Think twice before feeding your dog a cooked bone. While often considered a delicious treat, they can cause serious complications and even death for your pooches.
In a Facebook Post, the SPCA Lower South warned locals to not allow their dogs to ingest bones.
In 2019, The Society for Animals in Distress had a 2-year-old pitbull come in for an emergency surgery to have almost a kilogram of bones removed from its stomach.
“This very loved pet is left fighting for his life through a simple act of ignorance,” writes the SPCA. “Bones can cause intestinal obstructions, choke, puncture holes through the intestines, fracture teeth and a multitude of other problems – it’s just not worth it!!”
While not all bones are bad, pet owners are advised to never feed their dogs cooked bones specifically. These bones can easily break and splinter, which can then cause havoc to your dog’s insides if they swallow it.
Because shards take longer to digest, dogs are more likely to pass the splinters into their intestines which can lead to impaction.
Dogs who eat cooked bones may also suffer from:
– Broken teeth
– Mouth or tongue injuries
– Bones looped around the lower jaw
– Windpipe, oesophagus, or gastrointestinal blockage
– Constipation
– Rectal bleeding
– Peritonitis–a bacterial infection of the abdomen caused by punctures in the stomach or intestines