raw bones? what is safe?

[ryleyhfx]

hey all.

I've read so many conflicting points about feeding raw bones & I'm curious how all of you feel.
a lot of my friends feed their dogs raw bones that they get from the farmers market & I thought I'd like to try these out with bella, because they're pretty cheap & everything I had heard seemed like it could only be good for her.

I got her a few ribs & a big knuckle bone with lots of marrow & meat still on it. yesterday she ate an entire rib in about an hour. she was crazy for it. I kept a pretty close eye on her while she was chewing on it & it didn't seem to be splintering or sharp.
this morning she had a big poop, but it was almost white (which I heard is normal) & had a consistency like wet cement, very hard but still mailable. she didn't like passing it either. it seemed like it really bothered her coming out & after picking it up in the bag I can understand why.
are there any bones that are completely safe to feed? I thought she'd be able to break it down but it seemed like there were still tiny chunks that were in her poop.
I don't think I'll be feeding her ribs again because after doing a bit more research it seems like some dogs can still be injured by eating them. I've fed her a lot of softer food this morning so that if she needs to pass anymore of the bone it'll hopefully come out mixed up with softer things.

what are your experiences with raw bones? more trouble than their worth? I've read so many conflicting opinions.

[Misskiwi67]

Nothing is completely safe, and all chewable food/treats/toys should be given under supervision.

Bones are great for keeping teeth clean of tartar, and they are a great energy outlet as well. I happily give my dogs raw bones all the time. You just have to figure out what works best for your dog.

The rib may have just been too much for her in one day. So either don't give her a bone she can chew and swallow, or take it away when she's half done with it next time.

The big leg bones and knuckles can cause tooth fractures if your dog is a heavy chewer, so be prepared for some expensive dental work in exchange for those pearly whites.

[star_frances]

I go for the marrow bones that still have a bit of meat on the outside (my grocery store sells them as "soup bones"). Moira likes to chew off the meat and work out the marrow, but she won't chew or swallow any of the actual bone.

[pblove]

marrow bones turned out to be very expensive dental work, plus blood and diarrhea here.

[UnconventionalLove]

I've fed "soup" bones before too but I'd never heard of the tooth fractures! Not worth it! Good to know, thanks.