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Robert4
Premium Member
join:2002-03-11
St John'S, NL

1 recommendation

Robert4 to Styvas

Premium Member

to Styvas

Re: Can chewing bones damage a dog's teeth?

Response from my better half (vet)

Beef Bones are fine, all other bones off limits. For whatever genetic reason, beef bones do not splinter.

andyb
Premium Member
join:2003-05-29
SW Ontario

andyb

Premium Member

Really.My dog has been chompin on pork bones for about 10 years.Not puny ones like ribs but the bigger ones.Never a problem

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
Premium Member
join:2002-02-21
London, ON

dirtyjeffer0 to Robert4

Premium Member

to Robert4
said by Robert4:

Response from my better half (vet)

Beef Bones are fine, all other bones off limits. For whatever genetic reason, beef bones do not splinter.

not quite.

the key to bones is that they must not be cooked...a cooked bone can splinter (yes, even beef)...beef bones are simply the most common for the fact they are readily available and often of a decent size...there are many bones you can give your dog, but NONE of them should ever be from cooked meat...to play it safe though, an uncooked beef bone will be trouble free.

Styvas
Who are we? Forge FC!
Premium Member
join:2004-09-15
Hamilton, ON

Styvas

Premium Member

When I look at the bone that he's been chewing (it's definitely beef), he's managed to gnaw off the tiniest little pieces, but nothing that is worrisome. By "tiny pieces" I mean maybe a millimeter square or so. Nothing that would lodge in his throat.
Styvas

Styvas to Robert4

Premium Member

to Robert4
said by Robert4:

Response from my better half (vet)

Beef Bones are fine, all other bones off limits. For whatever genetic reason, beef bones do not splinter.

So, according to your better half, there should be no reason to worry about tooth damage? Obviously I understand the concern about splintering, but in this case it's obsessive chewing of a bone that won't splinter. Is that okay for a dog?

koira
Hey Siri Walk Me
Premium Member
join:2004-02-16

koira

Premium Member

Our previous 2 dogs both chewed stones once in a while, needless to say they had chipped teeth from it. First one was Border collie, second was Border collie / shepherd cross.

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
Premium Member
join:2002-02-21
London, ON

dirtyjeffer0 to Styvas

Premium Member

to Styvas
they digest the bone pieces properly...those little bone pieces are fine.
Stick
join:2007-04-09
Mississauga, ON

Stick to dirtyjeffer0

Member

to dirtyjeffer0
said by dirtyjeffer0:

...
the key to bones is that they must not be cooked
...

QFT

DO NOT COOK BONES!

Instead of buying the ones from the pet store, try getting bones form the butcher. Most butchers (even those at a grocery store) will provide bones for little to no cost.

Alternatively if you are really worried about his teeth wearing, try getting him a Kong chew toy and put something sticky inside of it (Peanut butter works quite well).

Robert4
Premium Member
join:2002-03-11
St John'S, NL

Robert4 to dirtyjeffer0

Premium Member

to dirtyjeffer0
Jeff, my wife is a VET. She has seen many animals come in with splinters. Even people like you who claim to have given said animal a certain type of bone for years with no issue. Yet she is performing surgery to get splinters out because they would not pass on their own/too big to pass.

Don't give me your evidence based on personal experience and experience of friends and friends of friends.

To Styvas, if there is a concern, get yourself a Nylabone.

dirtyjeffer0
Posers don't use avatars.
Premium Member
join:2002-02-21
London, ON

dirtyjeffer0

Premium Member

Robert, bones can splint...this is why you don't use bones that were in cooked meat...but beef bones aren't the ONLY bones that don't splinter (when not cooked)...i don't know the full list of "safe bones", which is why i said to simply use Beef bones that were never cooked to play it safe...my point was simple that the key is the "Cooking" part...if you cook a big BEEF roast that happens to have bones in it, and give the bones to your dog, it can, and likely will splinter, which could cause the problems your wife has seen...so the comment regarding "Beef bones are safe" is only half true, as cooking them makes them unsafe...what i posted was fact, no need to get defensive about it.