My dog ate chicken bones and vets are closed. What should I do?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As long as Radar does not show any worrying symptoms at the moment and his energy level is normal you should monitor him at home. However, if he starts to vomit, passing stools with blood, or having difficulties to pass stools, you should take him to your local vets for an appointment right away.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can certainly be due to the chicken bones. It could be due to dietary indiscretion or even more concerning due to a gastrointestinal obstruction. The fact that Bailey ate dinner and did not vomit makes me think that it is less likely for this to be an obstruction though if the vomiting resumes or he stops eating, he should be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck!

If it's possible/likely that Duchess ate the bones, then she should go to the vet for x-rays. The problem with cooked bones is that they can easily splinter when chewed and puncture the stomach or intestines as they pass through, so you should always seek medical attention for ingestion of cooked bones. Good luck! I hope Duchess is OK. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should monitor your dog at home for signs of vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, abdominal pain, lethargy. If you notice any of these symptoms you should take your dog to your local vets as an emergency. Typically, the symptoms of food intoxication commence within 2-6 hrs after ingestion. Inducing vomiting in dogs that ate bones is never recommended as it pose a risk of esophageal tear from the sharp bones. Salmonellosis is a potential risk after eating decomposing food, however, Salmonella infection is not common in dogs in general. Typically, the symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Reggie is a large dog and likely will be fine. Cooked chicken bones usually do not cause a problem and the stomach acids tend to break the bones down. You can bulk up his diet with bread/fiber to help them pass, but that is likely unnecessary. Sometimes it isn't the bones that cause a problem but the sauce or seasoning that does-upset stomach and/or pancreatitis. It might not be wrong to feed a bland diet for a few days. I hope this helps and I wish Reggie the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In general, if there hasn’t been a problem for 48 hours, you’re in the clear. Continue feeding Indy as usual. If there is some diarrhea but Indy is still eating and playing and active, im still not terribly concerned. But if vomiting starts or you’re seeing lethargy or loss of appetite, it’s time to head in to the vet as soon as possible. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Indy!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Rocket got into some chicken bones - sounds like he will need the trash can locked away from him from now on. While most chicken bones can be digested by the stomach acid, some larger pieces may start migrating through the intestines before the stomach has had a chance to fully break them down. This makes sense with how you are already seeing pieces in his stool. Since he is vomiting and having diarrhea, he is likely experiencing some significant gastroenteritis, or inflammation/irritation of the GI tract. This is most often self-limiting, and should resolve on its own with a few days of a bland diet. I recommend feeding Rocket a diet of boiled rice and boiled chicken (no bones!) in a ratio of 2 parts rice to 1 part meat, for the next 2-3 days. If Rocket continues to vomit, or the diarrhea becomes bloody, I recommend having him seen a by veterinarian. A big concern would be that one of the bones has become lodged in his intestines, causing a blockage. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Rocket!