My dog ate bones from a dead animal. Is it dangerous? What to do?

Question

Both of my golden retrievers are female and weigh 70 lbs. they both got into bones from some kind of larger dead animal. Not sure what kind of animal but bigger than a raccoon or possum. Not sure how many bones they ate and which type of bone. There wasn’t any meat or anything other than a pile of bones that they got into. What can I do to help them and is this dangerous since the bones were not cooked? How long until they are in the clear and what do I need to look for? Thank you!! Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Female | spayed | 10 years and 6 months old | 73 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Other than the possibility of either dog vomiting up the bones in the middle of the night, they probably will be fine. Bones, while not recommended to be fed, will be digested. If this was a large carcass, like from a deer or cow, a dog can consume enough bone to either cause a blockage of severe constipation. But since this was a much smaller critter, I see no problems. Disease/parasite problems are nil, but may be a very small possibility. If your dogs are on a broad spectrum heartworm preventative, they are covered for parasites, otherwise a good wormer would not hurt. Watch for any signs of abdominal discomfort, prolonged diarrhea, inappetence or vomiting that lasts longer for a day or so, but if there are no issues, the bones will be gone in the next 12-18 hours. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog ate bones from a dead animal. Is it dangerous? What to do?

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