Non-Toxic Bones and Chews
How to Select Non-Toxic Bones and Chews
Whether a bone or chew is potentially toxic has to do with the country of origin, the source of the product,
and how it was processed. You will want to look for "Made in the Canada or Made in the USA" labels on
packaging, or feel comfortable about where the product was sourced, for example, from
free-range herds out of New Zealand or Canada.
I never recommend feeding unlabeled bulk items out of bulk bins, because you really have no
idea where the product came from, how it was processed, how long it has been sitting
in the bin, or other similar concerns.
Whether a bone or chew is potentially toxic has to do with the country of origin, the source of the product,
and how it was processed. You will want to look for "Made in the Canada or Made in the USA" labels on
packaging, or feel comfortable about where the product was sourced, for example, from
free-range herds out of New Zealand or Canada.
I never recommend feeding unlabeled bulk items out of bulk bins, because you really have no
idea where the product came from, how it was processed, how long it has been sitting
in the bin, or other similar concerns.
How to Select Bones or Chews That Are a Good Fit for Your Dog
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Whether a bone or chew is a good fit for your dog has to do with common sense in most cases. Does the size of the recreational bone or chew present a potential choking hazard or intestinal obstruction? If a piece of bone breaks off and your dog swallows it, could it get stuck somewhere in the GI tract? |
With regard to the consistency of the product – its density or hardness – you need
to consider the health of your dog's teeth and gums.
You'll also want to think about the ingredients in the bone or chew. What nutrients does it provide?
Does it contain additives? Does it potentially contain opportunistic pathogens that could pose a
threat to your pet's health? For example, some bones are naturally high in fat, so
you wouldn't want to offer those bones to a pet with a history of pancreatitis.
to consider the health of your dog's teeth and gums.
You'll also want to think about the ingredients in the bone or chew. What nutrients does it provide?
Does it contain additives? Does it potentially contain opportunistic pathogens that could pose a
threat to your pet's health? For example, some bones are naturally high in fat, so
you wouldn't want to offer those bones to a pet with a history of pancreatitis.
A word or two about jerky products for you dog. There are some really bad dog treats and jerky products
on the market, and some really good ones. A composite meat-based treat that can be easily broken into
pieces is fine, as long as the product is made in the U.S. or Canada and doesn't contain problematic
preservatives. But don't assume your pet is getting any teeth-cleaning benefit from eating jerky-type treats.
Just as, for example, crunchy granola doesn't clean your teeth, crunchy dog treats don't clean your pet's teeth.
on the market, and some really good ones. A composite meat-based treat that can be easily broken into
pieces is fine, as long as the product is made in the U.S. or Canada and doesn't contain problematic
preservatives. But don't assume your pet is getting any teeth-cleaning benefit from eating jerky-type treats.
Just as, for example, crunchy granola doesn't clean your teeth, crunchy dog treats don't clean your pet's teeth.
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Gnawing and repetitive grinding are the chewing actions that wear down plaque and tartar on teeth, which means big recreational bones or chews that are meant to be worked on by your dog over a period of time. Smaller treats that are chewed and swallowed in a matter of seconds or minutes provide no dental benefit for your pet. So there's a big difference between treats that your dog chews and swallows almost immediately, and big bones or chews that require effort and can help control plaque and tartar in your pet's mouth. |
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Bones for Dogs Who Are 'Scarfers'
Most importantly, you need to match the size of the bone or chew with the personality, size and
health of your dog. Don't assume the bone or chew your neighbor feeds his dog, or the
one you fed your last dog, will also work for your current pet. Small dogs may handle
smaller chews just fine. Or not.
health of your dog. Don't assume the bone or chew your neighbor feeds his dog, or the
one you fed your last dog, will also work for your current pet. Small dogs may handle
smaller chews just fine. Or not.
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Some small dogs, and many large dogs, are scarfers.
If your pet tends to scarf down every morsel he's offered, you'll need to be cautious about any size bone or chew you feed him, because there's a chance it could end up in his stomach whole. Or he may attempt to swallow it whole and fail, which can be just as disastrous. A scarfer's primary objective isn't to chew or gnaw, but to get the item into his stomach as soon as possible. So my safety tip for all sized scarfers is, go big. |
Whether your scarfer is a Labrador or a Yorkie, if you offer a recreational bone larger than the
size of his head, it makes it nearly impossible for him to scarf.
So that's an important tip to remember.
size of his head, it makes it nearly impossible for him to scarf.
So that's an important tip to remember.
Bones for Aggressive Chewers
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Next on the list of potential problems involves the aggressive chewer. These dogs have one mission -- to finish the bone! Aggressive chewers want to consume the thing in its entirety, as soon as possible. The problem many aggressive chewers develop is fractured teeth. They think nothing of creating multiple slab fractures in their mission to break he bone down as quickly as possible. These dogs get hold of a bone and chew like mad, fracturing or wearing down their teeth very quickly. |
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Aggressive chewers shouldn't be given really
hard bones like antlers. Offering rock hard bones to hard chewers can create really significant dental trauma. The veterinary dentist I work with likes to say he has funded an entire wing of his dental suite thanks to antler bones and the wrong size marrowbones offered to aggressive chewers. So word to the wise! |
The Difference Between Raw Bones and 'Room Temperature' Bones
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Real beef and bison bones come steamed, smoked, or raw. Steamed and smoked bones have been treated so they won't spoil at room temperature. Through that process, the chemical structure of the bone changes and it becomes more brittle. Brittle bones fracture easily, so these bones aren't appropriate for aggressive chewers. Bones of all sizes can be preserved, so the way to tell the difference between treated bones and raw bones is you won't find the former in the freezer or refrigerator section. They'll be the .ones sitting on open store shelves at room temperature. |
Types and Sizes of Raw Bones
Types and Sizes of Raw Bones come from a variety of body parts, and they come in a variety
of sizes, but they're not appropriate for all dogs.
