Can Dogs Eat Lamb Bones?

“Can dogs eat lamb bones” is a popular question, and the answer is … it depends.

Your dog is the love of your life and you want to let him unstoppably devour everything he loves, for instance, shiny and juicy lamb bones? Aha, feels so familiar! But as much as you wish to do things out of love, please stop and ponder if it’s really safe to do so.

Yes, before you throw a lamb bone party for your beloved dog, it’s highly important to read the advice we have curated from experts, nutritionists, vets and scientists from all across the globe, since it could be a matter of life and death for your dog. So, before you regret it, proceed to read further.

Lamb Bones for Dogs, Raw or Cooked?

The answer to this question makes all the difference. When asking yourself “can dogs eat lamb bones”, remind yourself that yes, they can, as long as bones are raw. Why so? Because it is safest for your dog to chew hard bones rather than cooked, soft, brittle bones that might  crack in its mouth and splinter causing serious internal damage not only in its mouth but also oesophagus tissues, digestive tract, stomach or intestines.

If your dog’s stomach or intestines gets to be cut through and leaked due to those sprinkles, instant internal bacterial infections could cause your dog’s death in front of your eyes right on the spot and unfortunately, you wouldn’t be able to do anything. We are sorry, we know it’s painful to even imagine this, but we have to warn you to avoid such a drastic mishap.

Raw bones on the other hand are the real MVPs. As they are harder, they don’t splinter if your dog breaks them in its mouth. The plus point: raw bones are even easily digestible. And to clarify, this is not us making all these claims, but science is. Let’s now understand how!

Can Dogs Eat Lamb Bones? A Science POV

All experienced and licensed veterinary doctors vote in favour of raw lamb bones to be fed to the dogs, however, in limited quantities. They suggest raw lamb bones to make up for only a maximum of 10% of dogs’ entire diet as raw bones are super rich with nutrients and overeating may cause constipation or diarrhoea. The consumption of raw lamb bone can depend on your dog’s breed, age and size. So, to double-check, you may want to consult your vet if you intend offering raw meaty bones to your dog.

What Types of Lamb Bones Can Dogs Eat?

The raw lamb bones might include raw lamb ribs, raw lamb flaps, and raw lamb tail bones. But, avoid giving lamb chops to your dog.

How Much Can Dogs Eat?

It is suggested to offer only 1–2 raw lamb bones to your dog per week. You should also skip a few days in between each raw lamb bone serving.

How Can Dogs Eat Lamb Bones Safely?

For their safety, we already mentioned to avoid cooked lamb bones to your dogs. Now with respect to size, the bone must be big enough to not fit in your dog’s mouth so that he cannot swallow it. Similarly, the bone shouldn’t be large enough to have thick outer rims as dogs’ teeth can be cracked while chewing on these.

Large knucklebones, T-bones, very lengthy bones, lamb cutlets sort of chop bones should also be avoided. Specialists suggest for bone to be the size of a dog’s head. Bones must not have sharp edges so your dog does not risk of from cutting its tongue.

Can Dogs Eat Lamb Bones for Health Benefits?

Again, it’s not us assuming but science stating how healthy it can be for your dog to eat raw lamb bones. Not only do these bones help to strengthen dogs’ jaws and teeth, but they also prevent bloating issues and anal gland disturbances.

In addition, these bones supply healthy amounts of calcium and phosphorus.

The raw lamb bones also help to maintain good oral health for your dog, avoiding periodontal diseases. This happens as enzymes activated by chewing bones lead to break down stubborn plaque off the teeth and even physically scrapping it on the spot while the dog is enjoying his bone treats. No more bad breath when you bring your pup closer for a hug, yay!

The nutrients in the bones also prove to be highly instrumental to quicker growth of a dog’s skeletal system. Mental stimulation is enhanced by chewing which also leads to skeletal muscle development. That’s why, especially the large breed pups should be offered raw lamb bones as an integral part of their diet.

Check if Your Dog Can Eat Lamb Bones

Once you confirm that it’s suitable for your dog to eat lamb bones, it’s still important to keep a check on any symptoms that might occur. Symptoms of any complications or infection caused by consuming lamb bones may include:

• Intense fatigue
• Vomiting
• Dental disturbances
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Bloody stools
• Diarrhoea

If any above-mentioned conditions is observed please get your dog checked by your vet as soon as possible.

A Few Important Tips

• As we’re avoiding cooked lamb bones, make sure your dog never gets dinner leftovers.
• Put each bone in a separate bag in the freezer to minimize the risk of bacteria and bone to bone contamination.
• Always keep a strict eye on your dog while he is working on the bone in case he breaks the bone, swallows it, chews the bone enough to get sharp edges out of it, or smaller enough to be chocked with it.
• If your dog is getting old and has weaker dentition, don’t give him lamb bones.
• Replace old bones with ones every other day as leaving a bone even for few hours at room temperature can become contaminated.
• If lamb bones are soft and small instead of the prescribed hard, raw and big, they can be grounded and mixed with dog food.
• If you already know that your dog is prone to digestive issues, then totally remove bones from his diet as highly rich marrow inside the bones can quickly create health issues. Rawhide chews and bones can be good substitutes then.

Can Dogs Eat Lamb Bones: Bottom line

Congrats! “Can dogs eat lamb bones” no longer remains a question. You are fully armed with the essential knowledge to treat your canine friend with love while not compromising his health. So hey, what are you waiting for? Don’t you think your dog would already be craving a delicious lamb bone? But hold on, raw lamb bones only, remember, right?

Also, you may be interested in this article: Can Dogs Eat Rib Bones?