Dogs and bones go together, right? Unfortunately, not always! Since my partner and I are vegetarians, my dogs don\u2019t come in contact with a lot of bones at home. But living in NYC means coming across discarded chicken bones on sidewalks. One of the first things I teach any dog entering my life is \u201cleave it<\/a>\u201d and \u201cdrop it.\u201d But what happens if training fails and your dog eats a chicken bone? I spoke with Emmy-award winning veterinarian\u00a0Dr. Jeff Werber<\/a>\u00a0about the dangers of chicken bones and what to do if your dog ate a chicken bone.<\/p>\n So, your dog ate a chicken bone? Find out why it’s best to stick to toy bones or bones that dogs can eat.\u00a0Photography by alexei_tm \/ Shutterstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If your dog ate a chicken bone, contact your vet immediately. Your vet will tell you if your dog needs to go to the clinic. Dr. Werber also recommends \u201cfeeding the dog something very bulky like bread<\/a> to cover around the sharp edges, and it will begin to soften.\u00a0Also, the digestive juices do a wonderful job softening the object even more, getting the bone to go through the intestines and out the other end.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Werber advises that you shouldn\u2019t induce vomiting if your dog ate a chicken bone. \u201cOnce a bone gets safely down the esophagus and into the stomach, we do not recommend having the dog throw it up because we don\u2019t want to risk a sharp sliver of bone cutting the esophagus on the way up and out,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s scary to realize that your dog ate a chicken bone, it\u2019s likely that your dog will be okay if he didn\u2019t choke while eating the bone. \u201cIn most cases, the bone will be eliminated safely through the intestines,\u201d Dr. Werber explains. \u201cIn the rare instance that surgery is required, it is preferable and safer to retrieve bones from within the stomach as opposed to in the esophagus. However, these surgeries are not often needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike the large, hard bones many of us buy for our dogs to chew \u201cchicken bones are very soft and often leave very sharp edges when broken,\u201d Dr. Werber says. This is what makes them especially dangerous for dogs. If your dog ate a chicken bone, he \u201crun[s] the risk of tearing the esophagus or tearing somewhere along the intestinal tract, \u201d Dr. Werber says. This is why it\u2019s so important to make sure dogs don\u2019t have access to chicken bones.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Most bones are actually fairly risky for dogs. Although frequently marketed to dog parents, <\/strong>even beef bones aren\u2019t always safe. \u201c[They] tend to be a bit safer than chicken bones in the sense [that] they usually can\u2019t break them down to create a sharp edge,\u201d Dr. Werber advises. \u201cHowever, if one gets small enough to be swallowed, it becomes a choking hazard.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the risk of choking, Dr. Werber also warns that \u201cthe bone marrow has high fat content, so dogs love it, but too much of it can create the risk for pancreatitis<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n There is also a risk of dogs becoming injured on bones. \u201cKnuckle bones, that have a hollow center like a donut, can wrap around the lower jaw and get stuck,\u201d Dr. Werber explains.\u00a0\u201cAlso, rib bones can often\u00a0get stuck on the roof of the mouth between the molar teeth\u201d<\/p>\n So, Dr. Werber advises that dogs stay away from all-natural bones. \u201cThe best kinds of bones to give a dog are the ones manufactured for dogs to be eaten, such as Dreambones or Smartbones,\u201d he says. \u201cThese bones are made of chicken and vegetables and are fully digestible, so you don\u2019t have to worry about the hazards.\u201d<\/p>\n Let’s say your dog ate a chicken bone … and he begins to choke on it. In this situation, it could be up to you to save your dog\u2019s life. \u201cChoking dogs are treated very similarly to humans who are choking,\u201d Dr. Werber says.<\/p>\n Here are his step-by-step instructions for how to help a choking dog:<\/p>\n Whether you are a pet professional or a pet parent, you can take classes in pet first aid and CPR from The Pet Health and Safety Coach Arden Moore. Sign up for classes at Pet First Aid 4 U<\/a>. Or you can sign up for CPR classes at your local Red Cross<\/a>.<\/p>\n Originally published in 2018.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Top photograph: simonmayer\/Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n The post Your Dog Ate a Chicken Bone \u2014\u00a0Here’s What to Do<\/a> by Sassafras Lowrey<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post Your Dog Ate a Chicken Bone \u2014\u00a0Here’s What to Do<\/a> by Sassafras Lowrey<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Dogs and bones go together, right? Unfortunately, not always! Since my partner and I are vegetarians, my dogs don\u2019t come in contact with a lot of bones at home. But living in NYC means coming across discarded chicken bones on sidewalks. One of the first things I teach any dog entering my life is \u201cleave it<\/a>\u201d and \u201cdrop it.