FDA States: Bones Are Unsafe For Your Dog Plus Read About Antler Chews For Dogs!

We receive this question all the time – "Are bones safe for dogs?" Below find an article from the FDA and an article from DentalVets in the UK "Antler Dog Chews – an upsurge of fractured upper carnassial teeth."

Next time you go to give your dog a bone or Antler Chew you might want to think twice. Being a safe consumer will save you a lot of money at the vet!

Looking for safe alternatives to bones, antler chews and rawhides (can cause choking, throat irritations and potentially dangerous intestinal blockages)? Look no further! Life's Abundance offers Porky Puffs which are a great alternative to rawhides and a line of Buffalo Products. Choose from Buffalo Bully Sticks, Buffalo Lungs or Buffalo Meat Strips. These products will keep your dog happy and healthy. Best of all NONE of these products have ever been recalled!

Article From The FDA:

The idea that it's natural for dogs to chew on bones is a popular one. However, it's a dangerous practice and can cause serious injury to your pet.

"Some people think it's safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast," says Carmela Stamper, D.V.M., a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration. "Bones are unsafe no matter what their size. Giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to your veterinarian's office later, possible emergency surgery, or even death."

"Make sure you throw out bones from your own meals in a way that your dog can't get to them," adds Stamper, who suggests taking the trash out right away or putting the bones up high and out of your dog's reach until you have a chance to dispose of them. "And pay attention to where your dog's nose is when you walk him around the neighborhood—steer him away from any objects lying in the grass."

Here are 10 reasons why it's a bad idea to give your dog a bone:

1. Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
2. Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see your veterinarian.
3. Bone gets looped around your dog's lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see your veterinarian.
4. Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see your veterinarian.
5. Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to your veterinarian immediately!
6. Bone gets stuck in stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which your veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
7. Bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage. It may be time for surgery.
8. Constipation due to bone fragments. Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they're very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to your veterinarian.
9. Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It's time for a trip to see your veterinarian.
10. Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog.

"Talk with your veterinarian about alternatives to giving bones to your dog," says Stamper. "There are many bone-like products made with materials that are safe for dogs to chew on."

"Always supervise your dog with any chew product, especially one your dog hasn’t had before," adds Stamper. "And always, if your dog 'just isn't acting right,' call your veterinarian right away!"

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Posted April 20, 2010; Reviewed Sept. 24, 2013

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Article From DentalVets in the UK

Antler Dog Chews – an upsurge of fractured upper carnassial teeth

In the last few weeks we have experienced a surge in the numbers of fractured teeth from antler chews sold for dogs as "natural tooth cleaning". The teeth damaged have all had the same buccal slab fractures of the upper carnassials (see below). Many have fractured so severely that surgical extraction is the only treatment possible.

Severe fracture of the left upper carnassial in four fragments. Surgically removed.

Antler responsible for tooth fracture. Blood on chewed end.

The advertising typically claims they are good for cleaning teeth, that dogs cannot bear down on them and being safe for puppy teething. Given their hardness (see the fractured teeth page) the damage is the most extreme we can remember. Since antlers are bone our normal advice applies in this regard. See the following information sheet from the US Government.

A letter signed by a group of concerned vets and nurses has been sent to the Veterinary Record to warn the profession at large and also to recruit cases for a detailed study. In addition major pet stores and two manufacturers have been contacted regarding our concerns and to request their withdrawal from sale. In the meantime we suggest you do not stock them if you are a practice and if you are an owner with a grievance you petition for redress.

​​​​Why Choose Life's Abundance dog and cat products?

Life's Abundance has had NO RECALLS EVER!

Life's Abundance has been in business since 1999.

Life's Abundance currently has 6 warehouses to make shipping to you as quick as possible.

Life's Abundance dry dog and cat foods are generally shipped within 6 weeks of being made. They don't sit in non climate controlled warehouses or semi trailers for months before hitting the store shelves.