The issue of feeding dogs a bone is a controversial one. The evidence suggests that chewing on a bone can be good and bad for your dog. We heard that feeding chicken bones to your dog can be dangerous but the fact is that most bones can be dangerous to your dog.   Cooked bones may splinter and damage the stomach and intestines. Raw bones do not normally splinter. Many pets enjoy chewing raw chicken or turkey necks and raw chicken wings that are free of salmonella and other bacteria. Raw beef knuckle bones are also delicious treats. Work with your holistic veterinarian to do what is best for your individual pet.

Here are some tips for making bones a safer treat for your dog.

• Let your dog have a bone for 20 minutes a day, then rinse the bone, put it in the refrigerator and give it to him the next day. Soak the bone in vinegar to kill off any bacteria.
• Begin offering bones to puppies, they chew and not gulp. Older dogs get very excited when offered a bone for the first time. They may gulp it down and choke on it.
• Watch your dog as he’s chewing on the bone. Remove it when it gets too small as your dog may swallow it.
• Don’t get bitten while removing a bone. Have a harness and leash around your dog, ask your pet to come, offer an overwhelmingly great treat, and lead them away from the bone. For many dogs, it’s safer to lead your pet away than to reach down and take a bone.

(Some of this info was obtained from the Pet Meds website.)

Remember, your pets count!

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