My Dog Ate a Chicken Bone in Tulsa, OK – What Should I Do?

It’s every dog owner’s worst nightmare. Your dog swooped in when you dropped a chicken bone in the kitchen and swallowed it before you could stop them. Maybe they went through the garbage and found some chicken remnants to munch on.

No matter how your dog got the chicken bone and ate it, this is a situation that is very serious. Chicken bones can be deadly to a dog because they are hollow and can break into sharp and jagged pieces when they are chewed up. These pieces can lead to serious damage to the stomach and gut without treatment.

dog ate chicken bones in tulsa, ok

What to Do When Your Dog Eats a Chicken Bone

If your dog ate a chicken bone it is important to stay calm, call your vet and follow the vet’s advice.

Stay Calm

The first thing that you need to do is stay calm. It can be scary to find out that your dog has eaten something that could cause them serious harm, but panic will not help anything. Make sure that you take a deep breath and remain calm so that you can attend to the situation in an effective way.

Call Your Vet

The next thing that you need to do is call your veterinarian. They will likely want to see your dog to make sure that the bone that they have swallowed is not a threat to their health. Chicken bones that are quite small can usually dissolve in the stomach, but your vet can take x-rays to see if the bone is large or seems to be threatening your dog’s well-being.

Follow Your Vet’s Advice

Be prepared for your dog to need to stay at the vet for emergency surgery if the bone is quite large and should not be passed through the digestive tract. In cases where the bone has dissolved, your dog will probably be given some antibiotics because of the risk of significant bacterial contamination that is linked to chicken bones. You will be asked to observe your dog’s behavior at home to make sure that they are not going to have a secondary emergency related to having eaten the chicken bone.

Will My Dog Always Have to Have Surgery?

Surgery is not always required when your dog eats a chicken bone. The bigger the bone, the more likely it will be that your pet will have to have surgery. Smaller bones will often dissolve in the stomach, but they can still impart unwanted bacteria to your dog’s gut. These bacteria can be life-threatening as well if they are not treated with antibiotics.

Eating chicken bones is never a good thing, and most dogs don’t get off without feeling poorly due to eating them. Chicken bones should never be thrown away in the house or where your dog can get to them. Also, be sure that you tell everyone that you invite over not to feed your dog bones of any kind. Some people don’t realize that bones are not safe for dogs to eat and might give your dog a chicken bone just to be nice to them.

How Do I Know if My Dog Might Have Swallowed a Chicken Bone?

Sometimes it can be unclear if your dog did eat a chicken bone. You might think they have done so, but you can’t prove it. Be on the lookout for these symptoms that are commonly associated with having eaten a chicken bone:

These symptoms can be connected with other kinds of health conditions as well, which is part of why you need to take your dog to the vet if they are showing these symptoms. Being sure about what is causing your dog to feel poorly is important. If it is after hours for your regular vet, you will need to reach out to an emergency vet to make sure that you can get your pet looked at right away. The sooner that your dog is treated for having swallowed a chicken bone, the better.

Can My Dog Eat Other Kinds of Bones?

Contrary to popular belief, dogs really should not eat bones of any kind. All animal bones are very high in fat if the marrow is still inside the bone, and this can cause digestive upset. Additionally, bones of all kinds can splinter and break, leading to the same risks that are caused by your dog ingesting a chicken bone. Lastly, bones can be full of bacteria that are very harmful and which can make your dog very sick.

Every year dogs die from ingesting bones of various kinds due to these complications that are associated with chewing on or eating bones. There are so many ways that you can give your dog treats that are much healthier for them and much safer. If you really want to give your dog a treat when you are eating dinner, make sure that it is not a bone product of any kind.

Dogs Should Never Eat Any Kind of Bone

If your dog has eaten a chicken bone, you should get them to the vet right away to be checked out. Any kind of bone can pose a risk to your dog’s well-being, and you should be just as worried about them consuming beef or pork bones whole as well. Your dog can have all kinds of other treats that are safe and are made for them to eat. There is never any need to give your pet bones from the meal that you have just finished.

Sharing your food with your pet is not a great idea for many reasons, and the risks that are associated with chicken bones and things like ham bones cannot be overstated. Even if your parents gave your family pet bones when you were a kid, there is a lot of science that has shown that this is just not a good idea. Pet owners need to be careful about throwing chicken bones away outside or where the dog cannot access them to protect their dog’s well-being.

Looking for a vet because your dog ate a chicken bone? Call Animal Emergency Center at 918-665-0508!

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