Are Filled Dog Bones Safe? It Depends. Is It Filled With Healthy, Natural Marrow?

Last week, I found myself getting creative at a pottery class, trying my hand at shaping clay dog bowls. But a thought crossed my mind as it went into the kiln. I had planned to paint the bowls. And I was suddenly wondering if it was safe for my dogs to eat from a hand-painted dog bowl. I don't even know what's in it. Maybe the clay is okay, but once I paint it, it might become toxic—just like some people worry: Are filled dog bones safe?

Free Marrow Refill Recipe Guide

What's in a Filled Dog Bone?

A manufacturer of dog treats might fill a dog bone or dog treats with many ingredients, some more natural for dogs to eat than others. These could include:

Peanut Butter

This one is a popular filling that many dogs love. The fat content, protein, and gooey texture are probably why. And the American Kennel Club says it's okay to give your dog peanut butter as an occasional treat. But I beg all the dog parents out there to read the ingredients.

Any peanut butter with xylitol as a non-nutritive sweetener is dangerous. Just one exposure can lead to hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar), liver failure, seizures, or death.

I personally also don't like to give my dog added sugar or palm oil, so I choose natural peanut butter without these ingredients. Sometimes, I refill beef marrow bones with peanut butter after the marrow is gone. But this is an occasional treat because there are much healthier dog chew bones they love.

Cheese

Cheese is another tasty filling. Like peanut butter, it's full of fat and protein, mostly. That's a lot of saturated fat, so it's not ideal. But a word of caution, some dogs are very lactose intolerant or casein (milk protein) intolerant, similar to some humans. So their bodies don't react well to dairy. It might cause intestinal cramps, gas, and even diarrhea. The latter is something I don't want all over my house, so we personally choose not to give our dogs cheese-filled treats.

Artificial Ingredients

Is the cheese-filled dog snack filled with "just cheese"? What about that peanut butter? Anytime a package uses language like "cheesy", "cheese product", "Peannutz" or "with peanut butter", this means that cheese or peanut butter is probably way down on the list of ingredients. These terms are one way that manufacturers can get around the FDA's rules for honest product descriptions.

I used to think they were just being clever.

When you look at the ingredients, you might be surprised to find artificial ingredients like:

• Colors and flavors - These are intended to make the treat more appealing to your dog. But they also want it to look more appetizing to humans, so we buy it.
• Preservatives - They may include BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin, which have been linked to health issues in dogs. These are in The National Canine Cancer Foundation's ingredients to avoid.
• Sweeteners - They're added to enhance flavor, but dogs already love cheese and peanut butter, so I don't understand why. These can lead to weight gain and other health problems.

Marrow Bones for Dogs

Marrow is a 100% natural dog bone filling. The marrow is so natural that it was not inserted there. Beef marrow bones already have marrow inside.

This marrow is rich in nutrients like vitamins A and B12, providing essential benefits for your dog's health. There's also a lot of protein in the form of collagen plus healthy fats.

If you get grass-fed dog chew bones, they're also lower in saturated fat and higher in omega 3 and some vitamins than conventionally raised herds.

Marrow bones for dogs also have dental cleaning benefits that most dog treats don't, plus some mental health benefits since they feed a dog's instinct to chew on things.

But are filled bones safe if they're all-natural marrow bones? Just because something is natural does not mean it's safe.

Free Marrow Refill Recipe Guide

Are Beef Marrow Bones Safe?

Marrow bones for dogs are generally safe, nutritious, and great for overall health. However, I do want to make you aware of some safety considerations:

Get the right-sized bone

Your dog may swallow bones that are too small. Always get a bone that is bigger than the dog's mouth. Many beef marrow bones fit this description. In my house, I have a large dog and two medium-sized ones.

So, I get huge dog bones for big dogs and medium dog bones for my smaller, mid-size dogs. When it's time to hand out the bones, they each get a bone that's just right for them.

Treat it as a treat!

Veterinarians recommend that dog treats be no more than 10% of your dog's diet. The rest should be veterinarian-approved dog food. This comes out around 2-3 times a week for 20 minutes or so.

Right density

Beef marrow bones are just right because they come from a large animal. Never give your dog chicken or turkey marrow bones, ever. Softer bones or overcooked bones might splinter and cause harm.

Even with beef marrow bones for dogs, the cooking process matters. It also affects the density.

The dog bones should be raw (which I don't like because of pathogens). Or it should be cooked at a slow and low temperature like in an industrial smoker. You shouldn't boil bones for dogs, and you definitely shouldn't give your dogs your marrow bones after making bone broth. They're already brittle and have lost their marrow.

Store Properly

You can keep giving your dog the bone for up to several weeks of chewing fun if you freeze it immediately after use.

Supervise

Marrow-filled dog bones are a regular thing for my dogs. But I don't let myself get complacent. These dogs have become my furry kids since my real kids left for college. I only let my babies have their bones when I can stay close. Maybe I'm gardening, reading, or making a green smoothie for breakfast. While incidents of choking on marrow bones are rare if you follow my rules above, I don't take unnecessary chances.

I set a timer on my smartwatch for 20 minutes. When time is up, if my dogs are still gnawing away, I trade the bone for a treat to safely get it away from them. I found these beef lung bites that do the trick.

Why Do Dogs Like Chewing on Bones?

Dogs have a natural instinct to chew, which is why they love dog chew bones. Chewing satisfies their need. It provides both entertainment and benefits like stress relief and dental care.

If you have a dog who is acting out when you're away or wants you to spend every waking hour with them, when you give them marrow bones for dogs, you can help alleviate some of this boredom and separation anxiety.

Now, I've also found they're less likely to chew on things they shouldn't, like my brand-new running shoes. Yes, that happened! And yes, I'm still sad about it. But I can't blame my dogs because if I don't give them something good to chew, they will find something around the house.

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