The idea that it is natural for dogs to chew on bones is a popular one. Many comics feature a dog digging up the backyard in order to find the bone he hid earlier, only to find out he had already eaten it. Although most dogs greatly enjoy a good bone, it can be very dangerous for them and could cause a serious injury.
Whether the bone is large, small, beef or chicken, they have a tendency to cause more harm than they do good. Here are 10 ways bones can get your dog into some serious trouble:
1. Broken teeth – Repairing a dental fracture can be very costly, not to mention painful for your furry friend.
2. Mouth or tongue injuries – Bones can cause very bloody and messy injuries to the soft tissues in the mouth.
3. Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw – This can be both frightening and painful for your dog.
4. Bone gets stuck in esophagus – When dogs are getting to the end of their bones they will often try to swallow the last bit of it even though it is still too big. This could result in the bone getting stuck in the esophagus. It is very important to see a veterinarian to have the bone removed as soon as possible.
5. Bone gets stuck in windpipe – This is especially dangerous as the bone now has the potential to completely cut off the breathing of your pet. Bones caught in the windpipe need to be removed immediately!
6. Bone gets stuck in stomach – It went down just fine, but now the bone is too big to pass into the intestines. This requires surgical removal of the bone.
7. Bone gets stuck the intestines – Bones can cause blockages in the GI tract which makes it hard for the body to properly digest other food coming in. This also requires surgery to remove the bone.
8. Constipation due to bone fragments – Bone fragments can be very sharp. This may cause your dog to have a hard time passing them. This can be extremely painful as the sharp edges of the bones can cause damage to the intestines and rectum.
9. Severe bleeding from the rectum – your dog may have been able to pass the bone this far but the sharp edges can cause serious damage to the rectum on the way out. This can be very messy and painful for your dog.
10. Peritonitis – This happens when bone fragments poke holes through the stomach or intestines causing a nasty bacterial infection that is very hard to treat. This requires immediate attention as peritonitis can be deadly.
This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care
