beef bone

Question
I have 1 year old beagle/bassett mix. She was given a large beef bone to eat..Can ths cause he a digestive blockage. She has yet to pass any stool today and seems tender on the belly when you press firmly. Do you have any suggestion to help her thnx

Answer
Hi Michelle,

Thank you for writing to me about your dog.  You haven't said if the bone was cooked or raw.  Typically a raw marrow bone is very healthy for your dog.  A cooked bone can be deadly. Raw marrow bones are very hard and dogs can gnaw on them and it massages their gums and cleans their teeth.  A cooked bone can splinter and cause perforations and blockages.  

If this was a cooked bone and your dog ate it and she's not pooping or feeling well then you MUST rush her to the emergency room immediately.  That means calling your vet and having the answering service page him.  If your dog's belly is tender and swollen, she could have a condition called bloat, which has a short window of time before the dog dies.  

I don't mean to frighten you..merely alert you to how dangerous this situation could possibly be.

Please contact your vet immediately.  Better safe than sorry.

Regards,
Shelley Davis