In practice the demand for advice on what to do when a dog has eaten chicken bones is quite frequent. They vary from dogs scraping the bones of leftover chicken wings at the barbecue to scavenging during walks to helping themselves to an entire carcass at family dinners.
Should we be worried
Dogs are carnivores – they are designed to digest meat and bones and, in theory, they should be able to cope with this, but not always. Often the bones that our dogs grab have been previously cooked. Cooked bones are of slightly more concern than raw bones because they become more brittle and are more prone to breaking into sharp pieces when chewed.
what will happen to the dog
The most likely outcome is that your dog will digest the bones, but he may have gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting or diarrhea due to the change in his diet. Some dogs have “steel stomachs” and you may not notice any problems, however, there is a possibility of developing some serious side effects that you should be alert to.
The best way to reduce/avoid the risk is to ensure that your pet cannot access any bones in the first place. This means not allowing family members or visitors to leave bones on plates at pet height and making sure your bins are secured with pet-safe locks to reduce the chance of bin raids.
If at any time you are concerned that your dog has eaten something he shouldn’t or is not behaving normally, please contact your vet for immediate advice. The sooner problems are detected and treated, the better for both you and your pet.
The advice is the same as above. Monitor closely for any problems and contact your vet immediately if you have any concerns.