Morning, I need some advice and I'm sure the knowledgeable people of the LabForum might be able to help, my 7 month old Choc Lab has just devoured some sort of bone on our morning walk on our local Common. Not sure what sort of bone or animal it was but it looked a bit like a rib or a small femur which I'm guessing may have come from some dead animal, I wasn't able to get close enough to her as she was chewing down on it and wouldn't let me get within distance to take it off her. I know it's a case of very close observation for the next few hours to see how see is but was wondering if there is anything else I should be doing? It happened about 45-60 mins ago and so far nothing unusual, she seem to be her normal self, having a post-walk nap, breathing seems OK. She's never had a bone before and she's never normally one for picking stuff like that up on our walks so I'm a bit concerned. Any advice on what the best course of action is would be greatly appreciated? Or if anyone has experienced similar, would be good to know what you did? Thanks, C.
Hi @Coogs86 even uncooked bones can be a problem if the sun has dried and made the bone brittle. Keep a close eye on her and examine her faeces and urine for any blood. Look for abdominal swelling, or lethargy. Consult with your vet at the earliest possible deterioration. At this stage there is not much that a vet can do. But by all means give your vet a call now. You say she appears okay, so the bone does not appear to be lodged in her mouth or throat. That's good. If I were you, I would start teaching a reliable leave it cue.
Thanks Michael - Haven't had any blood in her stools and we're now 28+ hours since she ate it so think we're going to be OK. Hopefully we won't have a repeat of it in the future!
Our 6 month old eats full raw chicken legs, bones and all. As long as they are not cooked you should be fine.
Glad that it appears that all is well. Next time, you can add some cooked oatmeal to the food; the added fibre reportedly helps to digest and pass the bone.
