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My puppy swallowed a cooked chicken bone and coughed. Is he okay?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Samoyed | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 17 days old | 14.55 lbs

My 11 week old puppy stole a cooked chicken bone and ran knowing I would try to take it back. He swallowed the bone before I managed to take it away. A few minutes later he began to cough/hack something up shortly, on two occassions, separated by a few minutes. It has been 4 hours since, pooped twice, both normally and is quite active and playful. Would he be okay?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 9th, 2017

Chicken bones can become lodged in the esophagus or cause an upset stomach, but if they make it into the stomach (and if they were chewed well) often they can be digested and pass through the gastrointestinal tract without incident. It is a little concerning that he coughed and hacked after eating the bone: I would recommend trying to offer some food and water and making sure he can keep it down. If he vomits, has a decreased appetite or develops diarrhea I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian right away.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 18th, 2017

    It sounds like he was able to get that down his throat OK, so no need to worry at this time. They are actually quite adapted to eat these bones, so in the vast majority of cases they will have no problem passing the bone. They will usually pass it within 3-5 days. In some cases it can get stuck In the stomach or intestines. In these cases the dog is usually very painful - will usually curl up and not be interested in moving, eating or drinking. They will also vomit multiple times. If you notice any of those things in the next 5 days, then you should bring him to the vet immediately. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do at this time. You'll just have to wait it out. Stay optimistic though...this is rarely a problem.

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