Can Dogs Have Duck Bones?
Duck bones, especially cooked duck bones, become brittle. This, combined with the small size of duck bones makes them very dangerous for a dog. Veterinarians caution against giving your dogs duck bones, as they could cause the following problems:
- Injuries to the mouth and tongue
- Become blocked in the throat or intestinal tract
- Cause choking
- Bone fragments could pierce the lining of stomachs and intestines
- Duck bones could cause constipation
- Rectal bleeding from sharp bone fragments
- Blockages may require emergency surgery
If you want to give your dog a bone, then try using a large hardy nylon or rubber chew toy bone or another size-appropriate chew toy. Some chew toys even come flavored and can be good for teeth-cleaning, and of course, your dog will live to chew another day.
Dogs that eat raw or cooked bones can result in a number of injuries and even death, in part due to choking. However, veterinarians have debated whether raw bones are safe enough for dogs to eat.
Broken Teeth And Mouth Injury
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns dog owners to not give dogs poultry bones. A common danger involving duck bones includes broken teeth. Dogs, especially smaller dog breeds, may break a tooth when trying to chew or eat a duck bone.
A duck bone, if broken, could have sharp edges that may puncture the inside of the mouth, causing an injury. An injury like this may require a trip to see a veterinarian. A duck bone can also get stuck in the dog’s teeth and would need to be removed while the dog is under sedation.
Windpipe Injuries
A duck bone could get stuck in the dog’s oesophagus, which is the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Another danger occurs when a dog inhales a small piece of bone, blocking its windpipe, leaving the dog struggling to breathe. This injury is an emergency and again the dog would need to go to the veterinarian.
Digestive Problems
A duck bone left undigested could affect the intestines, blocking the dog’s digestive system. This affects the dog’s system by blocking gases and other materials, leading to blood toxicity.
Intestinal Injuries
Bone splinters from cooked duck bones can puncture a dog’s gastrointestinal tract, causing internal bleeding or a serious injury. If left untreated, such an injury could result in death.
If splinters pass into the dog’s abdominal cavity, the intestinal wall could become pierced. This could result in a dog becoming susceptible to peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity that has been pierced by duck bones.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats A Duck Bone
Despite our best efforts, accidents can happen. A dog is likely to eat something they shouldn’t at some point in their lives. It’s not uncommon for a dog to steal a yummy piece of people food off the counter or off of the plate of an unsuspecting house guest. It happens even if we’re doing the best we can to prevent it. There are many people foods that are particularly dangerous for our dogs, including cooked duck bones, which is something that can be within reach of our dogs regularly. Cooked duck bones can break and splinter, which could cause a dog to choke and it can also puncture the gastrointestinal tract, or get caught in their throat. This is extremely painful for your dog and could even to death. So, what exactly should you do if you find your dog has eaten duck bones?
Stay Calm
Remember that panicking isn’t going to help your dog in any way. If you catch your dog in the act, try calmly taking the rest of the bones from them. Dogs can be possessive over food, so even if your dog isn’t showing aggression, they’re likely to try to gobble everything down before you try taking it off them. If your dog has already ingested all the duck bones, panicking will only confuse them and could possibly lead you to take drastic, unnecessary, and potentially dangerous actions. Just make sure your dog isn’t choking and get in contact with your veterinarian. They will be able to help you figure out how to handle the situation. Your veterinarian could offer a simple solution, like giving your dog some pieces of white bread to help cushion the bone fragments, but every veterinarian and situation can vary, so make sure to get in touch with your vet as soon as possible.
Watch Carefully
Although duck bones can splinter and puncture internal organs, it doesn’t mean that this will happen every time. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a risk that you’d like to avoid at all costs, but if your dog has already ingested the bones, all you can do now is watch them carefully. Ask your veterinarian about what signs and symptoms of internal bleeding or blockages to look for. If you notice your dog is constipated, constipated, straining to defecate, or has blood in their stool, is vomiting, appears bloated in the abdomen, is not eating or is generally uncomfortable, then you’ll want to seek veterinary attention right away. Check your dog’s stool daily to see if you can see the bone fragments that have passed through. If you do not see them within 72 hours after the bones have been ingested (or whatever time frame your veterinarian recommends), it’s a good idea to visit your vet to make sure that the bones aren’t stuck in your dog’s intestine, oesophagus or throat.
Are Any Bones Safe For Dogs?
We all know that dogs love bones, but it doesn’t mean that they should be allowed to eat them. The risks that are associated with feeding your dog bones applies to all kinds of animal bones, whether they’re raw or cooked. However, the bones with the highest risks are cooked bones, especially poultry bones, because they tend to splinter.
Antlers and animal hooves are equally as dangerous. The size of your dog is not necessarily a factor either, as any type of dog could be affected. However, smaller dog breeds that try eating large bones are obviously at a greater risk.
Even if you have given bones to your dog in the past with no complications, it doesn’t mean that everything will turn out fine the next time you give them a bone. Make sure that you understand all the risks before giving your dog any type of bone or chew. Then, make sure that you supervise your dog’s chewing in case something goes wrong.
Bone Alternatives For Dogs
To help satisfy your dog’s need to chew without giving them duck bones, there are safer alternatives. No matter what you give your dog to chew on, always be sure to supervise your dog.
Specially made dog toys, dental chews, and other dog treat varieties can be an excellent alternative to satisfy your dog’s need to chew. Again, make sure to talk to your veterinarian about the best options for your dog.
Conclusion
Always be cautious when discarding bones that are leftover from food. Your best bet is to take them directly outside to the trash, provided it’s still out of your dog’s reach. It’s best to treat all bones as you would with other foods that are toxic to dogs.
If you suspect your dog has experienced a bone-related complication, contact your local veterinarian immediately.