For instance, rib bones are narrow and are fine for gentle chewers, but they're not what you want
to give aggressive chewers due to them having a strong vertical bite force. If you were to give a
narrow bone to a pit bulls, they would start breaking it down into small pieces quickly and quite easily.
Raw femur bones and knucklebones or "soup bones" also come in a variety of sizes and you can
usually find them in the freezer section of your local upscale pet boutique or grocer.
Again, it's important to match the size of the bone to the size of the dog, so whereas a big beef
knucklebone is fine for my dogs, a smaller venison femur would not be. I don't recommend giving
small femur rings, which are often sold in packets of six in the freezer section (or, as another example,
kneecaps), to large breed dogs, because they will attempt to swallow them whole.
So the bottom line is that you really can't offer a bone that's too big, but you CAN offer bones that are
too small for your dog, putting her at risk of dental damage, choking, or intestinal obstruction.
of sizes, but they're not appropriate for all dogs.
For instance, rib bones are narrow and are fine for gentle chewers, but they're not what you want
to give aggressive chewers due to them having a strong vertical bite force. If you were to give a
narrow bone to a pit bulls, they would start breaking it down into small pieces quickly and quite easily.
Raw femur bones and knucklebones or "soup bones" also come in a variety of sizes and you can
usually find them in the freezer section of your local upscale pet boutique or grocer.
Again, it's important to match the size of the bone to the size of the dog, so whereas a big beef
knucklebone is fine for my dogs, a smaller venison femur would not be. I don't recommend giving
small femur rings, which are often sold in packets of six in the freezer section (or, as another example,
kneecaps), to large breed dogs, because they will attempt to swallow them whole.
So the bottom line is that you really can't offer a bone that's too big, but you CAN offer bones that are
too small for your dog, putting her at risk of dental damage, choking, or intestinal obstruction.
Recreational Bones vs. Edible Bones
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Also, to clarify… if you're not familiar with feeding dogs an ancestral diet, there are actually two types
of bones I'm talking about here. There are recreational bones and edible bones. Edible bones, which
are primarily poultry wings, backs and necks, are bones that dogs chew up quickly and swallow.
Edible bones are used by many raw feeders to balance the calcium ratios in homemade diets.
Recreational bones are primarily the long bones of large mammals like cattle and buffalo, are meant to
be gnawed on for oral health – not quickly chewed up and swallowed as a source of daily nutrients.
Allowing your dog to chew a femur (recreational) bone daily does not provide enough calcium or trace
minerals to balance a homemade diet. And although some dogs can and will break off chunks of the big,
dense bones, or even consume the entire femur, allowing aggressive chewers to do this repeatedly
will cause worn and potentially fractured teeth. In addition, it isn't an effective
method for balancing your dog's diet.
of bones I'm talking about here. There are recreational bones and edible bones. Edible bones, which
are primarily poultry wings, backs and necks, are bones that dogs chew up quickly and swallow.
Edible bones are used by many raw feeders to balance the calcium ratios in homemade diets.
Recreational bones are primarily the long bones of large mammals like cattle and buffalo, are meant to
be gnawed on for oral health – not quickly chewed up and swallowed as a source of daily nutrients.
Allowing your dog to chew a femur (recreational) bone daily does not provide enough calcium or trace
minerals to balance a homemade diet. And although some dogs can and will break off chunks of the big,
dense bones, or even consume the entire femur, allowing aggressive chewers to do this repeatedly
will cause worn and potentially fractured teeth. In addition, it isn't an effective
method for balancing your dog's diet.
Antlers Are a Good Idea soft chewers
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If your dog happens to be a soft chewer who
just enjoys holding or gently gnawing on a bone, antlers are for you. Antlers are the world's strongest bones and they last forever. You can purchase elk, moose, or deer antlers, and they're very economical because they just don't wear down. Antlers come in a variety of sizes and can be split, cut or whole, but again, you don't want to give a small antler to a large dog because of the potential for tooth fracture. Giving small antlers to small dogs and big antlers to big dogs is a really good idea, but first you want to make sure they're gentle chewers. |
Hooves Get a Thumbs Down
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Let's talk hooves for a moment. Hooves are actually my least favorite bone to offer because they're sharp and brittle. Many dogs have suffered excessive oral trauma from chewing sharp hooves. Now, I know there are plenty of people out there who will say, "No, my dog does fine with hooves," and that's great. But statistically speaking, veterinarians see more cut mouths from hooves than any other type of recreational bone. |
Another reason we dislike hooves for dogs..... they stink to high heaven and that smell
gets all over your dog. Trust me it is a totally disgusting smell.
gets all over your dog. Trust me it is a totally disgusting smell.