Ham bones OK for dogs?

[BobReeves]

We have never given our dog anything that we think might not be good for her but the wife bought ham that has a nice pretty large nuckle bone.. Would love to give it to the dog but not sure if ham bones are OK?

 

[thcri]

We give our dog our ham bone all the time. She is a normal sized yellow lab. She will chew on it until there is nothing left of it.


murph

 

[JJT]

Bone splinters can be fatal, (perforated intestines). Don't run the risk. Most dogs will never have a problem, but why run the risk?

Our dogs have nylabones, they last for years and they satisfy the chewing urge.

 

[Junkman]

There is nothing wrong with giving the dog the bone to eat the meat off of it, but take it away after all the meat is gone. If the dog splinters and eats the bone, there is a possible chance that one of those splinters could perforate the bowel. The other problem is that bone is not digested and might just stay in the stomach and cause other problems such as throwing up. I know that some people do allow the dogs to eat the bone till there is nothing left, but I don't agree with it. You asked for opinions and I have given you mine. We are all responsible to our pets to make sure that they live happy and healthy lives and that included making sure that what we give them is safe for them. If you allow your dog to ingest the entire bone, then be forewarned what problems you might encounter.

 

[thcri]

I guess at this point I will not allow the dog to have the bone anymore once the meet is gone. Gee growing up on the farm the dog always got the bone and we never had trouble. But I guess if there is a chance I don't want to take it as it would destroy my daughter if anything happened to the dog.

murph

 

[OhioTC18]

We use the nylabones "for agressive chewers"..........lasts 6 months or so....he seems to work on it day and night /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BobReeves]

Thanks for the info guys, we have given her Nylabones but she eats them, gone in a couple of days. Went ahead and gave her the ham bone after reading the first response.. It's gone already..

I know not to ever give a dog chicken bones or pork chop bones because they do splinter, but never had a vet tell me not to give a dog a good beef bone. Wasn't sure about the ham bone..

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Thanks for the info guys, we have given her Nylabones but she eats them, gone in a couple of days.........
)</font>

Nylabone make a very wide assortment of bones. Get the dog a Nylabone Galileo and he/she will be working on it for many weeks or months. Nylabone is a brand name and they make products from soft (gumabone) to very hard.. such as the galileo.... Some come in strange shapes (owners humor), but once you get past the laughing stage, the dogs love them. One source for Nylabone on line... They can also be purchased at your local pet shop...

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Went ahead and gave her the ham bone after reading the first response.. It's gone already.. </font>

Next time you have a nice ham bone with some meat on it....
give it to me! I'll make some bean soup!!! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Boondox]

Bones are fine as long as they're raw. Cooking makes them brittle and more likely to splinter.

Pete
(And Molson, Tetley, Harley, Tuppence, and Glenfiddich who all love bones)

 

[Hambone]

I might resemble that!

 

[Laxrae]

NOOOOO!!!! The first year I gave my dog a ham bone, he ended up in doggie hospital, vomiting and diaherrea- blood... hundreds of dollars later it did pass without surgery and he was ok. Tonight he got into my garbage and ate the entire ham bone and here we go again...been up all night vomiting, blood in his stool...I'm devastated and worried to death...he's a miniature pinscher. DON'T RISK IT!!!!!!! Meanwhile, he eats rib bones and is just fine.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Bones are fine as long as they're raw. Cooking makes them brittle and more likely to splinter.

Pete
(And Molson, Tetley, Harley, Tuppence, and Glenfiddich who all love bones)

That's what I have heard too. They can eat raw chicken bows no problem too; I know airedale people who feed raw only diet and chicken is part of it.

We give our dogs bones everytime. When I butcher a deer, they get legs and shanks after the meet is cut off and after that they keep coming back for ribs till they are all gone. The only thing to watch for is quantity, older dogs can handle it better than puppies but they still can get loose like a goose

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

That's what I have heard too. They can eat raw chicken bows no problem too; I know airedale people who feed raw only diet and chicken is part of it.

