I have a two-year-old Golden Retriever who adores treats. Please help. I purchase meats from a meat market once a week, and I was curious if dogs could eat real meat bones from a meat market. — Meats or Treats.
There are two camps of thought regarding whether or not dogs should be permitted to eat bones, meats. According to one school, as long as they are consumed raw, they are safe to consume as they were always consumed in the wild. According to a different school, giving dogs any kind of bone—cooked, raw, or otherwise—can result in more harm than good.
Bones with meat and some fat still on them, which are sometimes referred to as BARF (Bones and Raw Food), are said to be safe for dogs because they are easily digestible and won’t splinter like cooked bones, according to many people who feed their dogs a raw diet. Typically available from your local butcher, some of the popular types of bones fed on the raw diet are beef tails or poultry necks. Raw bones have the drawback of potentially containing bacteria like salmonella or e-coli and spoiling quickly if not consumed.
Avoid any bones that have already been divided into smaller pieces because they present a greater risk of choking right away. Be aware that any bone could upset a dog’s digestive system.
Cooked, brittle bones are more likely to splinter, which could lead to teeth being broken as well as a possible perforation of the throat or intestine in the event that the dog vomits. Additionally, veterinarians say dogs who eat bones are more likely to require surgery to clear intestine obstructions.
Any bone should only be given to your dog while you are watching to ensure that you can see if it is crumbling into potentially dangerously small pieces and remove it before your dog suffers any harm. https://www. akc. org/wp-admin/admin-ajax. php Get Your Free AKC eBook.
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Theoretically, that makes about as much sense as munching on crackers and chips for your own oral health, in all honesty, whoever came up with that. Kibble food, on the other hand, can actually contribute to the growth of bacteria in the mouth. It’s all about the ingredients. Kibble food needs to contain a binder of some kind in order to be dry and have a long shelf life; commonly, the binder is made of potatoes, sweet potatoes, or peas. You’ll also find a lot of rice, oats, barley, and even corn, wheat, and soy in non-grain-free foods as well as in some lower-quality foods. Those are carbohydrates and starches. When those two groups interact with oral saliva, they produce an alkaline pH (a pH greater than 7) That is the perfect setting for bacteria to thrive and reproduce. The kibble debris sticks to the gumline, where it collects bacteria and aids in the development of tartar and plaque.
However, raw bones can withstand more force than cooked bones. The only way to eat them is for a dog to slowly whittle it down with their teeth (just picture a dog scraping a bone on the ground). Therefore, raw bones will last longer and pose little to no risk to your pet’s safety. Raw bones are also the best option for cleaning teeth. You know how everyone says that dogs should chew on kibble to keep their teeth clean? Total myth.
To begin with, the chemical makeup of a bone changes when it is cooked. The bone is more fragile than it was in its original state. When a bone is more fragile, it is more likely to splinter or fragment into tiny pieces. This can pose a health hazard to very tough chewers. Even though the bone is broken, the dog won’t stop chewing on it; instead, they’ll try to swallow those large pieces whole.
Your dog has probably been given smoked or steam-cooked bones to chew on. They’re a great option for dogs who like to chew because they don’t break easily and keep the dog occupied. However, have you ever given your dog a bone with the meat still attached that was uncooked and frozen?
The best summertime treat for your dog is a raw bone, which has numerous health benefits for them.
What Kind of Bones Are Safe for Dogs?
Different-sized dogs should be fed different-sized bones. I would generally advise giving your dog a bone that is too large for it to swallow.
Here are some examples of the kinds of bones I would use:
Do Raw Bones Splinter When Cracked Open?
Yes, most bones would, under the right amount of pressure. The problem is that your dog is unlikely to have that kind of bite pressure to dangerously split open a large bone (relative to its size).
FAQ
Do you thaw frozen marrow bones for dogs?
Do I let it thaw? No. Your raw bones don’t need to be thawed before feeding. But before feeding, some dogs and the majority of cats prefer to have their bone thawed to soften the frozen tissue.
Are beef bones safe for dogs?
Dogs can safely chew on raw bones made of chicken, lamb, or beef. The bones are soft enough that there is little chance of them breaking into dangerous fragments, and your dog should have no trouble breaking them down. Naturally, you should always watch your dog while they are chewing the bone, just to be safe.