Our dogs love to munch dogs bones. If I am at a party or a feast (where food is abundant) and I realized that leftovers could be a potential mouthwatering meal for my canine friends; I never hesitate to collect and bringing home this surplus food for my trusted pets to enjoy.
Of course, this ‘party package’ will never be completed without dog bones from fried chickens, pork meals, beef steaks et al. That was some years ago; I already changed my old ways of feeding my dogs due to simple advice that will save my beloved pets’ lives.
Dogs love bones, but the scary fact is that these irresistible canine delights can slowly ‘kill’ them. Yup, that is right- these bones can compromise their overall health.
My aunt and her husband are practicing animal doctors or veterinarians- of course, and they know their stuff. They advised us to avoid feeding bones to dogs or strictly not to feed them with bones because of the danger it may bring.
It is not easy to accept this simple assertion. The fact that from kiddie animation to real-life scenarios; the reality of dogs enjoying their bones is taken as it is. Nonetheless, if we truly love our furry mutts; we have to consider accepting this reality for their overall well-being.
What We Need to Understand as Responsible Dog Owners
Humans and dogs are considered as mammals in Kingdom Animalia. Although dogs can eat whatever humans can consume (except our favorite chocolate desserts); dogs have different needs in terms of diet compared to humans.
Understanding the basics of our dog’s digestive system/digestive tract can also give us clues on what food and drink we can offer these lovely pets.
As an omnivore, a dog’s stomach is considerably more acidic than humans. This is certainly a positive trait addressing the fact that these pets can chew, swallow, or take whatever they want. This also explains why your flip-flops are the chunky favorites they love to chew. Although our dogs, categorically speaking, can break down bones in their stomach, not all bones have the same nature or structures.
Bones Are Created Differently
We are not here to deprive our dogs of their all-time favorite meal by merely declaring that our hairy mongrels can take some recreational bones.
Yup, the operative statement here is ‘some bones’, and the number one item on the list of ‘no-noes’ for dogs are chicken bones. Although generally speaking chickens are not flying most of the time, their bone structures have almost the same design as their high-flying relatives.
These lightweight bones tend to break easily and can take irregular and sharp forms that can negatively impact the digestive system of our dogs. Since our dogs are acting upon their instincts; their powerful jaws let them swallow and take everything without being conscious that it can hurt them.
Following this premise, if we are still keen on feeding our dogs with these beef bones; we have to consider some categories of what ‘bones’ we can offer them. In acknowledging the facts behind the question ”
how long does it take for a dog to pass a raw bone” allows us to understand their health hazards.
First, as pet owners, we have to know our dogs’ behavior when it comes to chewing their food. Another thing to consider is the dental condition of our canine friends’ teeth and the overall health and size of our dogs. Lastly, we have to be conscious of the measurement and type of bones we are going to feed our pets.
Bones Inside Their Stomach
How Long Does It Take For A Dog To Digest A Rib Bone
Just like humans, the starting point of their digestive process is through our mouth. The combination of acid, water, and food inside our furry pets is referred to as chyme.
This substance advances to the small dog’s intestine wherein the real-deal thing of digestion takes place-meaning, the fulfillment of the isolation and the breaking down of the process of nutrients happens in this part. Elements that remain or items that cannot be processed will be stored inside the large intestine until the excretion.
The overall duration of the process of digestion inside our dogs’ system depends on their food intake. This declaration means, there is no standard time for how long foodstuff (like bones) stays inside their digestive system/digestive enzyme. There are so many factors to consider why there is no definite time the overall duration of our food and all that stuff be processed and digested.
Factors such as the type of food they consumed and overall hydration are some of the most prominent items that affect the process of their digestion. The consideration of our dogs’ overall metabolism also plays a vital role in this development. The pace of the movement of our dogs’ digestive process also much depends on their activities within the day.
If it seems that our dogs act up differently after consuming some bones, the best thing we need to do is to always keep our cool; always be calm. Excessive gagging, attempting to vomit, extremely unusual drooling, and the like, are clear signs that bone fragments munching may have gone the opposite direction. When these symptoms happen, as always; please never panic.
As previously stated in this article, chicken bones (though considerably smaller in size) can be very dangerous for our dogs to consume. If the unexpected happens, your dog may try to expel the cooked bone- but is not the case for these pets, that is why it is advised not to force it. The worst thing that may occur is that you and your dog are now on the way to the pet doctor to surgically eliminate the marrow bone.
Anyway, if this happens- hopefully, the gastric juices of your dog will do their part digesting this cooked chicken bone or a ham bone. If you cannot handle this kind of scenario; make sure your dog will not consume chicken bones in the first place. As always, an ounce of preventive measure is way better than a pound of first aid or treatment.
Without any denial, our dogs love munching bones. Nonetheless, just like taking care of our kids, giving the best for these adorable mutts may sometimes mean depriving them of what they like since they act upon instinct.
Knowing how long does it take for a dog to digest a raw meaty bone can help us be mindful of their health. Our rational side should always consider choosing what should be done to ensure the general welfare of our dogs.
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