Not all bones are safe for your pet and certainly not the Real Ham Bone made by Dynamic Pet Products. My dog Cassie had loved them, chewing on them for hours. But once larger pieces started breaking off – I took it away. More than once I’ve had her poop hard bone fragments, so I tried to restrict her to only getting the meat and marrow and prevent her from eating too much bone.
Other dogs haven’t been so lucky, especially not Nugget, a cockapoo who died after gnawing on this brand of bone. To date there have been 54 Real Ham Bone complaints and 5 or 6 dogs have died.
These bones are FDA regulated, but they do warn that bones are unsafe and can cause gastrointestinal obstruction, vomiting, diarrhea and death. Bones can be hazardous whether cooked or raw.
I recommend the following:
- Watch your dog when you give him a bone.
- Let him chew on it for a half hour or less then throw it in the trash. Old bones can attract insects and other animals if left outside.
- If he starts cracking off large pieces, take the bone away and dispose of it.
- Watch for signs of gastrointestinal distress such as a distended stomach, vomiting, or pain.
- Take him to the vet if he shows signs of distress.
- Note if he is pooping normally and the consistency. I’ve noticed Cassie’s stools get very hard after she chews on a bone.
- Never give your dog chicken bones or rib bones. These can splinter, puncturing the stomach or intestines.
