To Give A Dog Bone Or Not?

Veterinarians Don't Always Agree On The Dog Bone Issue And
What Harm Or Good They Do!

Over my lifetime, I have had many dogs which all have lived long and very happy lives. Like people, each dog has their own unique personality.

Since my first dog at the age of ten, I have always been very curious about what makes them tick as individuals and as a pack. The one thing they all seem to agree on is that a bone now and again is a great thing. Veterinarians differ in their opinions as to whether or not it is safe to give a dog bones including raw, cooked or rawhide. Based on what I have read, my own opinion is still the same.

Be responsible and use common sense to keep your dog safe. A dog bone is a great source of entertainment for your dog and they do help to clean the teeth, but brushing your dog's teeth is still recommended.

•  Chicken and pork-chop bones are not recommended at all. They do splinter and can get lodged in the intestines.

•  Always feed fresh bones raw and avoid cooking due to splintering.

•  Use common sense when it comes to the size of your dog and the size of the bone. Never give a large dog a tiny bone that he can choke on. Make sure the bone is two times larger than his mouth.

•  Avoid the round steak bones completely. These can easily get lodged around the eye teeth.
•  ONLY GIVE YOUR DOG A BONE WHEN YOU ARE THERE TO SUPERVISE.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that that accidents can't happen.

Many years ago, one of our dog's was chewing on a round steak bone that got lodged between her eye teeth. Thank goodness we were there, she began to panic and we had to quickly cut the bone and remove it with a pair of Snips. That day I learned the importance of being around to supervise my dog when chewing on a bone.

This is a subject that will always be debatable and every dog owner must assume responsibility and use good judgment regularly.

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