• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pet Ponder

Pet Ponder

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Articles

Is it Safe to Give Ham Bones to Your Dog?

It's the festive season, you just had a delicious ham for dinner, and now you're wondering what to do with the bones. Thinking of giving them to your dog? Don't! Read this DogAppy article to know why dog's can't, or shouldn't, eat ham bones, and why it isn't a safe idea.

Home / Pet Types / Dogs / Is it Safe to Give Ham Bones to Your Dog?
Is it Safe to Give Ham Bones to Your Dog?

It’s the festive season, you just had a delicious ham for dinner, and now you’re wondering what to do with the bones. Thinking of giving them to your dog? Don’t! Read this DogAppy article to know why dog’s can’t, or shouldn’t, eat ham bones, and why it isn’t a safe idea.

Adult Supervision Recommended

Dogs are just overgrown babies, and you can give ’em a bone to really prove this point. A dog going at a bone will not understand when and where to stop. So keep a close watch on him/her at this time, and watch for any signs of bleeding or discomfort. Call the vet if you see anything amiss, but first, throw that bone out on a priority basis.

You hear ‘dog’, you say ‘bone’. It is a common reflex action! These two words have co-existed harmoniously for thousands of years now, but according to a recent FDA warning, it seems like we all may have been getting it wrong the whole time. Carmela Stamper, D.V.M., Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration says, “Some people think it’s safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast. 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.” She even advises keeping an eye on your dog around the ham (or other meat), and keeping it in a place that is out of his/her reach.

Would you like to write for us? Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk...

Let's Work Together!

Why it isn’t a good idea

Giving dogs ham bones, whether cooked or raw, is something like planning an advance trip to the vet. Ham bones are brittle bones that break quicker than most others. If your dog accidentally swallows a piece or breaks the bone in his/her mouth, it can lead to an internal obstruction or injury that can prove to be fatal. Here are some of the health problems that can be caused by feeding your dog bones (ham or otherwise).

▶ If your dog chews on the bone too hard, it can cause broken teeth. These require immediate attention and are quite expensive to be fixed.

▶ The bone can get stuck in the food pipe while your dog tries to swallow it. This will lead to gagging, induced vomiting, and a very freaked out dog!

▶ Sharp splinters may cause mouth or tongue injuries. These are painful, scary to see, and involve a loss of blood – vet trip!

▶ Constipation is a condition that is easily detectable and readily curable. Watch out for the signs in your dog, as the calcium content in the bone may harden the stool, making it difficult to pass. Visit the vet to be on the safe side.

▶ The bone, or a piece of it, can enter your dog’s windpipe and lodge itself there. This classifies as a medical emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing, and nothing is worse than that.

▶ So your dog managed to swallow the bone down his/her throat, but it is too big to pass through the stomach. What to do? Call your vet, because this problem is going to need a trip to the emergency room. The vet will have to perform a surgery or an endoscopy to move that pesky bone.

Would you like to write for us? Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk...

Let's Work Together!

▶ Alright, so the stomach was kind enough to let the bone through, but the intestines were a lot less understanding. A bone stuck in the intestines is a very serious problem, so get your dog to the emergency room ASAP.

▶ A common problem seen in many dogs is the bone getting stuck around the lower jaw. This can be a painful or scary affair for your pet, and will require veterinary intervention.

▶ If you see blood in the stools or in the rectal area, then do not waste any time in going to the vet, as these can be signs of internal bleeding or injury.

▶ Peritonitis, a bacterial infection where bone pieces poke holes in the dog’s stomach or intestines. This can be fatal.

▶ Ham bones may also cause pancreatitis, which leads to an inflammation of the pancreas. This is because ham is a fatty food, and is not good for dogs. This condition can prove to be fatal.

▶ Bloat is another problem that can turn serious. Ham is a salty foodstuff, and eating the bones may cause a dog to drink too much water, which can cause bloat, gas, or even a twisted stomach.

These are some of the health problems that your dog may face if he/she eats ham bones. No, this list is not biased only to ham bones, but it holds strong in their case.

Some safer alternatives

✦ Nylabones, that are made of nylon, are good substitutes for ham bones. Similarly, bones made of rawhide also work well.

✦ Dog chews or dental bones are also safe substitutes that are quite popular among dog owners.

✦ If you wish to feed your dog natural bones, opt for softer varieties such as chicken bones. You can also give bigger bones that are chewable and have more meat on them.

✦ Observe your dog and see if he/she is a chewer, or prefers gulping things. The size and texture of the bone will have to be decided according to your dog’s tendency.

✦ Always keep a watch and listen closely during the bone-eating sessions. Signs of discomfort or the sounds of a used-up bone must ensure its prompt discarding.

✦ Visit your vet, as he/she will be able to provide you with the most appropriate bone alternatives for your dog.

This write up hopefully answers your question of whether dogs can eat ham bones, raw or cooked, and whether it is safe for them. The answer is, bones – sometimes, ham bones – no! So be prepared, be safe, and never make any bones about what you feed your dog, literally!

Dry Food For Dogs In Transparent Jar
Dog Biscuit Bones
Dog Treats
Dog Treats
Ugly Black Dog
Old Bones

Like it? Share it!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
« Previous Post
Next Post »

Category iconDogs

Get Updates Right to Your Inbox

Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox.
Blog Updates

Further Insights

Best Dog Breeds for Hiking
March 10, 2020
The Real Reasons Why You Should Get an Elevated Dog Bed
May 21, 2016
Smart Tips on How to Train Your Dog to Sleep in His Bed
May 11, 2016

Primary Sidebar

Search

Latest Articles

dog and cat laying in grass together

What Pet Magazines Are Worth My Time and Money?

puppy chewing on bone

The Pet Pantry: Holistic Pet Food You Can Count On

dog on leash

How Important are Pet ID Tags?

dog and cat with their humans

The Pet Spot: Ohio’s Premiere Boarding Facility

Exploring the website?

Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there!

Footer

We hope you are enjoying PetPonder! We provide informative articles about caring for pets that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more!
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Copyright © Pet Ponder & Buzzle.com, Inc.
6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT