Wondering if it’s safe for your dog to have pork rib bones either cooked or raw? Find out what you need to know about feeding pork bones to your dog.
Maybe you just polished off some baby back ribs for dinner (Mmm…can’t beat a BBQ slathered rib, right?) and are now staring at a pile of bones on your plate wondering if you can throw one to the dog.
Hey, cartoons and animations always depict them with a bone in their mouth right? What could be the harm?
Well, unfortunately, cooked pork rib bones are definitely not something you want to feed your dog.
Let’s talk about why, if raw pork rib bones are any better and what the best bones are for giving your dog as a treat.
If you happened to have some beans alongside that BBQ rib dinner, read – can dogs eat black beans? too for more information.
CAN MY DOG EAT PORK RIB BONES?
When it comes to cooked pork bones whether they’re rib bones or any other bone from a pig, it’s generally not a good to give them to your dog.
Unlike the bones in sardines, pork bones, like chicken bones tend to splinter and crack making them both dangerous for dogs to consume. Just like toys, socks and barbie storage items pose a threat, if pork bones break off into small pieces, they can do serious damage to your dog’s mouth, throat and intestines.
Avoiding pork rib bones, pork chop bones, pork shoulder bones and pork butt bones is a good rule of thumb.
CAN DOGS EAT RAW PORK BONES?
While there are some raw bones dogs can have — like those in raw chicken feet — raw pork bones are also advised against feeding to dogs.
Although not as likely as cooked pork bones, raw pork bones still have a tendency to splinter and crack after ingestion potentially causing all the same problems.
When it comes to bones from pigs, it’s just best for your dog to avoid them completely.
WHAT KIND OF BONES ARE SAFE FOR DOGS?
Large raw beef or bison bones can be a healthy treat for your dog. They’re loaded with minerals and nutrients and help with dental hygiene of your pet.
The bone should be large enough that the dog doesn’t swallow it whole and it must be raw.
Cooked bones, even those from bigger animals like cows and bison can still splinter just like pork bones.
Dogs should always be supervised while eating any raw bone to monitor for choking or any other complications.
We give our Belgian Malinois raw beef bones 2-3 times a month to keep up with his dental health and he absolutely loves them!
Not to mention, it’s a great exercise to keep the dog occupied and calm for quite a bit, always a plus with a high energy dog like a Belgian Malinois!
MY DOG ATE A PORK RIB BONE, WHAT DO I DO?
If your pup was able to sneak a pork bone from the counter or your plate the best thing to do is take any remainder of the bone away immediately and check their mouth and throat for any lingering pieces.
At this point you’ll want to monitor for adverse symptoms. Don’t panic, it’s possible he or she will be able to pass the bone naturally without issue.
Distress symptoms such as:
- vomiting
- excessive drooling
- lack of appetite
- irregular bowel movements
- blood in the stool
can all be signs of concern in your dog after consuming the rib bone.
These may indicate a blockage in the intestinal tract and it’s imperative you get your dog to the vet immediately.
These same symptoms are what you should be looking for if your dog eats a large quantity of whole cherries with the seeds intact too.
The other issue with feeding dogs pork rib bones is the fat content. Pork is high in fat and any digestion of pork bones can result in pancreatitis issues for your dog.
While cooked pork meat (not bones) can be fed to dogs in small amounts, it’s typically not a protein that’s often used due to its higher fat content.
HOW TO USE PORK RIB BONES
If you’re dead set out of getting some use for those pork bones, make a broth!
Pork broth (or any broth) can be poured on top of a dog’s food for extra flavor (watch how fast they’ll gobble up their food with some broth on top!) and nutrients.
Just make sure to avoid using alliums such as onions, garlic and leeks when making a broth you plan to share with your dog.
Can dogs eat pork rib bones? – Best answer: no.
Throw them a chew toy instead for a much safer option!