My Dog Ate Ham Bone: What To Do Now? 2024 Review

Hambone and dog. Is it safe to feed your dog a ham bone? If yes then to what extent? If not then why? And what if your dog mistakenly eats a ham bone? Is it serious or can be taken lightly? This is all we are going to talk about and discuss in this guide on can dogs eat ham bone. 

If you have a furry friend at your home and you want to give him the best life you can ever give, follow this guide and educate yourself about whether ham bones are safe for dogs or not. 

Let’s begin reading.

Can dogs eat ham bone?

The answer is yes but with certain conditions applied. 

You can feed your dog ham bones only after they have finished their meal. The bones should be larger in size than their muzzle as it can resist them from swallowing down the bones causing real damage. 

Ham is indeed a good source of fat for dogs. But nothing is good if consumed in large amounts, and so it is with ham bones.

Thus, always keep an eye on your dog while feeding them ham bones, and keep a tab on how frequently you are doing it.

It is recommended not to give cooked ham bones to your dogs as it may cause damage to the internal and external parts of their body like the mouth, throat, and intestine when they try to swallow it down.

However, whatever you give to your dogs, don’t forget to consult with your vet. Whether or not you should feed your dog ham bones depends on the type of bone and the medical condition your dog is in.

What happens if a dog ate ham bone?

When a dog eats a ham bone, the chances are high that he/she might get hurt badly. 

1. External Injuries– If the dog has swallowed or even chewed the ham bone for long, you may find wounds and cuts in the dog’s throat, mouth, and tongue that can lead to excessive bleeding. In that case, you immediately need to rush to a hospital. 

2. Internal Damage- Swallowing big sharp bone chips can hurt the internal parts of the dog’s body. The dog may get wounded in the stomach, the tract of the intestine, and even in the rectum. 

3. Blockage in the windpipe– If your dog has chewed the ham bone and broken it into small pieces, it may enter the windpipe and thus, choking your dog to death. 

4. Bacterial Infection– The worst thing that can happen to your dog is peritonitis. Bone chips that remain in the stomach or intestinal tract will start releasing parasitic organisms. This will slowly damage the dog’s abdomen. 

My dog ate a ham bone- What to do?

If your dog just ate a ham bone, there are a few things that you need to do immediately. Let’s take a look at them. 

Consult your vet or rush to a hospital- 

Consider yourself lucky if you have caught your pet swallowing the ham bone. Immediately call your pet’s vet and explain this urgent situation.

He/she will definitely guide you through what you need to do next. In the worst-case scenario, you may need to rush to a hospital if it has been more than two hours.

It means the ham bone has reached your dog’s intestine and may cause some severe complications.

Search for side effects-

If your dog has swallowed the ham bone and it is causing discomfort, symptoms will come up short.

You may look for a bloody or dark stool or even vomiting as a symptom.

Your dog may look lethargic and reluctant to eat. It may be a sign that your dog’s stomach may be inflammated or suffering from infections.

So, if you see these signs, you can be sure that your dog has swallowed ham bones. 

Symptoms to look for if your dog ate ham bone

If your dog has swallowed the ham bone, he/she may show specific symptoms indicating a severe issue.

Vomiting– Vomiting can be a sign of serious complication inside the dog’s body caused by ham bone consumption. Check if fragments of bones are also coming out and if yes, it can put your dog’s life in danger.

Dark/ Bloody Stool- If you find blood in your dog’s stool, it indicates there are internal injuries caused by the sharp ham bone parts- may be in the rectum or intestine.

So, bloody or dark stools are an alarming sign that your dog is bleeding inside – in the stomach or intestinal area.

Loss of Appetite– If the ham bone pieces are not digested and remain in the intestine, your dog will feel discomfort and, as a result, will show a complete lack of appetite. Keep an eye on whether your dog is eating or not, and explain the changes to your dog’s vet. 

Constipation– If the ham bone is stuck in your dog’s stomach or anyplace inside the body and cannot pass through, it may lead to constipation. It simply means the ham bones have not been digested and can even cause an upset stomach.  

Choking– If the ham bone is more prominent in size, it runs a risk of choking your dog’s throat, which is life-threatening. The larger bone pieces can block the windpipe, and your dog can suffer from difficulty in breathing. 

Internal Injuries– If your dog is chewing ham bones for a long time, it can raise dental issues, causing immense pain in the teeth and gums. There is a high possibility of small bone pieces getting logged in the teeth, which can even break your dog’s teeth, leading to surgery. 

How to stop my dog from eating ham bone?

The only way to stop your dog from eating ham bones is by making him/her eat his dog food. But as a parent, it is your responsibility to keep an eye on him around the clock.

Along with that, if you can replace ham bones with hard chew toys or bones that are naturally processed, it would restrict your dog from getting into the habit of chewing on ham bones.

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Wrapping up,

It was all that you need to know about dogs and whether they can consume ham bones or not. So the next time when you are going to treat your dog with a ham bone, remember the basics that you have learned today. 

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