Concerned about Charlie!

[Karen and Ruby]

Both dogs had a chicken thigh each as a treat at around half six today. They have had them before with no problems, raw of course. Charlie crunched through his fine but on giving his dinner half hour ago he didnt seem to want it but he was very excited as i made it. Usually he wolfs it down but after a few mouthfuls he was sick and hasnt eaten it!
Am i over reacting by thinking something is stuck, he is also quieter than normal this evening but he has been to the vets today to have some blood tests done but that didnt seem to bother him at all. Any thoughts?

[Gem]

maybe he's just full up at the moment. If my girls have had a treat in the day they still get really excited at dinner time but when the bowls are on the floor they often just leave it - i'd keep an eye on him and maybe try him with a small biscuit or something later but call the vets for advice if you are worried x

[Karlin]

I think you need to watch very closely and if he shows any sign of discomfort I would get him to the emergency vet or ring to talk to them for advice and be ready to rush him for help. Probably he will be fine but I'd keep a very close eye.

I have sitting on a shelf a two inch long sharp shard of bone from a raw chicken wing that Leo vomited up many hours after eating a raw chicken wing. If he hadn't thrown it up it would easily have pierced his stomach, intestine or rectum. I had a similar experience with Jaspar when he was very small and thought it to be a once off but clearly raw bones are not exactly as safe as raw food advocates often make them out to be. I think anything with raw bones needs to be fed with extreme caution and balancing risks against whatever benefits the owner feels comes from such a diet.

Sorry to offer this detail but I think it is really, really important to understand there's a serious possibility of risk, and for people to make informed decisions on feeding raw meaty bones. Some dogs do get impactions and pierced internal organs. Hence if a dog looked in any way uncomfortable after a raw meaty bone, I'd be in touch with a vet and ready to rush the dog to the emergency vet if needed. They do not have much time IF there is a problem.

I still give the very occasional raw meaty bone but would not feed them frequently or daily. It is one thing to say the risks are extremely low as an abstract comment, but if it is your dog that is that one, it can be a crisis and very painful for the dog -- and often little can be done.

[Tania]

I feed mine raw chicken wings, Molly will swallow one whole if she can. I don't take any chances I cut them up with a pair of sharp garden secateurs. How is Charlie now?

[aquaceri]

I didnt know you could give dogs raw meat? Thats an interesting one...chicken always freaks me out and i usually over cook it just to make sure... I dont give the dogs bones though i suppose due to nervousness that something like that might happen. I hope that he is OK let us know...thinking of him xx

[meljoy]

Karen,

How is Charlie today.....better I hope, keep us informed.

Mel

[*Pauline*]

Any news?

[Karen and Ruby]

Thanks for all the concerns and also the advice karlin. He seems fine today, i kept him in with me last night but he inhaled his dinner this morning and has been to the toilet.
They only have a wing when i cook a roast which isnt too often. I only give them the drum stick part as the bone is thicker.
I will chop them up in future as tania said!
Thanks again, im expecting his blood results today so a bit nervous.. Im still not happy with his lack of weight gain and the vet isnt happy with his weight either so we ha e run some tests to cgeck his kidneys and liver. Im waiting to get him neutered but want to make sure he is safe first. Bless him, fingers crossed!

[Margaret C]

I hope Charlie's test come back okay.

My understanding is that dogs should never have cooked chicken bones because they splinter, but I know that you can feed chicken wings raw.

I have tried this because I was told it is an excellent way of cleaning teeth, so I cut up some into chin size pieces and gave the cavaliers a whole wing each.

I have some competitive dogs here. Lots of swallowing whole and then regurgitating. Disgustingly slimy

I went back to dentastix.

[jasperpaw]

I can remember when I was growing up with our dogs my mother used to say never give cooked chicken bones to dogs because they splinter, do hope Charlie will be better soon.