What to do when a dog eats chicken bones? The most frequent and worrisome question for pet owners, right?
There are many things dog owners need to be careful of. Dog diets must include plenty of protein and fat to meet their energy needs. Chicken is an easily available source of protein for dogs. The most favorite part of chicken is the bones for dogs.
Dogs swallow chicken bone, and getting stuck in the dog’s gut or throat is a common issue. Getting stuck with chicken bones can occasionally cause serious issues for your dog, even resulting in death.
It’s okay to give your dog raw bones to chew sometimes, but cooked bones can hurt them. In this article, we have discussed the 11 home remedies for dogs who ate chicken bones as well as other concerns and curiosity about home solutions.
Let’s read!
What Happens If Dogs Swallow Chicken Bones?
Dogs can easily chew raw chicken bones as treats. Raw bones are softer and more firm, and the dogs can enjoy them for some time. But cooked chicken bones are brittle and break easily.
When compared to raw bones, which you can purchase at a pet store, bones that have been cooked are much easier to break. When your dog chews on them, they are more likely to shatter into sharp pieces due to their softer nature.
The FDA claims that between November 1, 2010, and September 12, 2017, it received reports of 90 dogs becoming ill after consuming easily accessible smoked or baked bones treats. Fifteen of the dogs were killed.
Chicken bones can splinter and get stuck in dog throats. These splintered bones can cut the inside of the throat and cause discomfort. The bones can also break into smaller shards when swallowed and puncture small holes into the dog’s intestines. This can cause long-term problems for the dog and run up your vet bill.
Additionally, chicken bones can:
- Get trapped within your dog’s gastrointestinal tract or guts.
- Bone marrow’s high-fat content can increase the likelihood of pancreatitis.
- Get wedged in the space between your dog’s molars and the roof of their mouth.
- Become tainted with disease-causing organisms such as Salmonella
- Induce a bowel obstruction in your dog’s colon or small intestine.
How to Check If Your Dog Swallowed a Chicken Bone
No matter how well you train your dog, it will still eat food off the counter. Some dogs might even choke on a chicken bone. In a perfect world, you will only have to watch how they act.
If your dog has already eaten the bone and it’s not stuck in their throat, you should look for signs of inflammation or blood inside. If your dog shows any of these signs, you will be confirmed that your dog ate chicken bone within 24 hours.
| Chronic Symptoms | Acute Symptoms |
| Having diarrhea | Being sick |
| Having Gas and bloating | Not wanting to eat. |
| A stool with blood in it | Not wanting to drink. |
| Pain in stomach | Feeling tired/ Being whiny |
| Drooling (there may or may not be blood in the drool) | Pawing at the mouth or face. |
| Pawing at the mouth or face. | Smacking/licking the lips. |
| Gagging, retching, coughing. | Gulping or repeated attempts to swallow. |
However, if your dog seems to be active and eating and drinking normally, it is probably alright. In this instance, immediate medical attention is not required. You can monitor the situation.
11 Home Remedies for Dogs Who Ate Chicken Bones
In most cases, if the dog has already swallowed the bone, it will be fine. But if the bone was large or if the dog swallowed multiple bones, you may need to take immediate action.
These 11 home remedies provide you with a clear direction on how to help a dog pass a bone. So, if your dog eats chicken bones and gets stuck, please follow the mentioned steps:
1. Don’t Freak Out
Panicking when your dog is in danger is normal, but be calm. Loudness and unexpected movements might stress and injure your dog.
If your dog hasn’t swallowed the bone, gently remove it. A terrified removing action can make a dog desire to swallow the bone. Never force a chicken bone or other object from your dog, especially a small one.
Changing the chicken bone for steak will please your dog. Trading up training can prevent this and other issues. Only high-value items benefit from this advice.
2. Keep Your Dog from Choking
If the chicken bone is in your dog’s airways, freak out immediately. Critically choked dogs may become unconscious. The clogged airway may make it hard for your dog to breathe. Unfortunately, a clogged airway prevents them from making any noise, so you’ll have to watch their body language. The following symptoms are for choking:
- Coughing is the first sign of choking in dogs. When anything becomes caught in your dog’s mouth or throat, they cough to expel it.
- If your dog is pawing at their lips or head or acting scared, they may be choking.
- A state of distress.
- Blue mucous membranes (cyanosis)
- Mouth breathing
- Putting their paws in their mouths.
- Retching or gagging after eating.
- Rubbing their face against the ground.
When these choking symptoms are growing quickly, call your vet immediately.
3. Never Forced to Vomit
Inducing vomiting increases the likelihood of the chicken bone becoming trapped in the oesophagus or causing more damage to your dog’s airway.
If you notice your pet suffering from diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloating, constipation, vomiting, bloody stool, whimpering, abdominal pain, lethargy, or refusal to drink, contact your veterinarian immediately.
