Chook Me!

My dog ate a chicken bone.?

My dog just grabbed and ate (I'm not sure if it was whole or if he chewed it up) a chicken bone (just one from a broiled/grilled wing) out of the garbage. Please don't lecture me on how bad this is, I REALIZE it is bad and I know they aren't supposed to have cooked chicken bones. It was an accident. What I want to know is, what are the statistics on when dogs eat a cooked chicken bone - how many live without vet's help. I do not have the money for emergency care. Is there anything I can do for him?? He is an 86 pound lab mix and has eaten an avocado and a large piece of chocolate cake before with no bad effects.

Public Comments

1. my dog swallowed a chicken bone and she is about the size of a jack russel terrier about two weeks ago and she was fine thankfully, dont worry about your dog he will be fine
2. I don't know the statistics, but our dogs have accidently eaten plenty of chicken bones over the years, and we've never had a problem from it. Usually what people worry about more is choking on them, and if hes fine now after eating it he should be alright. Just keep an eye on him, but my bet is hes fine and probably quiet happy with himself for the extra treat he got.
3. I know I am going to get yelled at, but I have a dog that does anything to get a chicken bone. Sorry, but I would rather her die happy and getting something she wanted then to make her feel bad all the time. Just watch for signs of digestion troubles. They will splinter and could get caught. I have had big and small dogs get a hold of them, and none have had trouble with them.
4. dogs eat chicken bones all the time. if he didnt get choked then he's fine! so calm down ok!! just think at one time they were wild and i'm sure they ate plenty of different types of fowl!!
5. Your doomed!!!! you could get in trouble...oooh baby..your dog COULD DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!! BETTER SAVE HIM! -no pressure-
6. ok I wont lecture you coz you already know and it was an accident, odds are he will be ok, just keep an eye on him over the next 24 hours or so, things to check for are; keep checking his stools to see if the bones pass. Watch for blood in the stool, or any signs that he's straining to defecate. You should also keep an eye on your dog's temperament. If he becomes moody or listless, take him to a vet immediately, try and relax, hopefully everything will be ok. You could also introduce some soft food into his diet like boil up some rice or pasta, this could help. Good Luck.
7. My dogs eat stuff like this all the time, I didn't even know it was bad...I wouldn't worry about it
8. Hi. Best to monitor his bathroom activities for the next few days. If you notice any changes in his poop or constipation, it would be advisable to check with your Vet. Also, any changes in eating habits could signal a problem. Best of Luck.
9. its not the best for him but i wouldnt look to go to a vet they eat bones in the wild the chocolate is worse then the bone try to be more careful about that
10. I agree with most of the people above.. most dogs will pass it just fine. Just keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't seem to be having problems. Another good thing to do to help him is to feed him bread- straight from the vets mouth. (No I'm not a vet, but thats what was recomended when the golden in my house ate an entire plateful of chicken wings.. stupid college boys left them out)
11. Sometimes they pass them with out a problem and sometimes they don't. At this point, since you can't go to the emergency vet, the best you can do is keep a close eye on him for any warning signs. Some warning signs that there's a problem (blockage) are throwing up most of what he eats or drinks (if he is eating and drinking at all) & depressed. Some of the signs of an internal abrasion to his digestive tract are vomiting or diarrhea (maybe with blood), little or no appetite. If they puncture the digestive tract, your dog will become extremely ill--there will be no mistaking it; this is life threatening. But, then again, maybe he will pass it with no major problems. If you have the money, it wouldn't hurt to have an x-ray done and see exactly what's going on in there. Hopefully, everything will pass without incident. Good luck!
12. he should be fine, my dogs have gotten to chicken bones and they are still alive
13. HE ATE CHOCOLATE that can kill a dog YOUR LUCKY well did you tell your parents about it if anything goes wrong then i would go to the vet but if everything is ok then just leave it if you have a job or something that you get paid for DO A LOT OF IT AND DON'T SPEND IT ON DUMB THINGS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
14. Ok these people obviously know nothing. Chicken bones are dangerous even if your dog didn't choke on it. They could splinter in his digestive tract and puncture his stomach or intestines and this would take very expensive surgery to repair. If you don't have money for an er visit, my suggestion (since I work in a vet er) is to moniter your dog, feed only soft foods and offer water. Take him to your regular vet in the morning and have an x-ray done to make sure they passed ok. This is a dangerous situation. Don't let someone tell you otherwise.