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Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones?

Misty Thomas
By Misty Thomas. Updated: January 20, 2017
Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones?
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When it comes to caring for your dog, one of the most important things to monitor is their diet. What do they need to eat and what's best to avoid? Is it safe to give your dog raw bones or cooked bones?

Most people assume that it is healthy and natural to allow their dog to chew on bones, and its true that it can help to clean their teeth and to give them the nutrients they don't get everyday. However, not all types of bone are safe and some can present a serious danger to your dog. OneHowTo.com is here to explain what are the dangers of giving certain raw bones and certain cooked bones to your dog, and advise on which bones are perfectly safe and even beneficial for your dog. Before that, let us advise you to always observe your dog when chewing on a bone to ensure it's safety and well-being.

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Raw Bones vs Cooked Bones

Whilst many people warn against giving your dog any kind of chicken or fish bones to chew on, these bones are perfectly fine to give your dog as long as they are not cooked. What is more important is that the bones are raw. Whilst raw, pretty much all bones are safe to give your dog as they are not brittle and unlikely to cause a choking or splinter hazard. There is one important exception though: you should never feed your dog pork bones, whether raw or cooked, for reasons we will explain in more detail below.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones? - Raw Bones vs Cooked Bones
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Raw bones your dog can eat

Many dog owners love to give their dogs raw bones as a treat for a job well done or just to show them how much they love them. There are quite a few raw bones that it is safe for your dog to eat. Raw bones that are safe to give to dogs include chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, and oxtail. These types of raw bones are great for helping your dog to keep its teeth clean, healthy, and very strong. These bones are tough while still raw and do not break or splinter very easily. This is why they are safe to give to your dog.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones? - Raw bones your dog can eat
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Why Pork Bones Are Dangerous to Feed Your Dog

You should never feed your dog cooked or raw pork bones. These bones could have traces of trichinosis on them. This is a disease that many pork products carry. These bones could make your dog very sick. If your concerned about what foods can make your dog sick then find out more about foods which are toxic to dogs.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones? - Why Pork Bones Are Dangerous to Feed Your Dog

Are Cooked Bones Safe to Give to Your Dog

There are quite a few bones that you should never feed to your dog. Cooked fish and cooked poultry bones are some of the worst bones that you could ever give to your dog. When these bones are cooked, they have a tendency to become very brittle. When your dog chews on them, there are tiny pieces that splinter off very easily. This can be a choking hazard for your pup. These bone splinters can cause damage to their teeth, gums, and throat. If these little pieces get stuck in your pup's throat, they could get very ill or even die.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones? - Are Cooked Bones Safe to Give to Your Dog

Pet Store Recreational Bones

If you shop at pet stores often, you have probably noticed all of them different types of bones they carry. These prepared bones are safe to feed to your dog. These bones will keep them entertained for hours on end. Once they have chewed off little pieces of the bone, be sure to discard them so that they won't choke on them. These bones are usually labeled for dogs and are safe to give to your favorite pet.

If you want to read similar articles to Can Dogs Eat Raw Bones?, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

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