminates known risks.

At what age can a puppy eat a bone?

Can I give my puppy bones? Only veal ones, namely the shoulder blade with cartilage, the breast bone and pseudoribs. They contain a lot of chondrin and collagen.

It is recommended to introduce it into the diet from 3 months. After the start of the process of changing teeth. They are not suitable as main food. Can be used as a toy with a pleasant taste from 2 months. It is important to ensure that there are no chips on the bone that could injure your pet. The edges should be round and not destroyed. Problems can arise if the animal eats a small bone. A whole, rounded bone with remnants of cartilage and ligaments will benefit the puppy. Especially when his teeth change, he will chew on it, not the furniture.

Older individuals can be given milk from 1-2 year old bulls or calves.

Which animal bones can be given and which ones cannot?

Let's find out what bones can be given to dogs, and why?

Beef

The bones of old cows are yellowish and have a lot of beef fat on them. The bones of young individuals are white and practically free of fat. Here's what to remember when going to the market. Pseudo-ribs, sternum, and shoulder blade are excellent. Average and large breeds They love the ridge very much. Bones also include calf heads. When boiled, this is an excellent dish for a dog. There is meat from the chewing muscles (cheeks), facial muscles, lips, nostrils, nasal septum (cartilage), and brain. It is important to pick off the wool after cooking. It comes off easily. Don't pluck, but kind of roll it up. Before cooking, cut the head in half along the axis of the skull. Tarring is not recommended - the burning smell will remain.

Pork

These bones, like the pork itself, are very fatty. In addition, they are porous, because they slaughter mainly young individuals. Dogs eat such bones almost completely. Is it possible to give a dog pork bones with these characteristics? No. It is worth noting that the pork snout consists of cartilage, muscle and skin. You can give it raw 1-2 times a week. Freeze before feeding!

Chicken

Bird bones should not be given to dogs at all. And here's why dogs shouldn't be given chicken bones. They are thin, soft, have a lot of meat and cartilage left on them, and dogs willingly eat them. If they simply gnaw off large beef bones and leave the bones themselves, then birds can eat large quantities (necks, wings, skeletons, heads) and completely. This is very harmful and dangerous. The very quality of the bones, like broiler chicken from the factory, is questionable.

Turkey

Turkey bones differ from chicken bones only in size. All recommendations will be the same as for chicken bones.

A rabbit

Rabbit bones are very small and have many tubular bones. The spine and pelvis can be given as a delicacy big dogs. Infrequently. The head deserves special attention, most dogs don’t eat their teeth and leave them.

Lamb

These bones, like veal bones, are very good. But you should take the same precautions as with other bones for your animal. It is not recommended to use them as the basis of your diet.

Elk, roe deer, wild boar

They must be frozen deeply and then be sure to be thoroughly boiled. The threat of trichinosis is much higher. Considering the risks, each owner decides for himself. If you choose them, then follow the same recommendations as described above.

Artificial bones for strengthening and cleaning teeth - benefits and harms

Chewable (gelatin)

They are a safe toy. Puppies readily gnaw on it when changing teeth. Manufacturers produce for specific breed groups. But it is not always clear how chewing bones for dogs are produced; here it is also worth choosing a manufacturer, keeping an eye on his reputation. Excessive feeding is fraught with gastrointestinal problems.

Rubber

They are a simple toy for your pet like a ball, rubber pig or chicken. Great for leisure time. When choosing in a store, it is recommended to ask for a certificate of quality and safety of a rubber product. The choice of color and size is yours.

Pressed from veins (tendons)

Most useful look artificial seeds. They are more expensive, but they also provide more benefits. They contain natural chondrin. It is very useful for puppies and adult animals. It is important not to overfeed the animal with this product. Dogs love him very much. This is becoming one of my favorite treats. The veins in them are steamed and crushed before pressing. They are safe, but in large quantities they will become harmful.

Raw bones - healthy or not?

Such bones contain the most useful substances. Is it okay to give your dog raw bones? - yes, but only after freezing it first. Properly selected dice, as described above, will be beneficial.

Is it possible to cook mosli? Are they digested in a dog’s stomach when cooked?

