why are we told that dogs shouldn't eat chicken bones?

Question

I have been living in the Caribbean for 12 years and we always give our dogs chicken bones and not once has one of them choked on a bone. What are the odds that a dog will choke on a chicken bone. Maybe American dogs are too sheltered and have lost the ability to eat bones safely.

Answer 1

I agree completely. Some dogs only know how to eat soft dogfood like the stuff in the cans and the biscuit stuff. We live in the state of WA and we've had this dog since 1996 so he's starting to get old now. We have always given him every kind of bones and left overs. We've never had one single problem. I really think that the ability of eating all kinds of bones is something a dog learns very early, otherwise they'll just choke on food they're not used to. The other thing is our dog is now 11 years old, which is fairly old in dog years (he's a yellow lab mix)
He is still very healthy and has plenty of energy. I don't think he would be doing any better if he was always eating the expensive crap people feed their animals. We vary his diet, and sometimes we don't feed him for a day, just to let his system rest.
And whoever said that chicken bones have no nutritional value for dogs... they're brainwashed. You don't have to have a PHD in animal nutrition to feed a dog properly.
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Answer 2

NO you can't give your dog chicken bones. The thing is if a dog eats a chicken bone there is a chance the bone can tear the inside of the dog's throat or stomach. The bones are broken by the dog and the sharp edges can harm your dog. Please be careful in the future and try to avoid feeding any sort of chicken bones. Your dad is wrong in this case and you should stop him next time. EDIT: I did not know that it was okay for a dog to eat raw meaty bones. I thought all bones were a big no-no. I guess I learned something new today as well.

Answer 3

Jah Man, it isn't the choking that is worrisome. Cooked chicken bones are brittle and splinter and can cause perforations of the esophagus or tummy or intestines.

It might not happen, but why risk it?

However raw chicken bones are softer and less likely to cause problems. Raw bones, like big juicy knuckle or marrow bones are quite good for a dog, providing the dog has a decent immune system to handle the potential extra bacteria.

Answer 4

Bones that are cooked get soft and can splinter easily. A splintered bone can tear anything in the digestive tract on it's way through if it's large enough or turns the right way. This can happen to ANY dog, saying that about American dogs is just ignorant. Has nothing to do with where they live. Just as if you swallow glass, there is a chance it will tear your insides. Chances of it? No one can say for sure.

Answer 5

Chicken bones splinter easily and can become very sharp, jagged cutting tools. Just about everyone else has answered that way, what they haven't said that where the problem comes is that dogs generally are gulpers when it comes to food. They only chew it so much then swallow it. If they get the bones partially chewed, they end up being sharp shards and then they swallow them. The bones can cut their throat or what usually happens is the pointed end gets hung up and digs into the tissue in the throat, which causes a "log" jam and the dog will choke to death if it cannot get it loose.

Answer 6

You should never give cooked bones to a dog. In the wild dogs eat raw meat and it was safe because the bones had not been cooked. Once you cook chicken the bones will get brittle and will splinter and can get caught in a dogs throat of stomach. If I want to give my dogs a special treat I go to the local butcher shop and get a big raw soup bone. You can usually just go in and ask for a dog bone they will know what your talking about. But never cook them, give them to your dog uncooked......

Food that are Potentially Dangerous to Dogs

There are some foodstuffs that humans relish which cause illness and death if eaten by pets.



Chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions are good examples. Each of these foods contains chemicals which rarely cause problems for humans, but for dogs, these same chemicals can be deadly.



Chocolate toxicity

Onion poisoning

The danger of macadamia nuts

Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)

Potato peelings and green looking potatoes

Rhubarb leaves

Mouldy/spoiled foods

Alcohol - serious intoxications have occurred when dogs have been given alcohol to drink as a "joke". Also, dogs seem to be attracted to alcoholic drinks, so drinks should not be left unattended.

Yeast bread dough - yeast from homemade bread produce alcohol-ingestion of raw yeast dough can result in serious alcohol intoxication. Additionally, there is a risk of bloat and gastrointestinal obstruction from the dough as it rises in the stomach.

Coffee grounds, beans & tea - caffeine is a no-no for dogs, as it acts as a stimulant and can cause severe heart acceleration and seizures

Hops (used in home brewing)

Tomato leaves & stems (green parts): a Nightshade plant, tomatoes contain trace elements of nicotine, mostly concentrated in the leaves and stems

Cooked Bones - bones become brittle in the cooking process and splinter when broken. These splinters have sharp edges that can rupture/puncture the stomach lining. Amongst the most dangerous cooked bones are ham bones, pork chop, chicken and turkey legs

Raisins and grapes

Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

Answer 7

As a child used to live in a rural village and our cats never had 'catfood'. They ate scraps of meat mixed with rice and nobody thought anything about it. Decades later, now living in the city, I know cats can live on scraps but it doesn't mean this is the best food for them. It's not safe to give them fish bones and they'd do better on prepared cat food. Of course dogs CAN eat chicken bones, as long as you are willing to risk them choking on it. It is your choice as a responsible pet owner. Not a matter of nationality or sheltered dogs..

Answer 8

not all american dogs my friend...i have always given chicken bones to my dogs...and i have even had dogs that were raised eating raw fish, bones and all...i think if a dog is raised eating them, it isnt a problem, but for some reason, if an adult dog has never eaten them, he doesnt do well with them...it isnt so much that they choke on them that the sharp bones can cut or puncture intestines...which is one reason why i hesitate to give certain dogs pork bones. not all dogs chew them up good.

Answer 9

I give my dog raw chicken bones but not cooked ones as when they are cooked they harden and that is when they can cause problems by splintering and its not only choking but being sharp they can tear the dogs throat and other parts as they go down. In fact raw bones are good for dogs teeth and gums as they clean them as they chew.

Answer 10

Chicken bones splinter and can get caught in the dogs throat. Maybe if it is all your dogs have to eat they learn to chew it better in the Caribbean. Yes, I guess our dogs are more civilized here in America.