\u201d But what happens if training fails and your dog eats a chicken bone? I spoke with Emmy-award winning veterinarian\u00a0Dr. Jeff Werber<\/a>\u00a0about the dangers of chicken bones and what to do if your dog ate a chicken bone.<\/p>\n So, your dog ate a chicken bone? Find out why it’s best to stick to toy bones or bones that dogs can eat.\u00a0Photography by alexei_tm \/ Shutterstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If your dog ate a chicken bone, contact your vet immediately. Your vet will tell you if your dog needs to go to the clinic. Dr. Werber also recommends \u201cfeeding the dog something very bulky like bread<\/a> to cover around the sharp edges, and it will begin to soften.\u00a0Also, the digestive juices do a wonderful job softening the object even more, getting the bone to go through the intestines and out the other end.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Werber advises that you shouldn\u2019t induce vomiting if your dog ate a chicken bone. \u201cOnce a bone gets safely down the esophagus and into the stomach, we do not recommend having the dog throw it up because we don\u2019t want to risk a sharp sliver of bone cutting the esophagus on the way up and out,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s scary to realize that your dog ate a chicken bone, it\u2019s likely that your dog will be okay if he didn\u2019t choke while eating the bone. \u201cIn most cases, the bone will be eliminated safely through the intestines,\u201d Dr. Werber explains. \u201cIn the rare instance that surgery is required, it is preferable and safer to retrieve bones from within the stomach as opposed to in the esophagus. However, these surgeries are not often needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike the large, hard bones many of us buy for our dogs to chew \u201cchicken bones are very soft and often leave very sharp edges when broken,\u201d Dr. Werber says. This is what makes them especially dangerous for dogs. If your dog ate a chicken bone, he \u201crun[s] the risk of tearing the esophagus or tearing somewhere along the intestinal tract, \u201d Dr. Werber says. This is why it\u2019s so important to make sure dogs don\u2019t have access to chicken bones.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Most bones are actually fairly risky for dogs. Although frequently marketed to dog parents, <\/strong>even beef bones aren\u2019t always safe. \u201c[They] tend to be a bit safer than chicken bones in the sense [that] they usually can\u2019t break them down to create a sharp edge,\u201d Dr. Werber advises. \u201cHowever, if one gets small enough to be swallowed, it becomes a choking hazard.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the risk of choking, Dr. Werber also warns that \u201cthe bone marrow has high fat content, so dogs love it, but too much of it can create the risk for pancreatitis<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n There is also a risk of dogs becoming injured on bones. \u201cKnuckle bones, that have a hollow center like a donut, can wrap around the lower jaw and get stuck,\u201d Dr. Werber explains.\u00a0\u201cAlso, rib bones can often\u00a0get stuck on the roof of the mouth between the molar teeth\u201d<\/p>\n So, Dr. Werber advises that dogs stay away from all-natural bones. \u201cThe best kinds of bones to give a dog are the ones manufactured for dogs to be eaten, such as Dreambones or Smartbones,\u201d he says. \u201cThese bones are made of chicken and vegetables and are fully digestible, so you don\u2019t have to worry about the hazards.\u201d<\/p>\n Let’s say your dog ate a chicken bone … and he begins to choke on it. In this situation, it could be up to you to save your dog\u2019s life. \u201cChoking dogs are treated very similarly to humans who are choking,\u201d Dr. Werber says.<\/p>\n Here are his step-by-step instructions for how to help a choking dog:<\/p>\n Whether you are a pet professional or a pet parent, you can take classes in pet first aid and CPR from The Pet Health and Safety Coach Arden Moore. Sign up for classes at Pet First Aid 4 U<\/a>. Or you can sign up for CPR classes at your local Red Cross<\/a>.<\/p>\n Originally published in 2018.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Top photograph: simonmayer\/Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n The post Your Dog Ate a Chicken Bone \u2014\u00a0Here’s What to Do<\/a> by Sassafras Lowrey<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/shutterstock_318032642.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat to do if you dog ate a chicken bone<\/h3>\n
Wait \u2014 Why are chicken bones bad for dogs in the first place?<\/h3>\n
The difference between safe and unsafe bones for dogs<\/h3>\n
First aid for a choking dog<\/h3>\n
\n
Other tips on first aid for dogs:<\/h3>\n
Read Next: 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nWhat to do if you dog ate a chicken bone<\/h3>\n
Wait \u2014 Why are chicken bones bad for dogs in the first place?<\/h3>\n
The difference between safe and unsafe bones for dogs<\/h3>\n
First aid for a choking dog<\/h3>\n
\n
Other tips on first aid for dogs:<\/h3>\n
Read Next: 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n