Bones?

[Jaedawn]

Hi,

Okay I've read on here that its okay to give your Yorkie a raw bone (uncooked). I went to the butchers and he gave me a few "raw" bones. They still have a bit of raw meat on them. Is this okay? I have to admit I'm a bit concerned about giving it to her? Any oppinons? I really appreciate your thoughts! Thanks...

[nanahas3]

I don't give mine bones because I worry about splinters getting lodged in their intestines. I just can't risk anything that might hurt them no matter how much they might like it.

[Lovetodream88]

Maybe try bully sticks. I would worry that raw germs would be all in there beard and that they would spread them every where possibly making you and you family sick.

[Marilize]

The bones that your butcher gave you are the wrong bones for your pup. You want soft, meaty bones, not dense, bare, weight-bearing bones from big animals. These bones are commonly sold as soup bones, dog bones or marrow bones, and they will break teeth.

Bones are fine as long as they are enclosed in a blanket of soft meat. Make a meal out of it and toss your pup a chicken quarter, quail or a slab of pork ribs. Your puppy will love it, his teeth will be clean, and no harm done.

[AngelFae]

Originally Posted by Marilize

The bones that your butcher gave you are the wrong bones for your pup. You want soft, meaty bones, not dense, bare, weight-bearing bones from big animals. These bones are commonly sold as soup bones, dog bones or marrow bones, and they will break teeth.

Bones are fine as long as they are enclosed in a blanket of soft meat. Make a meal out of it and toss your pup a chicken quarter, quail or a slab of pork ribs. Your puppy will love it, his teeth will be clean, and no harm done.

Oh see, and now here I would do the opposite! I would never give my boys chicken, quail, or pork bones because those DO break so easily and splinter off and could harm them! My boys have gotten cow femers and steak bones without any issues (though I see why they could crack teeth!)

Why is it that everything they like that help clean their teeth are dangerous?!?!?!?

[yorkietalkjilly]

Maybe it is because Yorkies are so tiny?

[SWHouston]

I give all mine (adults and puppys) cooked Beef Bones from our meals, and don't DARE miss giving a little to each of them. I do a quick wash, just to get the spices off. Then pick the bones up when they chew them down "near" where they could be swallowed whole. Also, I break off any slim protrusions on a bone (like a T-Bone) where they won't bite off a larger piece and swallow it.

I have never had a problem with one breaking a tooth while chewing a bone, and feel that any bone fragments or Bacteria which may linger on one, is well within their capacity to deal with, and actually integral to their digestive system. Allowing puppies to chew hard materials like bones, expedite "baby" tooth removal. They swallow those (teeth) all the time, and we rarely hear of any complications due to that.

I won't say that there is absolutely no need to worry about being contaminated via a "kiss", but, I allow it, and never have become sick because of that. There are maybe a dozen or so Zoonotic diseases which could be transferred, but, symptoms of those would be obvious in the animal, and appropriate actions/restrictions taken.

The way that we administer Health Care to our little guys, is usually so intensive, that a really bad infection/condition is SO unlikely, and, if I were not to allow my guys to "kiss" me vigorously (specially My Feale Becca) I think they would just roll over and die.

[Marilize]

Originally Posted by AngelFae

Oh see, and now here I would do the opposite! I would never give my boys chicken, quail, or pork bones because those DO break so easily and splinter off and could harm them! My boys have gotten cow femers and steak bones without any issues (though I see why they could crack teeth!)

Why is it that everything they like that help clean their teeth are dangerous?!?!?!?

Smaller bones are more suited to smaller hunters, like Yorkies. The thing with teeth cleaning is that you want them to bite into meat, all the way to the gum line, to get the tartar off. Bones gives them mental stimulation and exercise, but they don't clean their teeth. How could they? Dogs don't use bones like dental floss. LOL

Raw bones don't splinter or break. You are thinking of cooked bones. Raw bones from small prey animals like chickens, quails, etc. bend and flex, and they can't harm a dog. Not even a small dog. Just ask my 4 lb Yorkie who loves eating whole chickens Next time you get your hands on raw chicken bones, bend and twist them and you'll see... they don't splinter. Heck, you can quarter a chicken with a kitchen knife

IME, the only safe teeth cleaning chew toys are whole meaty meals like whole quails, slabs of pork ribs, etc. Marrow bones, soup bones and dog bones are too dense (they are thick enough to support the weight of a cow, for example) for dogs and they are an accident waiting to happen. Bully sticks are also great since they are natural and they don't splinter, but you still have to supervise your dog no matter which chew toy you choose.

