If you come to this page, you would have probably noticed your dog eating up a pork bone. I can totally imagine you being worried sick, as I myself had the same issue. There was once, I noticed my dog rummaging through the bin and chewing on two large pieces of pork ribs! I can never imagine myself doing that. Nonetheless, I got worried, and I quickly brought my dog to the vet, asking for help that my dog ate a pork chop bone. Of course, my dog turned out to be fine. So while I have gotten it wrong, it will be good for us to know the signs that the dog have consumed a pork chop bone.
Signs that your Dog Has Eaten a Pork Chop Bone
The first step in addressing this issue is to determine whether or not your dog has actually eaten a pork chop bone. Some common signs that your dog may have consumed a pork chop bone include vomiting, diarrhea, and a lack of appetite. You may also notice that your dog is lethargic or appears to be in pain. If you suspect that your dog has eaten a pork chop bone, it is important to act quickly.
Why Pork Chop Bones are Dangerous for Dogs
Pork chop bones, like any other bones, can pose a serious health risk to your dog. When your dog chews on a bone, it can easily splinter into small pieces that can become lodged in your dog’s throat or digestive system. These small pieces can cause serious injuries, including cuts and punctures, that can lead to infection and even death. Additionally, if the bone becomes lodged in your dog’s digestive system, it can cause a blockage that can be very difficult to treat.
Here is what you should be doing if your dog indeed ate a pork chop bone.
What Do Do When Your Dog Ate A Pork Chop Bone
When your dog has eaten a pork chop bone, the first thing you got to ask is if the bone is uncooked or cooked. If your dog has eaten a cooked bone, then you would need to monitor the dog’s behavior closely. If it is an uncooked bone, then the danger is less evident.
This is simply because bone, by itself, is soft. The only hard bones that you can see are the cooked bones. Hence, when your dog chews on the cooked bones, the bone itself will crumble and form splinters. Now, the splinters can be sharp and might puncture the dog’s throat, if not the stomach. Hence, chewing on cooked bones is actually dangerous for the dog.
The reason why the cooked bone can splinter is simply that the chemical compound of the bone is completely degraded by the heat during the cooking process, and hence the bones become brittle. Luckily for you, the dog’s internal digestive tract is able to withstand and disintegrate the cooked bone in the stomach. However, some remnants of it might be present in the dog’s stool. Hence, always check your dog’s stool after the episode to ensure that the bone is completely disintegrated or that your dog is completely in the pink of health.
On the other hand, if your dog has chewed on raw bones, you can be more relieved as there will not be any splinter present to damage your dog’s internal system. Perhaps you got to worry if the pork bone itself is infected.
Preventing Your Dog from Eating Pork Chop Bones
The best way to deal with this issue is to prevent it from happening in the first place. You can do this by ensuring that your dog does not have access to pork chop bones. If you do decide to give your dog bones to chew on, make sure that they are specifically designed for dogs and are not cooked. Cooked bones are much more likely to splinter and cause harm to your dog.
In addition to avoiding pork chop bones, you should also be careful about what other foods you give your dog. Some common human foods, such as chocolate, grapes, and onions, can be toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all costs.
Conclusion
If your dog has eaten a pork chop bone, it is important to act quickly to ensure their safety. Contact your veterinarian right away and follow their advice. To prevent this issue from happening in the future, make sure to keep pork chop bones and other dangerous foods out of your dog’s reach.
