Bones

Cooking any bone, or boiling it for longer than 1 – 2 minutes, will start to cause the bone to harden and it’ll then be prone to splintering; this can cause a chocking hazard and potential for obstruction or impaction in the digestive track.  These bones are fine if you put a little peanut butter on them, but they are far too hard and your dog could chip or break their teeth.  Monitor your dog when he is chewing on a new natural bone.  Never leave him unattended.  Make sure that the bone you select has thick edges rather thinner ones that can easily be broken by a strong jawbone.

Some rough and tough chewers can actually shave off pieces of plastic and nylon bones and ingest these tiny fragments. Even with a product made in the USA that has passed all of our government’s stringent requirements, pieces of plastic or rubber can lodge in your dog’s digestive tract.  Additionally, the dog may be absorbing some of the material into its body.  If your dog does not eat the particles and fragments, then there is typically no need to worry. However be sure to monitor your dog to ensure that they are safe.  Also be vigilant and make sure all the products you purchase for your dog are either made in the US or in countries that have strict regulations governing food safety.