Can Pugs Eat Chicken Bones What You Need To Know

Maybe you were watching the Superbowl on TV and during your distraction, your Pug grabbed a chicken wing and ate it. Now you’re wondering “can Pug’s eat chicken bones?” Today, we’re going to look at the dangers of chicken bones for dogs and what to do.

Can Pugs Eat Chicken Bones?

Absolutely NOT, Cooked bones become dry and brittle, which can crack and splinter in your Pug’s mouth causing cuts to their mouth and gums, choking hazards, internal injuries, punctured organs, and possibly even death.

So what should you do if your Pug sneaks a chicken wing, rib bones, or steak while you’re not looking?

can pugs eat chicken bones

Before we look at what to do, let’s take a look at both cooked and uncooked chicken bones.

Related: Best Fresh Cooked Food For Pugs!

Related: Can Pugs Eat Chicken Nuggets?

Should Pugs Eat Chicken Bones?

The answer will depend on whether the bone is cooked or uncooked.

Some people say that it’s okay to give your dog raw bones because they normally do not splinter. Many people feed their dogs raw chicken bones and turkey legs because dogs love bones. 

If you’ve NEVER given your Pug a chicken bone before, then it can become a dangerous situation. Depending on the size of the bone your pup consumed.

While most dogs will be fine eating raw bones, it’s also important to know that there are a few cases where dogs have become ill from ingesting raw chicken that was infected with salmonella.

I’ve put together a list of foods that Pugs love eating and are both good and bad for them.

If your Pug is a fast eater, I personally wouldn’t give them a bone. At least not until they learn how to chew and not gulp.

You should also teach your dog the “leave it” command, in case you come across chicken bones or something potentially dangerous on your walk.

I also recommend using a harness that will give you more control over your pooch on your daily walks.

What Should I Do If My Dog Swallowed A Bone?

The first thing to do is to remain calm. If your dog still has the bone in their mouth, try to calmly take the rest of the bones from your pooch.

Most Pugs are NOT aggressive, so they should be fine with you grabbing the bone from them. If your dog has already ingested the bone, you will need to watch your dog carefully to ensure that they don’t choke.

If your dog is showing signs of choking, or you just want peace of mind, contact your veterinarian to let them know your Pug at a chicken bone.

They may offer you a simple solution such as giving your dog something soft such as white bread to help cushion their stomach.

The bread will act as a liner to prevent your pooches stomach from being scratched by the jagged edges of the bone.

Will A Chicken Bone Dissolve In A Dog Stomach?

According to Dr. Berg, dogs will inevitably dissolve the bone in their stomach. However, you should NOT make it a habit to let your Pug chew chicken bones.

Dogs will crush the bone and swallow it in pieces, the bone is not digested by the saliva and grinding the food as with humans.

The digestion of the bone takes place in the stomach, the teeth just help them break their food into smaller pieces.

If you are going to feed your Pug bones, always make sure they are raw and NEVER cooked. Give them large long bones like ribs and leg bones.

Also, you should avoid giving your pooch large beef vertebrae bones, which are roundish.

Dogs have a tendency to try to swallow those in whole because they have a hard time breaking them into small pieces.

First Aid for Choking Dog


 
Let’s say that your dog ate a chicken bone and begins to choke on it. It’s completely up to you to save your dog and these are the step by step directions to help a choking dog.

Stay Calm

The first priority is to keep yourself safe and calm. You may need to restrain your dog if you feel like they may bite you.

Open Their Mouth

Check inside and see if there is anything obvious that is causing your dog to choke. If there is you can use your finger to remove the obstruction.

You can also use tweezers or forceps to remove the object if you don’t feel safe sticking your finger in their mouth.

Small Dogs

You would want to hold them upside down holding by their thighs and gently shake them.

Bigger Dogs

Grab their back legs and hold them in the “wheelbarrow position: to see if gravity will help dislodge the stuck object.

You’d want to pay attention to see if anything comes out.

Heimlich Maneuver for Animals

If none of the above has worked, you’ll want to perform the Heimlich. Look for the natural gap after their ribs.

Make a fist with your hands and place your fist with the thumb on their abdomen part.

Place your other hand on top of your fisted hand. Then push upwards towards your pooches chest. Repeat the upward motion up to five times.

If none of the following has helped your pooch and they are still coughing, wretching or just struggling to breathe.

Can Chicken Bones Kill A Dog?

I wasn’t able to find any information about dogs dying from chicken bones, but I did find some information about the chicken bones splintering and getting stuck or damaging a dog’s mouth.

If a bone gets stuck, your pooch will most likely require emergency surgery to remove the obstruction.

Not to mention, Fido will be in a huge amount of pain. Oh, and you never want to feed your Pug commercial jerky.

Symptoms to Watch For

If your Pug ate a cooked bone, you’ll want to watch them closely for the next 12 to 72 hours. Be on the lookout for signs of:

  • Any type of abdominal discomfort
  • Vomiting
  • Anxious behavior
  • Difficulty defecating
  • Stomach swelling
  • Bloody stool

Most dogs will be fine if they eat a chicken bone. However, the best thing you can do after experiencing this frightening experience is to keep ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Do You Need to Take Your Dog to The Veterinarian?

Most likely your pooch will be fine, but if you do happen to see your Pug experiencing any discomfort or any of the signs above, you will want to seek medical attention.

If your Pug loves chewing on bones, make sure they are the safe ones like these.

References and Further Reading

PMC – Preliminary Assessment Of The Risk of Salmonella Infection In Dogs Fed Raw Chicken Diets

Vetsnow – Dogs Left Desperately Ill After Eating Chicken Bones Discarded In Street

Tufts Your Dog – Why You Shouldn’t Give A Poor Dog A Bone

Black Pug Site