Warning over common dog treat that left SA dog owner with $800 vet bill
Vets are warning dog owners to stop giving their pets bones to chew over fears of major injuries to their canine friends.
One Adelaide pet owner said she paid an $800 vet bill when a piece of bone got stuck in her dog, Mable’s, teeth.
“She was chewing, throwing her head around (and) I reached in to try and pull it out (but) had no luck,” owner, Ellen said.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mable had to be sedated for the bone to be removed.
Vet Dr Kimberley Landis said Mable was lucky the bone didn’t damage her gums.
Landis often sees dogs come into the clinic with bone-related injuries.
She said the urge to “give your dog a bone” according to the old saying could actually lead to harm.
“It can also fracture their teeth, then it kind of make their way through their intestines and get stuck there as well,” Landis said.
The advice on feeding dogs bones is conflicting.
While there are some reported nutrients from bones along with dental benefits, many vets say the risks bones pose outweigh any gains.
Landis said small dogs were at greater risk of bone-related injuries compared to bigger breeds.
“They just don’t trend to chew them as well as bigger dogs, so they tend to inhale them in one go, and then we see a lot more risks with them obstructing and causing bigger problems,” she said.
Owners are advised to never give their dogs cooked bones because they can splinter and cause internal damage or intestinal obstruction.
If they do provide them with raw bones, the dog should be supervised.
The RSPCA said more than one or two bones a week could cause constipation.
Landis recommended owners opt for dental chews rather than raw bones.
“We say anything that’s going to last them more than three minutes is going to be a benefit for their teeth,” she said.
“So that can even be, for smaller dogs, carrots, they tend to chew on them for a longer period of time and they’re not going to cause any problems.”
She said if owners can get their dogs accustomed to a regular clean with a toothbrush, that was the “gold-standard”.
Originally published on 7NEWS