Moslov makes an excellent broth for making porridge from any cereal. But the moss themselves as food will cause harm. When cooked for a long time, they become porous and can be easily chewed. Only the bone itself will remain; the dog will eat the skewers (rounded edges). But the animal will digest such food very poorly. Also, the feces will contain remains of bone mass. In the end, everything will end in blockage and surgery. The nutritional quality of this diet is very low.

Which dog breeds can be fed bones and which cannot?

Small breeds do not have such physical characteristics and bones are contraindicated for them. Such dogs often have problems with teeth - another reason for the disadvantage of giving a bone. The pet industry produces various artificial options for them. It is very good sometimes to give a pressed look from veins of the appropriate size. Gelatin ones are less nutritious.

Possible dangerous consequences

When a dog eats bones, it chews them into small pieces. But it is very difficult for the body to digest them. A semi-digested porous mass accumulates. The consequence is difficulty in excreting feces and the appearance of blood. If the bones continue to be absorbed in the same quantity, the intestines become clogged. If you contact a veterinarian in time, you can get by with a deep enema and a laxative. Then you will need a strict diet.

If the blockage is so large that it cannot be washed out, or there are several foci, there is only one way out - surgery. An ultrasound will show everything. In a critical case, necrosis of the intestinal wall may occur due to circulatory problems. This applies to everyone, even dogs of the largest breeds. If the outcome of the operation is favorable, rehabilitation lasts quite a long time.

It is much more dangerous when a sharp piece of bone pierces the intestines or stomach, and sometimes in several places (the intestines are laid out in loops). The likelihood of peritonitis is very high. Surgery inevitably. Treatment will include very powerful antibiotics.

Older dogs may have dental problems. The bones are carried high load for them.

A pet can also choke on a piece of bone, but this happens extremely rarely.

What bones do dogs like and why?

Sugar brains

These are large, juicy bones of young farm animals. They are white in color, and the bone tissue of the trochanters is relatively soft and well impregnated blood vessels. So many bone marrow. They are quite easy to chew. The amount of cartilage tissue is high and it is easily separated from the bone body. The porous structure of skewers is easily digested by large dogs and is not visible in feces. Problems may arise with constant feeding.

Beef ribs with leftover meat

The intercostal muscles are very nutritious and pleasant to the taste. Animals willingly eat the ribs themselves whole (young farm animals). This is especially true for pseudo-edges.

With cartilage

Cartilage tissue carries to the dog a large number of collagen and chondrin. This construction material for joints and tendons. It is useful for growing cheeks, for adults to maintain shape, and for elderly people for prevention. They are loved by all categories. Most of the cartilage is on the sternum, pseudoribs (outer ribs not fused to the sternum), and shoulder blades. There is a lot of cartilaginous tissue in veal heads and pig snouts.

Useful tips for introducing bones into the diet depending on the breed

1. Puppies should be given bones from the moment their teeth begin to change.
2. The bones must be of young farm animals and frozen.
3. Chips and sharp edges are not allowed.
4. Give bones 2-3 times a week.
5. They are not suitable as the basis of a diet.
6. The most useful are brisket, pseudoribs, veal heads (boiled).
7. Chicken bones are extremely dangerous (necks are an exception).
8. Natural bones are not recommended for small breeds.
9. Of the artificial ones, the most useful are the pressed veins. Gelatin ones are just a treat. Rubber - a toy.
10. The bones must be fresh, from young farm animals, white and free of fat.

conclusions

At making the right choice bones they will benefit the dog. If the above recommendations are not followed, the consequences can be catastrophic. Average and large breeds Natural bones are recommended, artificial bones are recommended for small bones. The bones must be fresh and from young farm animals, deep frozen. The best option- pseudoribs, breast bone, shoulder blade with cartilage, boiled veal heads cut along the axis.

A dog sitting in a kennel with a bone in its teeth is a stereotypical illustration familiar to many from childhood. As a result, for many owners the question of whether dogs can have bones does not even arise. Specialists and veterinarians long time debunk the misconception that feeding your dog bones is necessary to maintain teeth. In fact, eating bones can cause enormous harm to your pet's health, up to and including fatal outcome. It is important for a dog owner to understand which bones can be given and which cannot.