4.Trying Heimlich Maneuver
Look inside your dog’s mouth to see if you can remove the thing in their throat. If you can’t remove the object, apply the Heimlich maneuver like a person.
You can do this maneuver in two ways, depending on your dog’s size. Medium to large dogs use stomach compression, and small dogs use chest thrust. Both methods are easy.
Hold your dog on the surface of your lap carefully and turn them over on their back. Then, press down on the rib cage with the palm of your hand and push firmly inwards and upwards five times in a thrusting action.
It’s a useful self-practicing technique that might be the solution to your concern – the dog ate chicken bones. What to do?
5. Offer A Soft Piece of Bread to Your Dog
If your dog is willing to consume a soft bread piece, immediately give it to your pet. It can prevent their stomach from being punctured by the pieces.
It can also help break down the chicken bones more quickly by stimulating the digestive juices and shielding the lining of your dog’s digestive tract.
Vet professionals at “Urgent Pet Care Omaha” state that – giving your dog a soft food item, like a piece of bread, may be beneficial since it will act as a kind of cushion in their stomach. You may prevent scratches on your dog’s digestive tract lining by giving them soft food.
6. Give Your Dog Water
If your dog has eaten the chicken bone all the way, you need to make sure they digest it as quickly and properly as possible.
And if they don’t drink enough water, their intestines will slow down, so the bones won’t come out.
Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water to drink, and to make digestion even easier, think about giving your dog bone broth or water with its normal meals.
7. Provide Your Dog with Probiotics
Probiotics can aid in the restoration of your dog’s gut’s healthy bacterial balance, which will benefit digestion and general gut health. Seek a probiotic supplement designed with canines in mind.
The best sources of probiotics for your dogs are yogurt, cheese, pickles, kefir, and many mega probiotic capsules, as well as powders.
8. Give Your Dog Fibrous Food
Fiber helps your dog’s digestive system work well and keeps them from choking. It can also help break down the chicken bones that are stuck in your dog’s gut. It will be easier for your dog to pass any bones if you give them more fiber in their food.
Some fiber-rich dog food is ground flaxseed, beetroot pulp, pumpkin, lettuce, kelp, apple, carrot, green beans, brown rice, strawberry, blueberry, and so on.
9. Try A Laxative / Stimulating Food
You can try giving your dog a mild laxative if the chicken bones are causing digestive distress. Stimulant laxatives work by increasing bowel activity and relieving constipation; stool softeners work by decreasing stool stiffness and incorporating water and oil-based lubricant into the mass, making it simpler for the dog to pass the chicken bones.
You can try- pure canned pumpkin or pumpkin powder, coconut oil, olive oil, and herbs- such as wheat bran, ginger, and powdered psyllium seeds for your dog as a laxative stimulant.
10. Make A Veterinarian Call Instantly
Inform your veterinarian about the problem over the phone if your dog is not choking actively. They’ll be able to advise you on what to do next and help you determine whether your dog is at any risk right now.
There’s a chance that your dog will swallow the chicken bone and be alright. If this is the case, or if you require additional medical attention, your veterinarian can assist you in recognizing it.
11. Track Your Dog’s Condition in Details
Check your dog’s stool for at least three days (72 hours) after your dog ate chicken bones 24 hours ago to see whether there are any remnants of the bone.
You should still take your dog to the vet to make sure there is no bone stuck in its esophagus or stomach. These internal organs are vulnerable to injury from sharp fragments of bone. You can examine this by doing an X-ray of your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
What Kinds of Bones Are Safe for Dogs To Eat?
Since cooked chicken bones can splinter, shatter into tiny pieces, fractured teeth, and increase the risk of choking, raw bones are thought to be safer than home-cooked ones. However, raw bones are less likely to splinter.
raw bones like as-
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Beef
- Turkey
- or even oxtail
For your pet, these kinds of bones might be a safer option.
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Bones
| Ingredients | Trace Amount | Benefits |
| Nitrogen | 2.9% | Vital for dogs’ growth and metabolism upkeep.They are necessary for a dog’s regular diet and have a role in every bodily function. |
| Glucosamine | 1.5% | Improve mechanical joint function.Reduce the course of arthritis by stimulating cartilage growth and thickening synovial fluid.Causing less stiffness and discomfort for your dog. |
| Mineral | 14.7% | Boost your dog’s staminaAid their immune system and more |
| Protein | 15.6% | Ensuring healthy growth |
| Fat/Oil | 9.5% | Assist in promoting brain growthReducing inflammationkeeping dogs’ coats glossy and healthy. |
| Moisture | 57.5% | Intellectually and physically engage dogs |
| Phosphorus as Mg3(PO4)2 | 2.09% | Needs to maintain healthy muscles |
| Sodium | 4.05% | Plays a part in muscle and nerve function Aids in maintaining the body’s fluid equilibrium. |
| Calcium as CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) | 7.07% | Needs to maintain healthy bones |
| Magnesium | 60% | Magnesium’s benefits extend beyond just heart health to all of a dog’s muscles. |
| Omega 6 fatty acids | 5-10% | Remarkable for preserving the health of a dog’s skin and coat.Strengthens the bones and joints. |
| Carbohydrates | 65% | Serving as a prebiotic for beneficial intestinal bacteriaAiding in the colon’s absorption of surplus water |
Is Raw Chicken Bone Always Safe for Your Dogs?
