July

What happens if you give a dog a bone?

We all know how much dogs like to chew. However, some objects or materials are not considered safe. Here are some examples of what is appropriate for your dog to chew on and what is not.

Penny with one of her toys!

Chews that are considered appropriate:

  • Kong toys (consider size)
  • Dental chews (monitored)
  • Balls (consider size)
  • Edible chews

Common rule: “any object too hard to imprint with your thumbnail is considered too hard to chew on.”

Objects too firm/solid can cause teeth to fracture or break. Toys chewed into undigestible pieces can cause your dog to choke or cater to an obstruction in their intestinal tract.

When choosing a proper chew toy for your dog you want to take into consideration what their chewing behavior is like. How hard or often they chew or if they will destroy it right away. Remember, “indestructible” toys are almost always “destructible.”

Kiba enjoying a chew!

Chews that are considered dangerous:

  • Deer Antlers
  • Bones
  • Animal parts (i.e. pig ears and cow hooves)
  • Yak bones/Bully sticks
  • Rawhides (if unsupervised)
  • Sticks

It is important to consider toy size when choosing an appropriate chew toy for your dog. For example, a large dog needs a large or extra-large sized toy.

No matter what, supervision is prevention regarding any chew toy. To learn more on how to choose the appropriate chew for your dog visit this article “How to Choose Safe Dog Chews.

Safe chewing!

For more information visit Preventive Vet

Article written by: Joelle

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