Why dogs shouldn't be given bones.

Although many dogs eat bones without apparent harm, and their stomachs have the ability to digest them, they are harmful for the following reasons:

• Chewing bones by a dog provokes: grinding and breaking of teeth, destruction of enamel, and the development of caries. Such damage reduces life expectancy, which is noticeable in dogs living in nature.
• Large bone fragments get stuck in the throat, blocking Airways, which can lead to an attack of suffocation. If the outcome is unfavorable, bone extraction is performed only veterinarian, surgical method, using anesthesia.
• Trauma to the stomach and intestines from bone fragments occurs when the gastrointestinal tract does not function properly. Undigested bone fragments scratch the mucous membranes. Eating bones often results in diarrhea or constipation for the dog.
• Bone getting stuck in the stomach and unable to pass into the intestines causes bouts of persistent vomiting. Surgery is a common outcome.
• Bone blockage of the intestines and general obstruction. The most unfavorable result of eating bones. Fluoroscopy with contrast agent determines the area of ​​obstruction, after which it is prescribed surgery. Postoperative rehabilitation long and difficult for the dog.
• Blockage of the large intestine by bone fragments prevents the dog from having bowel movements. Symptoms that indicate this problem are: the dog adopting a posture for emptying, squealing, drops of blood. IN in this case applies cleansing enema with oil, and subsequent therapeutic diet.
• Any boiled bones for dogs are prohibited. Boiled bones (or bones from aspic) form a dense mass in the intestines, clogging it. IN best case scenario are treated with an enema and Vaseline oil inside. At worst - surgical intervention and a long postoperative period.

Why you shouldn't give chicken bones to dogs.

Poultry bones are completely unacceptable for dogs for a number of reasons:

• Tubular bird bones are very sharp; when they get into the stomach and intestines, they easily injure it.
• They crumble easily and get stuck in the teeth, causing pain to the dog while eating.
• Infection and toxins contained in the bones are dangerous for the dog. The bird's body temperature is higher than the dog's body temperature, which allows it to resist infection. The dog may develop a toxic infection, characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, and weakness. In this case, medications are immediately prescribed.

Is it possible to give a dog bones as a puppy?

You should not give bones to puppies because they can harm their growing teeth. At the age of 3.5 to 6.5 months, baby teeth are replaced by molars. Molars do not grow during life and are not replaced. Dental health is influenced by heredity and proper feeding. If, during the period of growth and formation of teeth, the puppy eats bones, then instead of teeth he may only have “stumps”, ground off prematurely. There is also a possibility of pinching of soft tissues (pulpitis), and the possibility of tooth loss without proper treatment.

What to do if your dog swallows a bone.

Symptoms of bone ingestion may vary from person to person. different dogs. TO common features include: cough, belching, profuse drooling, loss of appetite, vomiting, shortness of breath.
The first thing to mention is what not to do:

1. You cannot induce vomiting. A sharp contraction of the walls can cause perforation of the stomach and intestines.
2. Laxatives should not be used.
3. You cannot wait for emptying; at this stage time may be lost.

If the dog's condition is satisfactory, you can try to help it yourself.
If you swallow a chicken bone or other dangerous object, you need to take a candle made of pure wax (not paraffin). The wax has a melting point equal to body temperature and, when dissolved, covers the sharp corners of bones and objects. The candle is cut into round pieces and fed to the dog (the wick is removed). For a small dog (up to 2 kg), a few centimeters are enough. Large dog You can give half of the smallest candle. A candle is given 3 times a day, not excluding regular food.
Any foreign body is dangerous for the dog’s body due to intestinal blockage. Compression of the vessels around them leads to peritonitis, infections, and inflammation. At best, modern endoscopic devices will make it possible to extract small foreign bodies from the stomach. In any case, delay in contacting a specialist is unacceptable.

Feeding bones: pros and cons.