The answer is a big “NO”. Undoubtedly, raw chicken bones are safer than cooked chicken bones for your dogs, and some pet owners take this piece of advice as permission to feed their dogs raw chicken bones.
I’m sorry, but that’s still not a smart plan! While raw chicken bones are less prone to fracture, they still carry the risk of contaminating your pet with harmful microorganisms. The severe diarrhea and vomiting caused by Salmonella and E. coli are common side effects of consuming raw chicken meat, bones, or freeze-dried raw items.
“Dr. Karen Becker suggests choosing a raw bone that is roughly the size of your dog’s head,” if you wish to give it one as chewing can stimulate your dog’s mind and keep their teeth clean. This size of bone will allow your dog to chew while lowering the possibility that it may break off and swallow a piece of bone that could be harmful to its health.
Is There Anything Alternative to Chicken Bones for My Dogs?
Yes, it’s available. If you decide not to feed your dog bones after reading about the risks, you have options. Many ways exist to satisfy your dog’s chewing needs instead of chicken bones.
Twisted rope or dense rubber toys are good. Daily brushing or dental diets, treats, and chews help keep your dog’s teeth clean.
The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approves safe and effective products. Commercial dog food from recognized brands provides comprehensive and balanced nutrition for wellness.
What Part of the Chicken Is Considered to Be the Healthiest for Dogs?
Chicken breasts or thighs that have been stripped of their skin and bones are the healthiest part of chicken when preparing chicken or turkey for dogs.
Bones from chicken, whether raw or cooked, should never be consumed because cooked chicken bones have the potential to obstruct or perforate the gastrointestinal tract of your dog.
On the other hand, a lot of individuals believe that dogs can safely consume raw chicken bones. Of course, raw chicken bones are less dangerous than cooked ones, but occasionally, germs from raw chicken bones might infect your dog and cause bacterial infections.
How to Plan the Right Diet for Your Dog?
Dogs need a well-planned and balanced diet to gain energy from their food and stay healthy. Here’s a list of what to include in your dog’s diet:
- Buy a well-balanced kibble made of beef, chicken, lamb, carrots, spinach, and peas to feed your dog a quick meal.
- Include enough green vegetables, as well as meat, in your dog’s diet. Avoid too many leafy vegetables.
- Increase low-sugar fruit intake for your dog
- Do not feed your dog artificial sweeteners or too much sugar
Your dog needs a lot of love and attention, and so do their diets. The perfect dog diet keeps your dog well-fed and energetic and makes their coats shiny. Be sure to take your dog out on regular walks so they can exercise all their energy and stay healthy.
Regular washes are also important so your dog doesn’t catch fleas or diseases. Plan a visit to the vet at least twice a month to keep up with your pooch’s health.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Here are some common dog diet-related questions people search for:
Can dogs eat chicken bones?
Yes, dogs can eat chicken bones but sometimes. Chicken bones aren’t toxic for dogs and don’t harm them directly. But they shouldn’t eat cooked chicken bones as they get stuck easily in their throats.
Cooked chicken bones can break into small shards inside dog stomachs. This will give the dog stomach problems and pain.
How long does it take for dogs to digest chicken bones?
24 hours it takes to digest usually if dogs swallow chicken bones. If your dog is showing signs of discomfort, whining or crying, or pooping blood, contact your veterinarian.
What are the foods that dogs shouldn’t eat?
Dogs can’t eat the same things as humans. Some food items might give dogs Gas, and some might even kill them. Here are some things you should not feed your dogs:
= Chocolate
= Onions, garlic, and chives
= Alcohol
= Raisins
= Any super spicy pepper
Check with your vet to get a more detailed list of foods you should avoid for your dog. Your dog may have some specific allergies as well. When you get your dog checked with a vet, you can learn more about their allergies and eating restrictions.
Conclusion
It can be tempting to share the food you eat with your dog. But your ball of fluff can’t eat many things as it may give them stomach problems and, in some cases, might even kill them.
The perfect dog diet consists of protein and fat that provide energy for your dog’s busy diet. Undoubtedly, chicken bones are one of the most important dietary elements of your pet.
But!!! Dogs eat chicken bones, and getting stuck in the gut is a common issue. Sometimes, it may be treats you gave them; sometimes, dogs swallow chicken bones on the street.
Be sure to act fast if your dog is choking on bones. If your dog has already swallowed the bones, observe the dog’s reaction. If your dog is not showing any signs of pain, wait 24 hours until the bones are digested. Jump into action if your dog is in pain from swallowing chicken bones.
