# Has anyone here personally had any issues feeding raw bones?



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm just curious. I've always been of the opinion that there are some inherent risks in feeding raw bones, such as perforated intestines, impactions, cracked teeth etc.

Some people on a raw feeding group I belong to are denying that it's even a remote possibility. It's not enough to change me from feeding raw, but are my concerns unrealistic and unfounded? Am I buying into the conventional vet conspiracy?

My dog has painfully passed a large piece of chicken drum stick in the past, so I don't think they are always digested and that there is the potential for problems if the don't crunch them up enough.

It made me worry enough that I feed a commercially prepared raw diet and supplement with things like turkey necks and chicken backs that have softer bones to chew and are smaller and easier to pass.

Am I being untruthful telling someone who's new to raw and asking if there are risks that there are? Raw doesn't seem to be studied at all, so finding any credible information is difficult.

So I'm just wondering if anyone has actually had any problems, or if I'm just scared of the boogeyman?


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I would never say that feeding raw bones poses no risks at all.

When Rusty is given a raw bone he's really chewing it...crunch, crunch. He's always taken his time chewing and swallowing, never been a gulper. We only have one dog so I don't know if that's why he takes his time.


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## alexg (Mar 22, 2013)

I could be completely wrong, but I was given the advice to not feed a poultry bones due to the potential perforated intestines, impaction. Wrong advice?


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

You never want to feed cooked bones, they are dry, brittle and will crack. Raw bones are completely different, soft & flexible, easy for a dog to chew. Weight bearing bones I never give to be chewed & swallowed. They are dense, hard.


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## prjwh081810 (Aug 25, 2013)

Raw chicken is what you should always use as a base staple in raw feeding unless they have allergies. Yes there can be some problems but in my experience, the dog is more likely to choke on kibble then get hurt from eating raw bone. I havent ever seen a case of impaction from the bones. Gradually over time the dogs stomach acid will increase to disolve the bone more efficiently. I always started with chicken quarters and necks gradually adding in more mucsle and organs before moving to a whole new protein. Dont expect your dog to devour that cow leg you have in your freezer either. The bone is too dense for most dogs and CAN crack teeth. 

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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

alexg said:


> I could be completely wrong, but I was given the advice to not feed a poultry bones due to the potential perforated intestines, impaction. Wrong advice?


According to these people, yes.

I said my dog pooped one out and it was painful for her, and he said 'but she lived, didn't she?'  

Ummm...thankfully, yes, she lived. lol

When I asked that it could potentially have caused a problem, he said no it will go through her system.


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## prjwh081810 (Aug 25, 2013)

blackshep said:


> According to these people, yes.
> 
> I said my dog pooped one out and it was painful for her, and he said 'but she lived, didn't she?'
> 
> ...


Yes it will go through her system. If your worried about it, feed a little less bone or take a mallet and break it up a bit so she is inclined to chew it all

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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

prjwh081810 said:


> Yes it will go through her system. If your worried about it, feed a little less bone or take a mallet and break it up a bit so she is inclined to chew it all
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2


Every time? There's no chance of it getting stuck or causing a perforation?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

We do. Hans cannot digest bone well. His meals have to have bone meal, not even ground bone. He had been doing great and not vomiting, so I tried again, and sure enough, he threw up foamy bile. No more bones, ever.


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## prjwh081810 (Aug 25, 2013)

blackshep said:


> Every time? There's no chance of it getting stuck or causing a perforation?


There is always a chance of something happening no matter what. All you have to do is ALWAYS watch your pup while they eat no matter what. If you notice bone chips in the poo that means their body is still getting used to the bone digestion. Eventually it will go away. If your still uneasy about it the take the bone out and grind it to pulp and pour it in. They will still eat it

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## prjwh081810 (Aug 25, 2013)

Oh and I wouldnt recommend feeding raw to any dog under 6months. Kibble is fine until their bodys are less accident prone in a nice way. Dont switch raw one day and kibble the next. If your feeding straight kibble then the occasionally chicken breast, back, or neck is a perfect treat

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## LoriH (Apr 16, 2013)

I feed only chicken necks and turkey necks. The bones aren't that big and my pup is able to easily chew/break them down. He occasionally gets raw beef or marrow bones to chew on but those are thrown out once he pulls everything off of them. This way I feel fairly certain that there won't be any issues.


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## Lesber2004 (Aug 14, 2013)

My dog is 6 months and loves raw food,he is pretty much a vacuum cleaner when it comes to
Raw chicken even more...not so
Much for dry food


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

In the 15 years I've been feeding raw food to my dogs I've fed over 8 TONS - yes, TONS - of raw meaty bones. Most of that was chicken and I have never had any digestive problems.

The only problem I have had was when my Corgi mix, Winnie, tried to swallow a turkey neck without chewing and it got stuck. My dogs are taught not to fight me if I try to take something away from them. This makes it much less stressful in a situation like Winnie getting the neck stuck - I was able to reach in and pull it out without her fighting me.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

alexg said:


> I could be completely wrong, but I was given the advice to not feed a poultry bones due to the potential perforated intestines, impaction. Wrong advice?


COOKED chicken bones - yes, they can be dangerous.

RAW chicken bones - I've fed many and never had a problem.


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

prjwh081810 said:


> Oh and I wouldnt recommend feeding raw to any dog under 6months. Kibble is fine until their bodys are less accident prone in a nice way. Dont switch raw one day and kibble the next. If your feeding straight kibble then the occasionally chicken breast, back, or neck is a perfect treat
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2


I've never had a problem. 

And I've fed dogs under six monta as well as many breeders who wean straight to raw with no problem. There is never not a risk in life. Wether you feed kibble or raw. But dogs and wolves had been eating raw animals for thousands of years without issue.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

prjwh081810 said:


> Oh and I wouldnt recommend feeding raw to any dog under 6months. Kibble is fine until their bodys are less accident prone in a nice way.


What do you base this advice on?


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

We feed a raw lamb bone about 2x month. Usually she does OK, but one time caused diarrhea for a couple days. Maybe it was just too much food for her that day?

The beef marrow bones are too hard to chew, but she works on getting the marrow out.
Too much marrow has given diarrhea too.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Curious as well. Russ came to me at 8 weeks being a raw fed puppy. His mom has never had kibble, ever. lol

Now, I will never say all dogs will do well on raw. Some don't.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Courtney said:


> Curious as well. Russ came to me at 8 weeks being a raw fed puppy. His mom has never had kibble, ever. lol
> 
> Now, I will never say all dogs will do well on raw. Some don't.


I wonder why. Isn't this the best there can be for dogs?


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

prjwh081810 said:


> Oh and I wouldnt recommend feeding raw to any dog under 6months. Kibble is fine until their bodys are less accident prone in a nice way. Dont switch raw one day and kibble the next. If your feeding straight kibble then the occasionally chicken breast, back, or neck is a perfect treat
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2


This is not correct as many many breeders wean puppies directly onto the raw diet. There is no need to wait until 6 months old.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I think many people who's dogs have issues eating/digesting bones are the ones that feed an occcasional raw meal or don't know how to feed the balance of meat/bone/organ. 
My puppy was weaned onto raw(with an occasional kibble meal for the littermates that would be fed that diet) and we never had an issue with digestion. 
My 11 yr old golden was transferred cold turkey to raw and she handled it fine, in fact she thrived on the raw diet/lived to almost 15! 
If there is an issue with the dog not digesting, then I'd be sure I am feeding correctly and add in digestive enzymes(green tripe naturally has this).


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