There is still no absolute consensus on whether to give a dog bones. There are both benefits and dangers to this practice. For the dog itself, the process of chewing a bone is relaxing, relieves stress, and captivates it completely for some time. When a dog chews a bone, endorphins, happiness hormones, enter its brain, which is a fight against stress. The chewing muscles and general muscles of the head are trained. Today, a dog can chew with taste not only bones that are dangerous to it.

The most common recommendation regarding the question of whether bones can be given to a dog is specialized chewing products. Such as gelatin bone, dentifrice bone, or dried, cured chews, and variations thereof. You can learn more about feeding bones to dogs in the following video:

There is an undeniable rule, written at the cost of hundreds of lives, that you should not give chicken bones to dogs! However, the bitter experience of owners who have lost their pets does not affect many four-legged lovers. A loving owner “pampers” the dog, harming the health of the ward and refuses to admit it. The situation is outrageous, but as practice shows, harm to a beloved pet is caused out of ignorance, which, however, does not implore responsibility for the deed.

Never, under any circumstances, give your dog the long bones of chicken or any other bird! If you want to see for yourself the dangers of such a delicacy, hit a chicken leg bone with a chop mallet, and then test with your finger how sharp the fragments are. Chicken bones are dangerous for dogs; if your pet is lucky, he will only suffer from intestinal obstruction, but the result can be fatal! From possible consequences eating bird bones, we can distinguish:

• Oral injuries, chipped teeth, pulpitis- these are the minimum Negative consequences. The oral mucosa usually recovers within 12–24 hours. Pulpitis leads to severe pain and can result in the loss of both the patient and nearby teeth.

• Injuries of the pharynx and trachea- leads to acute pain, and with tissue perforation, to heavy bleeding. If the dog is not taken to a veterinarian in time, the injury could result in death due to suffocation or blood loss.

• Perforation of the stomach or intestines– leads to bleeding, in case of serious perforation – to the outflow of gastric or fecal masses into abdominal cavity. Extremely dangerous condition, leading to sepsis and death of the animal. The only chance of salvation is emergency surgery.

• Perforation or blockage of the colon– consequences of blockage digestive tract and swelling of the peritoneum, until death from intoxication or heavy bleeding. When a plug forms in the large intestine, treatment begins with oil enemas. If the condition does not improve, the dog is operated on. In case of intestinal perforation, an urgent operation is performed, dead tissue is excised, and healthy tissue is sutured.

Important! If you know that your dog has eaten chicken bones, be sure to monitor its condition, or better yet, take your pet to veterinary clinic! The consequences of perforation of the intestines or stomach may not appear immediately.

Poultry bones acceptable for inclusion in a dog's diet

If you look at dog training manuals from the times of the USSR, you will come across a recommendation to feed whole poultry carcasses to your dog. We will not dispute the experience of experts, but today such recommendations are not relevant for a number of reasons. However, this does not mean that chicken should not be present in a dog’s diet. Acceptable uses of chicken include:

• Making broth on chicken frames if the bones are removed before adding the porridge and vegetables. By the way, for broth a more negative ingredient is considered chicken skin, especially if you are buying factory-produced poultry.

• Chicken cartilage added to porridge during cooking.

• Raw chicken necks, minced into mince.

• All poultry by-products except heads and feet.

Important! Even legal poultry products should not be fed to pointing dogs. natural form. Working dog should not associate the bird with food, otherwise it will spoil the carcasses during serving.

Consequences of a dog eating chicken bones and first aid

So we found out that You should not feed your dog chicken bones, for its own good. But what if the pet didn’t ask permission? For example, a dog swallowed chicken bone found on the street or in a trash can. Naturally, this is a matter of raising and self-control of the pet, but its consequences can be very unpleasant.

Important! Boiled tubular and vertebral bones of poultry are especially dangerous. When cracked, heat-treated bones break into small, sharp pieces that can be compared to crushed glass.

Read also: Hygiene belt for male dogs - salvation from problems with marks

The first thing that needs to be accepted as an axiom is the relevance of sanity. Even if a dog ate a chicken bone, it is far from certain that the pet will have to be rescued. If the patient is young and healthy, stomach acid will most likely change the structure of the bone, after which it will come out naturally. Further, for unknown reasons, many owners in a panic give their dogs intestinal lavage. In fact, when eating bones, the procedure is not only useless, but also dangerous. So, The dog was already worried and ate a ribbed chicken bone and you know it. Your actions should be as follows:

• Observe your dog's behavior– lethargy and whining are bad signs.

