BONES ARE BAD FOR UR DOGS

10 reasons why it’s a bad idea to give your dog a bone:

• 1. Broken teeth - This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
• 2. Mouth or tongue injuries - These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see the veterinarian.
• 3. The bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw - This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see the veterinarian.
• 4. The bone gets stuck in the esophagus - The esophagus is the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see the veterinarian.
• 5. The bone gets stuck in windpipe - This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to the veterinarian immediately!
• 6. The bone gets stuck in stomach - It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which the veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
• 7. The bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage - It may be time for surgery.
• 8. Constipation due to bone fragments - Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they are very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to the veterinarian.
• 9. Severe bleeding from the rectum - This is very messy and can be dangerous. It’s time for a trip to see the veterinarian.
• 10. Peritonitis - This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to the veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog.

“Talk with your veterinarian about alternatives to giving bones to your dog. There are many bone-like products made with materials that are safe for dogs to chew on. Always supervise your dog with any chew product, especially one your dog hasn’t had before. And always, if your dog ‘just isn’t acting right,’ call your veterinarian right away,” ..........