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My dog ate a cooked chicken bone whole. What should I do immediately?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My 85lb golden/st bernard cross just swallowed a chicken leg bone whole. It was small, from the rotisserie chicken you get from a grocery store, and it slipped off the plate as it was being scraped into the trash. Just gulp, no chewing. I gave him 3 slices of bread and milk(george wont eat plain bread) how much should I panic?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on December 19th, 2021

Oh dear! As Dr. Orioles mentioned, cooked bones can be quite problematic since they can cause perforations in the gastrointestinal tract. While an immediate evaluation with your vet would be best, I recognize that that isn't always possible. The good news for your pup is that he's quite large, which generally leads to better success in passing bones through the stool. If you can't get to your vet right away, you can continue feeding him bulky food with bread, boiled chicken, or rice. I'd try to avoid the milk if possible since dairy products can cause stomach upset for many dogs. Chicken broth with the bread would be a better alternative. Keep a very close eye on his overall energy level, appetite, water consumption, vomiting, or diarrhea. If anything changes - even a mild bit of lethargy or a refusal to eat these tasty foods - then those are all red flags that the bones could be causing problems. Best of luck!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for your request. Unfortuantely these type of bones can cause partial or complete obstructions or possibly can result in perforations of the gastrointestinal system. I would recommend an immediate check up at your local veterinarian.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 11th, 2017

    It's always a concern when a dog eats chicken bone no matter the size because of the risk of intestinal perforation and/or obstruction. Feeding Jax some bread was a good idea, and I would feed him a slice of white bread with each meal for the next 72 hours. Monitor him for signs of obstruction and perforation which include vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, bloody feces, lethargy, and constipation. If you see any of these signs, take him into a vet immediately.

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 13th, 2017

    That might cause gastrointestinal obstruction (partial or complete), inflammation, or potentially perforation. Liquid mineral oil (like liquid paraffin) can be given in small quantities to facilitate gastrointestinal passage. I would recommend to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if you notice any sign like diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 28th, 2018

    Usually it is not a big problem if your dog ate a chicken bone as nowadays the chickens are very young when they are slaughtered, and therefore the bones do not splinter as easily. I would observer her for vomiting and diarrhea and lethargy. Sometimes a bone can get stuck in the intestinal tract and cause an obstruction which then makes the dog try to get rid of it via vomiting and diarrhea. If those signs appear you should take him to your vet for an exam. You can help him with the passage of the bone by feeding him a few tablespoonfuls of sauerkraut, which will wrap itself around the bone and speed up intestinal passage due to the content of lactobacilli. Be aware that your dog probably will not like the sauerkraut.

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