Hi all,

I am new to this group. I am sure this topic has been discussed
thousands of time, yet i would like to open up this topic simply to
alleviate my fears.

Three days ago I fed my 3 months old labrador pup a drumstick and he
happily finished it (He appears to have chewed the bone completely).
After feeding him chicken bone I was browsing the net and came up with
information on dangers of feeding chicken bone to dogs. Since then I am
on tenterhooks, every time my pup goes for easing himself i am nervous.
This is absolutely torturous for me and my wife although our dog is
perfectly active and not sowing signs of discomfort whatsoever. (i have
decided not to give him bones ever, can't bear with this anxiety at
all).
I would like to know how long does it take for the bone to completely
clear out of the system?
IF there is any problem then how do I find out are there any clear tell
tale signs?

Please help...

regards
Anand

I would like to know how long does it take for the bone to completely
clear out of the system?
IF there is any problem then how do I find out are there any clear tell
tale signs?

Different with every dog, but 12-36 hours should be about right. The deal is
this - if you know what you're doing, then raw chicken bones can be eaten.
Never cooked bones as they can splinter and cause real damage.

How do you know if there are problems? The moment you see that your dog is
having discomfort. When his appetite ceases. Or if you see that he is
experiencing discomfort while having a BM. If his abdomen is bloated. If
there is sudden blood in the stool or he is vomiting - especially if the
vomitous is black or looks like coffee grains, or if it's only bile. If your
dog isn't right - you'll know. Call the vet and tell him/her that he
recently ate a chicken bone and relay the symptoms.

-Sharon

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for the reply. My dog (Bruno) is not showing any discomfort or
any loss of apetite, no vomitting no blood in the stools (i have been
observing him closely) no change in behaviour. So I am hoping that
things are fine by now.

Since I made a mistake of giving him chicken bone (cooked) I am (like
and idiot) almost expecting trouble and not able to relax at all.
Everything which appeared to be normal 3 days ago before giving him
drumstick now seems abnormal. I feel like going and taking an x-ray of
him just to make doubly sure that all the bone pieces are cleared (the
vet has not suggested any of it).

Althought I understand that chicken bones could be trouble does not
mean it is definite trouble (or is it?). I spoke to the vet he asked me
to give a tea spoonful of liquid parafin and a small banana which I
gave. So far bruno is his usual bubbly self and I hope he stays that
way.

Regards
Anand

Sharon Too wrote:
I would like to know how long does it take for the bone to completely
clear out of the system?
IF there is any problem then how do I find out are there any clear tell
tale signs?

Different with every dog, but 12-36 hours should be about right. The deal is
this - if you know what you're doing, then raw chicken bones can be eaten.
Never cooked bones as they can splinter and cause real damage.

How do you know if there are problems? The moment you see that your dog is
having discomfort. When his appetite ceases. Or if you see that he is
experiencing discomfort while having a BM. If his abdomen is bloated. If
there is sudden blood in the stool or he is vomiting - especially if the
vomitous is black or looks like coffee grains, or if it's only bile. If your
dog isn't right - you'll know. Call the vet and tell him/her that he
recently ate a chicken bone and relay the symptoms.

-Sharon

wrote:
Hi Sharon,

Thanks for the reply. My dog (Bruno) is not showing any discomfort or
any loss of apetite, no vomitting no blood in the stools (i have been
observing him closely) no change in behaviour. So I am hoping that
things are fine by now.

Since I made a mistake of giving him chicken bone (cooked) I am (like
and idiot) almost expecting trouble and not able to relax at all.
Everything which appeared to be normal 3 days ago before giving him
drumstick now seems abnormal. I feel like going and taking an x-ray of
him just to make doubly sure that all the bone pieces are cleared (the
vet has not suggested any of it).snip

You could do that, you know. Ask for an x-ray just to be sure. The
ongoing worry may be a sign of you feeling so very guilty about the
whole thing, or you may be picking up on some very subtle stuff. You
know your dog better than anybody else and if you can't get the thought
of a follow-up x-ray out of your mind, go for it. I know several people
whose dogs or children were saved because they wouldn't ignore the
niggling sense that something was wrong.

In my opinion there is no real down side to getting the x-ray taken.
Either they spot a problem and your vet can figure out what to do before
it's too late, or they give you the all clear in which case you can quit
freezing in terror every time his stomach growls.

Kathleen

Thanks for the reply. My dog (Bruno) is not showing any discomfort or
any loss of apetite, no vomitting no blood in the stools (i have been
observing him closely) no change in behaviour. So I am hoping that
things are fine by now.

That's good.

Since I made a mistake of giving him chicken bone (cooked) I am (like
and idiot) almost expecting trouble and not able to relax at all.
Everything which appeared to be normal 3 days ago before giving him
drumstick now seems abnormal. I feel like going and taking an x-ray of
him just to make doubly sure that all the bone pieces are cleared (the
vet has not suggested any of it).

You could do that to give yourself some peace of mind. Dogs eat all kinds of
junk owners never know about and it passes. When we have dogs boarding and
we take them out for their walks, you'd be amazed at what we see come out
the other end! Then again, we have our fair share of GI obstructions that
have to be surgically removed. Most likely, if its been 3 days and there
have been no signs of a perforation/bleed or obstruction, then there's
nothing to worry about. But again, if you are knocking your head against the
wall in guilt or fear of the unknown, let your vet know that an x-ray would
help you out.

-Sharon

Sharon Too wrote:

You could do that to give yourself some peace of mind. Dogs eat all kinds of
junk owners never know about and it passes. When we have dogs boarding and
we take them out for their walks, you'd be amazed at what we see come out
the other end!

Ain't it the truth.

To the OP--I used to have a dog I fed chicken bones to. Never drumsticks;
I would give him what was left after I had a breast section. He ate the bones.

It never caused him a problem. I'm not saying it is a good thing to do, and
I wouldn't do it today, but I think it indicates that the risk from a single
exposure to chicken bones is something less than 100%.

I can't add to Sharon's advice.

Amy Dahl

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies. Its a week now and Bruno is just fine. I
have started taking him out after his rabies vaccination shot. He is
loving it. I am getting over the anxiety now.
Thanks once more..

Anand


Amy Dahl wrote:
Sharon Too wrote:

You could do that to give yourself some peace of mind. Dogs eat all kinds of
junk owners never know about and it passes. When we have dogs boarding and
we take them out for their walks, you'd be amazed at what we see come out
the other end!

Ain't it the truth.

To the OP--I used to have a dog I fed chicken bones to. Never drumsticks;
I would give him what was left after I had a breast section. He ate the bones.

It never caused him a problem. I'm not saying it is a good thing to do, and
I wouldn't do it today, but I think it indicates that the risk from a single
exposure to chicken bones is something less than 100%.

I can't add to Sharon's advice.

Amy Dahl

Please help...

Cooked poultry bones are very brittle and can splinter and choke an
animal. My dog had a close call a couple of years ago. She fished a
drumstick bone out of our garbage and I caught her in the process of
devouring it. It shattered and one piece actually got stuck between her
upper gums and couldn't be swallowed. The ends were so sharp that it cut
her gums to the point that blood was seen. If that bone had not lodged
where it did, she'd have probably choked to death. Luckily, a pair of
tweezers got the fragment out without any further damage.

--
"Whatever you do, don't stick your head in the oven" - Keith Hernandez,
on how to end a batting slump