Is it safe for my 7-month-old boxer to chew on a bone marrow bone?

I would not recommend feeding cooked bones, and it’s best to avoid raw bones as well. Cooked bones can splinter and cause an obstruction, constipation or diarrhea. Raw bones could cause an obstruction as well and could result in food borne illness.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Vinny. I do not typically recommend marrow bones as I have seen dogs break off and swallow large pieces. This can become a surgery to remove them. I have also cases of gastrointestinal upset after chewing on them. That being said, if this is something he is accustomed to and you plan to monitor him with it, it should be fine. I hope this helps!

I personally never recommend giving dogs bones. They too often break teeth, and can and do lead to obstructions in the GI tract. Now there are rubber bones that Stormy can chew on, and you can give her one designed specifically for puppies. They are a bit softer and will help her when she starts teething in a couple of months. The Kong brand has a great range of puppy rubber bones, and I would get her one of those from a pet store. Just make sure to watch her when she chews on it to make sure she doesn't bite off and swallow any parts. Best of luck!

No it won't crack any teeth (or at least it is very unlikely to do so), but I would suggest not to give any bone at all (neither cooked or raw) to avoid any risk of secondary gastrointestinal complications. A KONG would be a good alternative, providing both a game and a chew with food. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/brand/kong Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I'm not a fan of these types of chews. They can be swallowed whole and could cause internal injuries or obstructions. Dried marrow would regain its "texture" once moistened with your dog's saliva. If you do decide to get these, make sure they are of appropriate size and monitor Echo when he is chewing one. Replace it if/when it becomes small enough to fit entirely in his mouth.

No! Dogs should NEVER be given raw or cooked animal bones for several reasons. Raw bones run the risk of transmitting harmful bacteria, including Salmonella or Campylobacter, both to your dog and any exposed people. These bacteria can be transmitted through a dog’s stool and saliva. Bones can also pose hazards for foreign body obstruction in the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. Poultry bones are inherently filled with air and cooked bones become more brittle, both of which can splinter leading to perforation of the stomach or intestines. Bones and antlers are also quite hard and can lead to tooth fractures. Instead of offering bones, alternative products such as Nylabones, Kongs, or the dental treats approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (www.vohc.org) are safer and more effective alternatives for dogs that like to chew.

As with any bone or hard chew toy, there are concerns for tooth trauma. In my experience, I've seen many broken teeth from dogs chewing on deer antlers, hard bones, etc. I would usually recommend against giving these for that reason. As Rocky is a larger breed dog, the pieces of bone that he is chewing off of the main bone should not be a problem and they should pass through his intestines just fine. However, if given a large enough bone and he eats it whole, this could lead to a GI foreign body obstruction as the bone tries to pass through and gets stuck. There are alternatives you can use such as Kong toys that you can put treats in or put peanut butter in that would keep him busy. Hopefully this helps! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other concerns you may have.