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Can my power chewer puppy safely chew a smoked bison knuckle bone?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 6 months and 22 days old | 91 lbs

I have a 6 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback 45 lb puppy . Can I give him a raw but smoked bison knuckle bone to chew attended? He is a power+ chewer.

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 18th, 2017

Ranger is a handsome boy. I know it can be hard to find approriate chew toys for these guys but I would recommend against the knuckle. If he is able to break off any pieces they could cause havoc to his GI tract, sometimes resulting in surgery. The other problem is large bones like this are likely to cause teeth fractures which can be painful problems and expensive to fix at a veterinary dentist.

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    Answered By Emily, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would not recommend that as the bone can splinter and cause issues along Ranger's intestinal tract. A better choice could be a heavy duty kong, everlasting treat ball, or even a commercial grade nylabone. Some pet stores sell antlers which if long and thick enough may be ok for him.

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    Answered By Amy Poole, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Ranger is so cute! I do not recommend dogs chew on bones, smoked or otherwise, as I have seen them cause cracked/broken teeth as well as intestinal upset if ingested. Bones can even cause an intestinal obstruction if ingested and require surgery. I usually recommend using a kong toy for powerful chewers as it has some give to it when the dog bites and chews on it and is unlikely to break teeth.

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