Part Of Me Is Panicing. Should I Be?

[Rileys mum]

I fed my boy a lamb shank today which is nothing new. He gets them regularly with no problem. I went to the toilet ( I kno.... Too much info but my point is I left him for a short amt of time) when I came back I found him knawing on half the bone. It was snapped off and I can't find the rest of the bone anywhere !!!! I'm really worried he's either chewed it and has eaten broken bits of bone, or he's swallowed it whole ( which I doubt because he doesn't eat bones that way normally but it's still a possibility) he's completely normal in himself and ate all his dinner tonight. Should I be worried enough to get him to an emergency vet or just wait and see if he gets unwell??

He's never done this before and usually just eats the meat off, leaves the bone and I pick it up and bin it.

What should I watch out for with him as far as signs he's not well??

There is also a possibility he's burried it as I can't picture him eating a bone that dense so quickly but I just can't help fretting .

Thanks in advance.

[anniek]

Assuming it was raw - I wouldn't be worried - my guys always eat the whole thing.

[Rileys mum]

Yeah it was raw.

[anniek]

Does he normally do ok with bones? Is he a cruncher or a gulper? How big is he?

[tdierikx]

My Labrador can completely devour a whole raw lamb shank in about 5 minutes - bones and all...

What kind of dog is Riley?

T.

[black magic]

Mine is munching on one now!

[Rileys mum]

Ok that makes me feel better . He's a German short haired pointer n definately crunches bones well. He's fed a raw diet so is used to bones etc. I'd just never had him try to eat a shank. Thanks again

[FranVT]

I never thought of feeding dogs lamb shanks! *adds to shopping list*

[noisymina]

One school of thought (opinion..whatever) says it is best not to feed loadbearing bones.

I sort of thought that was a good idea. Saves worrying about this stuff (even tho I've fed large bones many time without issues in the past).

It also made sense to me when I watched the dog eating and realised that large bones did not do much for the back teeth - only the front teeth were being used.

So now we go for non-load bearing bones (with the occasional exception being chicken legs, which I don't think really count).

So our list goes along the lines of chicken wings/necks/frames, lamb ribs, turkey necks, roo tails etc.

[percyk]

my dachsie years and years ago before we knew better had cooked bones and got into huge strife with a lambshank that was cooked by mum

boy did he suffer...he had such abdominal pains that he could hardly sit or lie

the vet fixed him...and he was fine...i was a kid so i dont know what the vet did..i dont think that i even went with dad to take him

raw bones have never been a problem here and we have had the occasional worry with a cooked bone swiped but even so..no real incident of concern

of course we are very aware of not feedint cooked bones or leaving them where dogs can get to them

[jacqui835]

My dog eats raw bones all the time. Sometimes, when he's eaten I guess you might refer to them as load-bearing bones, he throws them up afterward. Other times though, it all passes through and you can't tell when it comes out the other end.

I think it just depends on how thoroughly he chews it. If it can't fit through, it comes back up the way it went in ;)

[Sky_Mel]

I used to get my girl the shanks but she almost choked on a part that came off the top so I make sure I get the ones that are solid with no cuts in the bone, if that makes sense hehe

[Sheridan]

I used to feed lamb shanks but they're too bloody expensive now!

[Dame Aussie]

Assuming it was raw - I wouldn't be worried - my guys always eat the whole thing.

Same, gone in ten mins

[Dame Aussie]

I used to feed lamb shanks but they're too bloody expensive now!

Tell me about it, our butchers went from $2 to $4.50!! Someone told me they get more exxy in Winter as people are buying them for soups etc

[CrazyCresties]

Yup my cocker spaniel loved them too, he would give them a good crunch and spend his time over them

[Odin-Genie]

One school of thought (opinion..whatever) says it is best not to feed loadbearing bones.

I sort of thought that was a good idea. Saves worrying about this stuff (even tho I've fed large bones many time without issues in the past).

It also made sense to me when I watched the dog eating and realised that large bones did not do much for the back teeth - only the front teeth were being used.

So now we go for non-load bearing bones (with the occasional exception being chicken legs, which I don't think really count).

So our list goes along the lines of chicken wings/necks/frames, lamb ribs, turkey necks, roo tails etc.

My dogs tend to use their back teeth when chewing on marrow bones. They were starting to get brownish stains on their back teeth and no amount of brushing helped. The vet suggested marrow bones, and within a month they had bright, clean teeth.

[lilli_star]

Resurrecting this thread because of what happened tonight.

My 7 1/2 month old Labrador puppy, Ruby, eats lamb shanks regularly. She crunches up most of the bone, and I usually throw the last bit away (10cm or so long).

This afternoon I gave Ruby a bigger shank than usual, and for the first time it was cut almost in half (I bought it from Woolworths today instead of my local butcher as I usually do). I sat outside with her while she ate it just in case, and she took a bit longer than usual to strip the meat off. She bit the bone into 2 pieces and was munching on the bottom half (if that makes sense), when I could see that she had the whole thing in her mouth. As I was watching her, it seemed like it was stuck, and just as I got up to get it out, she swallowed it. I threw the other half (top half) in the bin straight afterwards, but now I'm slightly freaking out.

I know dogs eating bones is natural, but I'm afraid that having swallowed it whole, it may cause problems coming out, or if she throws it up

Since that happened, she played with next doors GSD for an hour, and seems fine. I gave her one of those small containers of Nature's Gift wet food a little while ago just to help things through. She doesn't usually get a whole one- just a couple of teaspoons full in her Kong, so I'm hoping it might help push things through? I haven't given her any kibble tonight either.

I think I remember Persephone saying once that psyllium husks help, but I don't have any and the local supermarket here is shut. Is Metamucil similiar? I have some of the Fibresure brand- no taste, mixes into food or liquid. The ingredients just say 100% Inulin (whatever that is).

All advice appreciated.

[lilli_star]

Bump.

[persephone]

lilli- The acid in a dog;s stomach is amazingly strong! It should get broken down..or if it does rattle around in there, and won't pass thru into the intestine..she will throw it up, most likely .

Just keep an eye on her ..and you will now if she is uncomfortable in a day or so ....

It's always a worry when this sort of thing happens . My Hamlet scares the bejabers out of me regularly - swallowing whole bones & other stuff .

remembering back- my auntie's collie rough used to have a lamb shank every day of her life....