cooked Bones

Question
I can't thank you enough with such volumous respond and with a personal touch included. Zorro, my pup, was actually given two turkey tibia during the past Christmas party in my home. Apparently, when I caught the act,it was pretty too late coz both the bones were left with the middle shaft with no ends. I assumed Zorro must have enjoyed the cartilages and sucked some marrow along the way.

This is already in the 2nd week which he has been scratching behind his ears and hind torso frequently, which he never did when we bought him just 2 months back from apet shop.

We discovered lots and lots of greyish-black nodules (some about 1 cm diameter) appearing all over his body, particularly around those areas mentioned above. He even licked these spots till the pinkish raw skin bleeds. Oooo.....what a pity sight! And he barks at nite almost every hour which he never did before. Must be crying out for our attention, in pain.

My concern is, "Was it the consequences from the ingestion of the turkey bones?" Questions like "poultry meat?","cooked bone?","rashes?","barking?", "will he die?" are all awaiting to be answered and assured. Zorro is actually a long awaited gift for our two young girls, Laeticia & Lucinda,who had yearn for a puppy since 2001.

Let me wish you a belated "Merry Christmas!" & a "Happy New Year!" to you, Charlotte, & your loved ones, including all your pets.
This greetings come from a very very faraway place in the east where a small dot called Singapore.
Daniel    


 
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
What happens when an 8 mth old puppy (Shih Tzu) eats cooked turkey bones? Can you explain the symptoms thereafter and what necessary steps must I take?
-----Answer-----
Hi Daniel;
Bones can get lodged in the throat and choke animals, just as they can do to humans.
Bones can also splinter and travel through the digestive systen, slicing the sides of organs as they move through, causing internal hemmoraging, and they can bleed to death.
Blood in their stool or coming out their mouth are some of the symptoms of internal bleeding. A hacking cough is a symptom of choking.
If you think the bones may have injured your puppy, it would be on the safe side to call your vet.
If the dog is still on a 3 meal a day feeding schedule, this can be a plus.
A long time ago, my German shepherd puppy ate some broken glass, and the fact that she was young enough to still be on 3 times a day feedings, her intestines were expanded, and the glass didn't harm her.
My Vet at the time said it was better that it was glass than if it had been bones, because glass tends to break into smaller pieces.
Canines in the wild DON'T eat the bones. they crack them open and eat the marrow out of the bones, and they eat all the softer parts of the bone, but the shaft in the center does not get eaten, only cracked open.
I have drawn some argumentative statements from  saying this, but I base my information on scientific fact, NOT because somebody has given their dogs bones for years.
Every Veterinarian I have had with my dogs since I started taking them to Vets, ( My dad was a Vet, and he took care of all my dogs as long as he was alive.) has told me to NEVER give bones to dogs.
My dad never allowed bones to be given to dogs either.
My dad died in 1940.
Since way back then, Vedterinarians have been telling people not to let their dogs have bones, but still some continue to argue that it is natural food for them.
Sometimes, we have a dog get hold of bones, when we are responsibily watching them, and our dogs seem to be the ones that are affected most by them.The dogs belonging to the idiots seem to have more devine protection.
I guess God watches over fools and babies, AND fools dogs.
I have had well meaning, they say, neighbors throw bones over the fence to my dogs.
I hope your puppy stole the bones out of the garbage, and you don't have a good-Sam neighbor that fed your puppy bones.
If the dog has just eaten the bones, feeding it as much as it will eat will help if they are in the digestive tract, but would do harm if they are caught in the throat.
To ease your mind, I would call my Vet and let him Xray the dog and make sure it is ok.
If there is blood from it's mouth or in it's stool, I would call right away and get him/her in as soon as possible.
You really have to watch these little critters.
Motivation is a strong thing, and they can sniff out meat smells and find ways to get into something we think they cannot possibly get into.
I hope your puppy comes through this with no ill effects.
Little pups and other pets can cause you as much worry as raising 2 legged children.
Charlotte


Answer
Hi Daniel;
Oh, I know where Singapore is. From seeing movies when I was a kid. Always an exotic place.
Unless the dog is allergic to turkey, or something it was cooked with or seasoned with.
That reaction sounds much to me like an allergic reaction, or possibly some parasite that is particular to that area.
Two of my dogs have a problm with allergies.
Biting the feet like they are itching is also a symptom of allergies. The nodules would give me concern.
I would have him looked over by a Veterinarian.
I have letters from people in far countries where they do not have a good Veterinarian care situation.
I heard from a young man in India, and he sent pictures of his dog, which I gave to my Veterinarian, and he suggested medication his Veterinarian could give the dog, and it cleared up the skin problem right away.
I hope you have a better Veterinary situation where you are.
I would think antiobiotics would be called for, posibly in addition to allergy medications or shots.
I give my dogs Benedryl sometimes if I am out of their allergy meds.
I give 1/2 tablet of Benedryl to my small dog that is about 25 pounds.
My Veterinarian said a whole one was ok for the 35 pound dog.
I hope that helps you some.
A Merry Christmas time to you and your's too.
We are just now having our Christmas.
My husband's cancer came back and he had to have surgery 3 days before Christmas, and the grandchildren and children opted to wait until Grandpa is feeling ok to have the Christmas dinner and gift exchange at Granny and Grandpa's, so Sunday we are laying out the feast.
It seems funny to be wrapping Christmas presents 2 weeks after Christmas. LOL
We are just so grateful they got everything, and he is up and around now.
Another thing I have found that is good for skin problems, to help them in healing after internal meds are started is Bag Balm.
It was originally made for cows' udders, for the chafing and cracking caused by a calf nursing.
I use it on the grandchildren's skinned knees too. It soothes and doesn't sting or burn, and it promotes faster healing.
Walmart carries it here in the states.
I don't know if you have access to that.
It could be ordered on the web too, I am sure.
Charlotte