No it’s true, despite my best efforts, I just don’t have the drive to bake for my dogs. I want to, really I do, because I love baking, but when I bake I want to bake for me.
As I’ve mentioned before, when it comes to the dog treats, I’m all about the easy. Which is why a few months back I recommended filling some white bones with Keifer.
Our bones were looking a little worn, so Sunday I popped over to my neighborhood retail store and picked up a couple of new ones.
They were stuffed with something that was referred to as ‘peanut butter’ but the very first ingredient was corn syrup. I took a little plastic knife and scrapped that crap stuff out, soaked the bones in some soapy water and filled them with pumpkin and applesauce.
Nine o’clock rolls around and it’s time for snack. Delilah gets her treat in the living room while Sampson gets his in the bedroom. Normally I watch TV in the bedroom, but as it happens the living room TV was mine.
I was catching up on some DVR’d shows and doing the great facebook time suck when I realized Delilah was still working on her bone. I glanced at the clock and she’d been going at it for about 45 minutes.
I figured there was probably a little bit of that ‘peanut butter’ left in the bone and wondered if Sampson was enjoying his as much as Delilah was.
Imagine my surprise when I walked into the bedroom and half of Sampson’s bone was gone.
Not half of the filling.
Half of the bone.
Oh there were little bits and pieces of it left on the bed, but the bone was half its original size.
It started out like this.
And ended up like this.
As you can imagine, I freaked out.
Just. A. Little. Bit.
Granted the white bone says it is beef, and we feed raw so a bit of bone should be okay, but there was a LOT of that bone missing.
Yesterday, first thing I called my vet. I thought maybe Sampson should go in and have an x-ray.
She thought that might be a little premature.
She told me to keep an eye on him, to watch for vomiting or straining when he poops, or just signs that he’s not feeling well.
She also feels that if he did swallow a larger piece, it should be able to be passed by giving him an enema. (I figure that’s the last time Sampson happily goes to the vet.)
So here we sit in a holding pattern, keeping a sharp eye on Sampson.
It’s been about 36 hours and so far, he’s happily eating his food, hasn’t vomited and has done a normal poop.
The vet said about 48 hours, so we are in the home stretch. Please keep your fingers crossed for us.
And remember, when giving your pets anything that has the potential to break or be chewed apart, please monitor them.
My worry could have been prevented had I only paid attention.
Hopefully he chewed the bits to tiny pieces. Good luck!
OH I know your pain. Bert can chew up anything. I even tried those big leg bones of the cow with out the kncukle. twice we have had to do surgery to remove tennis balls, rocks, chew bones. ANd beleive me, I watch him closely. (aparently not close enough)
Good luck, I am glad you are on the down hill side of this.
Bert
We hope it is nothing to worry about. We are not allowed bones for that very reason. Yep they’d end up in the bed probably after being buried outside. Have a terrific Tuesday.
Best wishes Molly
I think you’re out of the woods. It’s crazy the stuff out dogs ingest that would probably choke us. The other day Henri was finishing up his bully stick, there was maybe a 1 1/2 inch piece left. He couldn’t hold it with his paws, he had it in his mouth chewing it. I like to take it away from them before they swallow it and choke. As I walked towards him he did it, he swallowed the whole thing! I freaked and he licked his chops! But in the end he was fine. He’s also eaten the top part of a basket. It amazes me he’s still alive!
The nice thing about the really hard chews is that the dogs can’t really get much off in a chunk. And they can digest bone. Whether you believe in feeding raw or not, their stomachs *are* capable of dissolving pretty large chunks of bone.
I’m sorry you had a big scare, though!
This whole thing is giving me a tummy ache. And I didn’t even eat the bone!! Yikes. I’m sure he’s fine, but….. Yikes!!!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Oh dear dawg. I am hoping that he chewed that bone up into little bits so the bits will pass with ease and all will be fine. *paws crossed* And don’t beat yourself up about it…stuff happens. Just take it as a lesson and move forward positively.
Oz and Gina
Here’s to keeping fingers crossed.
That is my issue with those bones. My dogs can chew them apart in no time. I try to look for the ones that don’t have the triangular shaped end and are more cylindrical. But even those are not always hard enough.
But hey, at least it wasn’t a throw rug. Or glass Christmas ornaments. Yep our Golden ate those off the tree one year. $300 at the ER vet, (mostly because in my panic, I could not find the hooks). The recommended treatment was an enema. I opted for a stool softener and soft food. He was fine. If the plastic bowl he ate a couple years earlier didn’t do him in, then ornaments were probably just a lite snack. 🙂
Yikes – a doggy enema! Hopefully it doesn’t have to go that far or worse yet, surgery.
