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May 11, 2024

What's the deal with feeding bones...really?!

What's the deal with feeding bones...really?!
Dr. Chris Brown
by DR. CHRIS BROWN

It has to be one of the most commonly asked questions in the vet clinic. Should I even be giving bones?

Well, based around everything I see inside that mouth regularly, the answer is an interesting one…

There's no doubt, this is a hot topic. In the pet world there are the haves (those that have bones) and the have nots. But who’s actually better off? Let’s find out…

Let’s look at the upside of bones.

First of all, it’s that almost all dogs (and some cats) love to chew. And there’s no doubt that the chewing action has a time occupying, boredom alleviating and ultimately a calming effect on them. 

But for bones to be safe, they must be raw, too big to swallow and always supervised.

But are they even good for their teeth?

The perception has always been that bone chewing is a ‘natural way’ to keep their teeth clean.

But here’s the thing. The scientific evidence that this significantly improves their dental health is actually quite limited. I’ve included the articles below if you’d like to read them yourself…

 

So where can bones go wrong?

Well it starts with how our little mate’s mouths look today. They’re generally smaller, have a different shape and feature smaller teeth than our dog’s wolfy ancestors.

So if it’s teeth cleaning you’re after, bones (and hard, cereal based dental treats and rawhide chews) can be a brutal way of cleaning.

In fact, bone chewers are more likely to come into the vet clinic with: 

  • Oral injuries: The sharp points of bones can damage the gums, tongue and soft palate of a furry family member chewing on them.
  • Cracked or chipped teeth: The force required to break open a bone can crack those bigger molar teeth that sit at the back of the mouth. With pain and infection the result.  
  • Choking: If they attempt to swallow pieces of bone, they can lodge in the back of the throat (chicken necks in smaller dogs is a common one) or in the oesophagus. 
  • Intestinal blockages or worse: Even raw bone takes a lot of work to digest. And all that material can back up in the intestine causing obstructions or constipation. Sharp shards can even penetrate the intestine.

 

The fact is, the skill to chew bones safely often isn't there with our furry family. And it's a big risk. So if you decide bones are still for you, always supervise that chewing to ensure nothing goes wrong.

To be honest, I developed my Teeth + Breath treats because of how many problems I see with bones.
So they're gentle but highly effective with four proven active ingredients (Activated Charcoal, Brown Kelp, Coconut Oil and Vitamin C) that actually keep their teeth clean between meals by reducing tartar buildup and neutralising those mouth bacteria. And the effect lasts long after they've eaten them. There are even balls and easy to chew sticks for those smaller, more sensitive mouths. 

There’s a lot to chew over with bones but hopefully that’s helped to make some sense of it all…

Teeth + Breath
Teeth + Breath
$13.99

Those references on bone chewing studies…

Harvey CE, Shofer FS, Laster L. Correlation of diet, other chewing activities and periodontal disease in North American client-owned dogs. J Vet Dent. (1996) 13:101–5. doi: 10.1177/089875649601300304

15. Marx FR, Machado GS, Pezzali JG, Marcolla CS, Kessler AM, Ahlstrom O, et al. Raw beef bones as chewing items to reduce dental calculus in Beagle dogs. Aust Vet J. (2016) 94:18–23. doi: 10.1111/avj.12394

16. Logan EI. Dietary influences on periodontal health in dogs and cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. (2006) 36:1385–401. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2006.09.002

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