[SWHouston]

Originally Posted by Marilize

hunters, like Yorkies.

A very interesting comment !

Do you allow your Dogs to hunt... I do with mine. I live very near a Bayou/stream, where I take my Dogs almost daily, and let them catch and consume (in part) Frogs and Snakes. They absolutely love to hunt and catch, and getting the remainders away from them after a catch, is nearly impossible !

HA HA, I just thought of how that sounded, after I said I allowed them to "kiss" me. But trust me, IF they've had anything like that in their mouths, appropriate Dental Hygiene occurs FIRST !

My Male Puppy Ichabod has yet to be first in a catch. But before long, his running speed will increase to Pack Level, and he'll get fewer nips on the neck, from trying to steal something from one of the adults

[celstu1]

In all the years Ive been here and all that I've learned, I'd never give my dogs soft hollow bones that come from birds, they will splinter and can lodge in their intestines and cause serious damage or death. I have, one time, many years ago, on a night they were getting a bath, gave them each a whole raw chicken leg, meat still on. They had NO idea what to do with it. Didn't get much off of it, and after a 1/2 hour I was pretty grossed out and threw it away and gave them baths. Never did it again.

Pork bones/products are high in fat and can cause pancreatitis. Another disease, totally preventable, that I would not want to pay a vet to fix.

I have given steak bones a few times, washed off with a little meat left on them and they love them. I also used to, haven't in many years, given soup bones that had the marrow still in them once or twice, I got small ones from the butcher. I didn't like the smell and greasiness in their beards afterwards and would have to bathe.

So now they only get bully sticks.


Nothing was ever given unsupervised. My boys do 'hunt' as well but mainly frogs and crickets. Dexter eats the crickets whole, Fletcher loves frogs but once he kills them (by accident of course LOL) he is all done with them, never tried to eat them. Neither has ever seen a snake that I'm aware of.

[SWHouston]

Originally Posted by celstu1

Neither has ever seen a snake that I'm aware of.

Once you realize it isn't a venomous species, you'd laugh/be amazed at how a "seasoned" Yorkie kills a snake. I think he (My Male Sneakers) tries to put on a Baton Twirling demo for me when catches one.

PS: I've never seen a real bad Snake in the vicinity, though each time they charge, I'm right there making sure it's ok.

[brezofleur]

Small bones are perfectly safe for small dogs. Zeus gets whole quail and chicken wings/necks all the time (every other day).

Bones do not splinter if they're not cooked, even hollow ones.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by celstu1

In all the years Ive been here and all that I've learned, I'd never give my dogs soft hollow bones that come from birds, they will splinter and can lodge in their intestines and cause serious damage or death. I have, one time, many years ago, on a night they were getting a bath, gave them each a whole raw chicken leg, meat still on. They had NO idea what to do with it. Didn't get much off of it, and after a 1/2 hour I was pretty grossed out and threw it away and gave them baths. Never did it again.

Pork bones/products are high in fat and can cause pancreatitis. Another disease, totally preventable, that I would not want to pay a vet to fix.

I have given steak bones a few times, washed off with a little meat left on them and they love them. I also used to, haven't in many years, given soup bones that had the marrow still in them once or twice, I got small ones from the butcher. I didn't like the smell and greasiness in their beards afterwards and would have to bathe.

So now they only get bully sticks.


Nothing was ever given unsupervised. My boys do 'hunt' as well but mainly frogs and crickets. Dexter eats the crickets whole, Fletcher loves frogs but once he kills them (by accident of course LOL) he is all done with them, never tried to eat them. Neither has ever seen a snake that I'm aware of.

Be careful with them eating crickets they can carry tape worm.

[nanahas3]

My vet told me absolutely no bones for my little ones because they can splinter and puncture their intestines. Not chancing it.

[Jaedawn]

Hummmm well I think I better stick to bully sticks (sigh). There just not easy to get here or cheap like in the states. I will have to take note how many she goes through this year so that I can get enough when I visit next year

Thank you all for your input and I really appreciate your insight and opinions

Hugs to you all