Our two dogs eat 15 lbs of RAW Skinless Bone In Chicken Thighs per week, plus RAW Chicken Wings, RAW Chicken necks. They also get other RAW meats and veggies etc.

As already posted, bones get brittle when cooked - do not fed cooked bones.

 

[dave1949]

Our two dogs eat 15 lbs of RAW Skinless Bone In Chicken Thighs per week, plus RAW Chicken Wings, RAW Chicken necks. They also get other RAW meats and veggies etc.

As already posted, bones get brittle when cooked - do not fed cooked bones.

Many dogs are fed the BARF diet. (Bones and Raw Food). We have done it with our dogs. Raw chicken thighs and wings, raw veggies, etc. Never had a problem. It makes a lot of vets nervous. Ours told us he has treated dogs for salmonella poisoning and most vets will say you are taking a chance with the bones causing perforations in the stomach or intestine. I think they are balancing the risk versus the nutritional reward of raw food.

I tend to think raw bones are not a common (at least) cause of death amongst coyotes. But, one uncommon occurence when its your dog is too many. Plus, there is no doubt more salmonella in our local grocery stores than out in the woods. It's a debate. The dogs like it, munching up chicken like it was candy at Christmas. Gives you a real appreciation for how powerful a large dogs jaws can be.

We have gravitated towards feeding the best prepared dog foods we can find, you have to be pretty picky on those. But, google BARF if you are interested.
Dave.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Now my wife - she is from a farm in Missouri - says raw meat will make the dog to go get his own, i.e. the dog will start killing animals for food.

I dare to differ - very quietly of course - because our Airedales killed numerous cats, coons, foxes, rats, mice etc and never once I found half eaten carcass or any sign they would eat what they kill. The great pyreneese carried around dead squirrel for few hours as a trophy. before we got it from her, but she never tried to eat it.

What's your opinion?

 

[dave1949]

Now my wife - she is from a farm in Missouri - says raw meat will make the dog to go get his own, i.e. the dog will start killing animals for food.

I dare to differ - very quietly of course - because our Airedales killed numerous cats, coons, foxes, rats, mice etc and never once I found half eaten carcass or any sign they would eat what they kill. The great pyreneese carried around dead squirrel for few hours as a trophy. before we got it from her, but she never tried to eat it.

What's your opinion?

For sure not all dogs are the same. Our dogs would love to get their jaws on squirrels and chipmunks if they could. The idiots have tangled with porcupines twice, they are sure they will get the critter next time

I think it depends on the level of prey instinct present in the dog. I had a mixed golden/lab years ago. He got bit on the lip once by a rat. He was death on rats from then on. I fed a few hogs then and would take him out to the hog pen and tip up the feeder where the rats liked to live. No more rats for a while. He would not kill any thing else. Brought a baby cottontail home in his mouth once, wet but very alive. Loved to chase our cat until the cat figured out if it didn't run, that ruined the dog's game. He would round up the free range chickens and put them in the coop in the evening, never killed one.

My father had a Brittney Spaniel that would kill anything he could catch, and he caught a lot of things, was pretty good at it

So, I would have to say it's more about the dog's 'personality' than what you feed them.
Dave.

 

[czechsonofagun]

But would any of your dogs eat what they killed? Sorry, I was not clear, but that was really my question: Does raw food make dogs kill and eat animals?

 

[dave1949]

But would any of your dogs eat what they killed? Sorry, I was not clear, but that was really my question: Does raw food make dogs kill and eat animals?

I wandered off topic, sorry.

Of the dogs we have fed raw food, the only live animal I have ever seen them actually eat is mice. Probably not very useful data since they rarely have a chance to catch anything else.

Dave.

 

[Matt_Jr]

My wife gives our dogs raw chicken wings. She read that it reduces the amount of dental cleanings they need. And yes, never give a dog a cooked bone. It will splinter. Raw, from what I've always heard, is ok. Again, gotta weigh the bacteria risk, but dogs have a great immune system. Food poisoning is usually caused by chemicaly tainted, or rotten(expired) foods. Our pug however, is very cautious. He sniffs at it a long time before he chomps.