Can dogs eat rib bones?

In this article, we will answer the query, “Can dogs eat rib bones?” along with some other questions like what are the effects of rib bone consumption? What should you do if your dog consumes rib bones? And what are the alternatives to rib bones?

Can dogs eat rib bones?

No, dogs cannot eat rib bones. Rib bones pose a severe threat to the health of the dog. There are various reasons why you shouldn’t give your dog rib bones. The most common threat is choking, which is the most dangerous one.

Why shouldn’t you give your dog rib bones?

Following are some reasons why you shouldn’t feed your dog rib bones:

Blockage of esophagus and intestine

Rib bones break and can cause obstruction in the esophagus. It needed to be addressed quickly. Blockage can cause choking. The sharp points of broken bones can cause internal injuries. This is very common in choking.

Blockage can also occur in the intestines. This is serious because the absorption of food takes place from the intestine. Moreover, sharp points of broken ribs can cause internal injuries in the intestine. If, after consuming rib bones, you see blood in your dog’s poop, it could be because of that reason.

Bacterial infections

Cooked bones easily splinter, but that is not the case with raw bones. If, on one hand, it is less likely to break, it also harbors many bacteria on it. Raw bones have many common bacteria on them, like salmonella, listeria, and E.coli.

These bacteria cause gastrointestinal diseases in dogs. Look out for certain common signs of infection in dogs after consuming raw beef ribs or raw chicken ribs.

Mouth injuries

Talking about raw bones, they do not easily break in the mouth. Dogs love to break bones and swallow them as dog food. Raw bones can break your dog’s teeth. Raw bones are hard to break, and you should keep this in mind while giving raw bones to your pets.

Cooked bones splinter in the mouth and cause injuries to the gums because of the sharp points of the bones.

Pancreatitis

The most common cause of pancreatitis is consuming high-fat content, especially animal fat content. The rib bones you are giving to your dog have a small amount of fat content on it.

There is also an important point here, the fat content is not that high, but consuming rib bones daily can cause problems in your dogs.

So far, we have discussed the harmful effects of rib bones. Now let’s discuss what can you do if your dog consumes rib bones?

What can you do if your dog ate rib bones?

First, do not panic in this situation. It might be a tough situation for someone to stay calm. Let’s talk about the possible ways by which you can help your dog.

You should check the mouth and the gums of the dog. If the bones were cooked, there is a possibility of injuries to the gums. You should also look for bone fragments in the dental areas; if you see them remove them as they are a source of infection.

If the mouth is clear of any injury and infection, the next thing is to wait for a while. It takes 2 to 3 days for a dog to show any signs of infection or injury. Following are some common signs of infection in dogs:

  • Lethargy
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite

You should closely observe the signs of vomiting and diarrhea. Look out for blood in the poop of your dog. If all goes well, then you shouldn’t be worried about it. Book an appointment with the vet for the clinical exam of your dog.

If you see any kind of discomfort or distress in your dog, immediately visit the vet. 

What are the alternatives to rib bones?

If your four-legged friend has a habit of chewing and you cannot give your dog cooked or raw bones, then it is not the end of it. You can still go for the alternatives of rib bones. 

The chewing toys are excellent alternatives to rib bones. You can offer your dog a variety of chew toys available in the market. If your dog loves it, you can enrich them with certain dog treats to win your dog’s heart.

What are the different kinds of bones that a dog can consume?

 Following are the types of bones you can give to your dog:

  • Bones that are thicker and bigger than your dog’s mouth
  • Uncooked bones
  • Lamb’s bones
  • Beef bones
  • Synthetic bones such as rubber bones

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the query, “Can dogs eat rib bones?” We also discussed other questions like what are the harmful effects of rib bones? What can you do if your dog ate rib bones? And what are the safer alternatives to rib bones?

References

https://www.rover.com/blog/can-dog-eat-rib-bones/

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/can-dogs-eat-rib-bones#can-dogs-eat-beef-rib-bones

https://www.oodlelife.com/my-dog-ate-a-rib-bone/

https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-nutrition/what-can-dogs-eat/can-dogs-eat-rib-bones

https://amzn.to/3zBBv2X

https://blog.petloverscentre.com/can-dogs-eat-rib-bones/#Types_of_bones_that_dogs_can_eat

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