Dr. Debra Tibbitts

Are Bones Good for Your Dog?

// August 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Animal Nutrition

We are going to discuss the benefits of bones, the types of bones you should use for your dog and the proper use of those bones.

To start with, what are the benefits of feeding your dog bones?

The first benefit is that it satisfies their natural instinct to chew. This is of particular importance in puppies, high energy dogs or dogs that do not get enough exercise. Because it takes a lot of energy to chew on a bone and they can use up a lot of energy just depending on the type of dog. My border Collie is always out of breath after chewing on a bone as she is so fervent in her chewing. That’s the first benefit.

The second benefit is bones are nature’s toothbrush. That’s how dogs keep their gums healthy and their teeth clean. Dental disease is the number one cause of health issues in dogs as they age. It is very important to have healthy gums and teeth. Even if you take your dog into the veterinarian to get their teeth cleaned that tarter re-builds quickly if you are not doing something to keep it off such as using bones.

The third benefit is nutritional. The marrow has really good nutrients in it for dogs so getting some of it is very beneficial for dogs. It has lots of concentrated nutrients in it.

What types of bones are good?

There are all types of bones out there. There are fake bones, sterilized bones, cooked bones, raw bones, smoked bones. So what kinds of bones are the best.

The best type of bone is raw and beef. Chicken bones can be an issue if cooked or if you are just feeding the bone by itself. Pork bones can definitely be an issue. They are hollow, they splinter easily and those splinters can definitely cause a problem.

Beef bones are the best and then depending on the size of the dog determines what size and type of beef bone. If they are a big dog then a big knuckle or big leg bone is appropriate. If you have a small dog they won’t be able to lift or carry the large bone let alone really chew properly on it. Gear the size of the bone to the size of the dog and then stick with beef and raw.

Do not use round steak bones for any size dog. They try to get the marrow out of the middle and there is a high likely hood of them getting the bone hooked on the lower jaw and that can be and expensive trip to the vet. The dog is usually fine but may need sedation to allow safe removal of the bone. Beef, raw and size determined by size of your dog.

How do you properly use bones?

To start with, if your dog is not used to chewing on them you want to start them out slowly. You want to give it to them about 10 minutes at a time and then take it back up, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it back in the refrigerator to get them used to it because it is pretty rich. Especially depending on how much meat is on it and what kind of bone it is.

Once they are used to the bones and you can just let them chew on them without a time limit (preferably outside or in a crate for hygiene reasons). Then as you see the bone getting small in size it is time to take it away and throw it away because it can cause injury to the mouth or intestines. Again you want them raw. Cooked bones are brittle, can cause damage and necessitate an emergency trip to your veterinarian.

This information will give you some ideas on the benefits of bones and how to use them to improve your dog’s health.