I gave Blueberry an antler several weeks ago and before I realized it – she had eaten it to a nub. I also was worried, but I knew what signs to watch for and she ended up being fine. Needless to say, she no longer gets those. I stopped giving bones to any of my dogs a number of years ago after one of them split a tooth in half on it. I suppose it is different for a dog that isn’t an aggressive chewer though.
Again, prayers that Sampson doesn’t have any complications from his overzealous bone chewing!
Poor Jodi! I’m sure Sampson is fine, but I know I’d be worried too.
What is the bone made out of? Dakota eats MANY of his bones that way…….if that is “real” bone I wouldn’t give that to him at all. Lorie Huston posted a great article yesterday about dog bones and about all that are REAL bones being bad for dogs. I give Dakota the new Nyla bones that have a rough surface (he hates the smooth ones)…..they are not “real” bones.
I am not sure what the bone that you are showing is made out of.
Hoping all is well!
Awww, Jodi, I am so sorry he gave you a panic attack! I am hoping he continues to be okay and your worries are for naught.
Shiva eats bones like this all the time by breaking them down into little pieces. On a day she is up for a good chew, she could go through one of these quite quickly. It’s why we moved on to antlers which are tougher and last longer. We’ve never had a problem so I haven’t worried about it. Hopefully Sampson just felt the need for a good, solid gnaw and will be fine. My fingers are crossed for you!
Given the look of that bone, it was probably gnawed to little pieces. All bones bear watching. Even raw bones will splinter, but the chances are far lower. Keeping paws crossed for y’all in Tulsa!
Sandman had a big smile for me today! He did however, lay at the top of the stairs and wait for me to come to him. He let me love on him and didn’t seem unhappy to let me. His tummy is probably a bit upset. Nothing a big poo won’t fix! Give him a little ginger ale!
I’m always amazed at all the creative ways dogs can come up with to scare the poop out of owners. I thought Nyla bones were an answer. I have four of them without a single scratch on them.
We don’t have things like that for exactly that reason. I would not eat it but my sister would and that worries mom. Hope it all turns out ok.
OMG! That cow must have had osteoperosis or something with bones that soft! We’ve had our own bone scare here for the past week, so i know where you’re coming from. All the best!
I hope everything will be fine! Keep us updated!
Once my human baked treats for us. Plenty actually. But we didn’t touch them. She was a bit disappointed 😉
Purrs
It’s funny what they’ll sneak past us given the opportunity! I’ll keep my fingers crossed, but I have a feeling he’ll be fine. Don’t be too hard on yourself, sometimes life just happens!
I hope he’ll be fine. Probably he would have shown signs by now if not. The whole bone situation is tough—too hard and they’ll break a tooth. Too brittle and they’ll swallow a big piece and get a blockage. Too sharp and a splinter will pierce their intestines. Too bad it’s just not as easy as knick knack paddywack.
Praying for a proper poop… er.. well you know what we mean….. Seriously we hope it all turns out okay! 🙂
The collies and Dad who is shaking his head at our answer….
Wow…that is a lot of bone to eat in one sitting. Glad you’re vet wasn’t too concerned and you appear to be in the home stretch. I probably would have asked about x-rays too. 🙂
It’s too bad you can’t find bones without the “crap” in them in the first place. Why do companies insist on poisoning our dogs? And us? 🙁
OMD….Steel Jaws (or steel teeth)…who would have ever thought!
Keeping our paws crossed!
🙂
Hope everything come out okay Sampson!
Couldn’t resist some potty humor, but seriously I hope everything went in small enough to not cause any problems. Back in the day when I was a young naive dog owner I gave my Dachshund one of those 3ft long rawhide bones for Christmas. He chewed the whole thing in one day. 3 feet. A 12lb Dachshund. In 1 day. How nothing happened to him is beyond me and looking back now I shudder. Sometimes they’re tougher than we think.
Holy Cow Dawn!! Did you take him to the vet?
Why are dogs so nuts?!!! I think he is in the clear as well, but yea you never know with bones. The problem with my guys is they don’t like to chew or eat them infront of people they like to hide and chew when no one is around, so that is why I stick to greenies and stuff. Such a caring momma you are!
Oh I do feel for you. Litchi used to love her bones but always chewed and swallowed them. She had to go the enema route. Needless to say, she is no longer allowed a bone. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. I must say, though, that when Litchi suffered, it was obvious quite quickly and certainly not as long as 48hrs later.
Honey also enjoys the hollow marrow bones. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tired to measure the thickness of each bone to get her the ones she’s least likely to demolish.
And when you think of how powerful a dog’s jaws are that hey can do this damage to a bone, aren’t you amazed at how gentle they are with us?
I’m a little late so I hope you’re past the 48 hours and Sampson is looking chipper and happy.
Oh so glad to hear all is still good. 🙂