• Give your client 1–4 tablespoons (depending on the size) of vegetable or flaxseed oil. The oil coats the walls of the stomach and intestines, which promotes rapid excretion of feces and simplifies the transport of bones through the digestive tract.

Important! The only case in which it is relevant conservative care- This is a blockage of the large intestine with a plug made of compressed bones. Most often, this problem can be solved by introducing oil into the intestine. However, do not be overconfident; this diagnosis is not made by eye.

• Examine the mucous membranes of the mouth– normally, they should be pink or dark, but not gray or bluish. Pale mucous membranes may indicate poisoning (if the dog picked up a bone on the street) or blood loss.

• Examine the mucous membranes of the eyes and pupils- at pain syndrome, the dog's pupils become narrower and react poorly to darkened rooms (dilate slowly or not fully).

To protect your pet from health problems, sometimes it is enough to limit its diet. Almost complete elimination of bones will help the dog live a long time.

Can dogs have bones?

By their nature they do not carry nutritional value. Cartilage, leftover meat, connective tissue- all this is eaten with pleasure by the dog, without harming it. The bones themselves, if eaten or swallowed, will, at best, complicate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to their size, they may simply not pass through it. Gastric juice dogs have increased acidity however, this does not guarantee complete digestion of rough bone tissue.

Bones don't do anything good for a dog.

It can be dissolved to a certain state, but no more. At best, the matter may end in application Vaseline oil and enemas. Small, non-hollow bones with blunt edges can come out painlessly, but this is clearly not a reason to take risks. The body of a young animal is able to cope with their digestion, dissolving them to a rubber-like state. Puppies, nursing bitches, for older dogs This is no longer possible.

It should be remembered that the benefit from such a risky type of feeding is very small, and taking into account all possible risks- doubtful. Bone tissue contains large amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which can provide the dog’s body with more in a safe way- giving vitamins, adding bone meal. This will help avoid injury to the throat and walls of the stomach, constipation, and possible surgical intervention.

Which bones will harm dogs?

First of all, tubular ones. Turkey, chicken, and duck meat are good for dogs, but this statement does not apply to their bones at all. When chewed, they easily break into small fragments with sharp edges. They can get stuck in various places: between the teeth, throat, trachea, anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Such bones should be categorically excluded from your pet’s diet, avoiding even accidental consumption.

Completely eliminate medium and small bones

Pork bones must be completely excluded. By itself, pork can serve as a source various diseases. The immunity of these animals is not resistant to many diseases that can be transmitted to dogs (helmitiasis, toxocariasis, rabies). Remains of meat and connective tissue will be the source of these threats; there is no benefit from pork bones. Even if they undergo heat treatment, due to the gluten they contain, they will complicate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, causing constipation.

This pattern regarding boiled bones applies to all types, regardless of origin. The reason lies in the same gluten, which turns them into an indigestible mass, from which it is much more harm than good.

What bones can you give to dogs?

Raw beef bones that do not have sharp edges (so-called mosles). They are safe for all animals and are very difficult to chew. When your pet has nibbled the meat and is satisfied, it is best to throw them away. The usefulness of such bones also lies in the fact that they help the dog reduce itching in the gums during the period of teeth change. For adult dogs, constant consumption of such bones is more likely to cause harm. Their teeth may begin to wear down and their bite may change. This is unacceptable for dogs participating in competitions and exhibitions.

Large beef bones are safe

Beef offal can serve as a painless replacement: trachea, dried tripe, dried ears. They will not harm the walls of the larynx and gastrointestinal tract, delivering healthy calcium. On the shelves of veterinary pharmacies and supermarkets you can find many chewing sticks. They can be used as safe alternative. If you still couldn’t keep track and the dog ate the bone, then it’s better to contact a veterinarian. Timely treatment will help to correctly assess the threat, and possibly avoid surgery.