My dog is eating a smoked ham bone. Is it safe for him to eat it all?

Question

Hi so I bought my dog these 2 bones a few weeks ago at petco.It was 2 ham bones that were smoked I think.So I gave him one about a week or 2 ago and now he picked it up again and started eating it again.So now he's really gotten into eating it and so my question is, is this safe for him to eat the whole bone? I would think so because there were 2 in the pack and he seems to not have to much trouble in getting through it. I'm watching him as he eats it and he seems to chew even the small pieces. Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 72 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

Bones can dissolve in the stomach and as long as there are not very large pieces or too many pieces, they do not usually cause a problem. However, I have seen many dogs that swallow a large piece that gets stuck in the intestines or causes a lot of damage because of the sharp edges. I have also seen dogs that eat too much bone at once and the stomach doesn't dissolve all of it before it moves into the intestines. Then all the tiny pieces of bone start to turn into feces, which can cause constipation because it hurts the dog too much to try to pass the feces with bone shards in it. My recommendation is to continue to watch Rocky when he is chewing on the bones to make sure he is chewing well, and to limit his time with the bone. It should last 1-2 weeks. Also know that bones are very hard to chew on and can break teeth or cause uneven wear on the teeth, lending to dental issues later on down the line.

My dog is eating a smoked ham bone. Is it safe for him to eat it all?

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