Help! Bailey Swallowed a Chicken Bone

[Sevens]

We just finished dinner and I put the plate on the counter for a minute to go use the bathroom. Brian yelled for me and I came running into the kitchen.

I reached into her mouth/throat and nothing was there. Apparently she ate a chicken bone. It was a chicken thigh that I ate most of the meat off of. I think she swallowed it whole. It was probably about the size of my ring finger.

Should I induce vomiting or wait it out? Brian thinks she'll pass it. God, she never jumps up on the counter like that....

[MariaM]

I don't really know, but my friend's dog died because she swallowed a bone and it broke and got stuck. Or something like that. I know that probably worries you more...you should probably phone your vet asap.

[Glacier]

In all likelihood it will pass with no problems. Just keep an eye on her. I have a dog who likes to get into the garbage given the opportunity. Bandit has eaten chicken bones several times. No problems.

[chocolatepuppy]

Gee I don't know but I'm here so I'm gonna reply. I don't know if you'd want her to vomit it back up.Is there an emergency vet you can call for advice till you can call your vet in the morning? My friends dog swallowed one once, he was a big dog though and his only problem was passing it.They had to give him suppositories a few days after he ate it.

[trayi52]

My RB Doberman, ate a chicken bone when she was a puppy. She must have just swollowed it whole! She passed it okay, of course I had to kind of help her by "delivering it for her. She was okay.

I would watch her though. My mother-in-law gave her chihuahua a ham bone, and it got stuck in her esophagus and she had to have surgery. It was kind of funny, after the surgery, she asked the vet if she could have the bone back, and he just looked at her and asked her if she was going to feed it to Baby again! He made her promise not to give it to the dog again.

Dana, my Rottweiler, has eat them before too, but it never has hurt her. I always try to throw away the bones, but she is bad about getting into the trash, so I have to make sure that the trash is put up high enough that she can't reach it!

If you are worried, you might do like chocolatepuppy said, and call a vet and see what he says. At least you would feel better.

Willie

[Sevens]

Ok, I just called the Emergency Vet. They said if she starts doing vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy (hard to tell if it's nighttime and she's ready for bed), then I should bring her in immediately.

If none of those symptoms happen tonite, I should take her to her regular vet for a checkup tomorrow.

Brian thinks that she crunched up the chicken bone before she swallowed it, but he's not completely sure.

God, I hate this waiting around stuff. I just hope she's gonna be ok.

[chocolatepuppy]

I'm sure she'll be ok just watch her and please do follow up with your vet, better safe than sorry! I'll have Bailey in my prayers tonight.

[binka_nugget]

I hope everything goes smoothly! Kai got into chicken bones a few times, nothing happened but I understand how worried you must feel. It's horrible to wait and see if anything bad happens to them. Tell us how the vet app. goes!

[Sevens]

Well, no vomiting/diarrhea or lethargy last night. She wanted to sleep downstairs, so I slept next to her on the couch.

She seemed pretty perky/normal this morning and she did a really big poopie in the yard. I called the vet and he said that all of what I said sounds very good and chances are she'll pass it. He said most likely what I'll have to worry about is constipation. If that happens, then he wants her to come in.

So, it's watch and wait, but at least I'd rather worry about constipation than bowel/intestine perforation.

Thanks for your support and well wishes...they really did put me at ease a bit more and allowed me to get some sleep last night. Ya'll are wonderful!

[tatsxxx11]

A few weeks ago my Lab Star got into the trash and pulled out and ate an ENTIRE chicken carcass!!! I freaked! My vet told me the same as ours, wait and watch. He said most dogs, especially larger dogs, do a good job of grinding the bones, so perforation was less of a worry than obstruction. If she started vomiting/diarrhea, call and bring her in immediately. I sat up with her all night and she slept fine, though I didn't, checking her out every hour or so. Next day, not even a burp and normal poops and no signs of any problem, no vomiting, diarrhea or constipation and as suggested, she received no food until the following evening and then a bland diet for a couple of days. I never even saw one bit of bone passed! I hope Bailey continues to do well It sure is frightening!

[CatMama78]

Oh goodness. Poor Bailey. Sounds like it's going to be ok though. You just have to be poop monitor for a bit

[Sevens]

I don't like the poop monitor idea, but I have never been so happy to see a normal poop from her as I was this morning.

Tats, I was up all night too! I got a little sleep, but 4 hours really isn't enough for me. I was gulping down a Starbucks Espresso Double Shot on the way to work this morning.

You know after all of this, what really gets me? Our new worker at my job was doing some training with me and she asked why I was so tired and I told her. Then she asked if Bailey gets into trouble/gets sick a lot. I told her yes and that I have probably spent somewhere around $1800 on Bailey in the last year and half we've had her. Yeah, I admit, sometimes I jump the gun with medical stuff and both my pups are spoiled with toys and bones. She told me I should just have a kid, it would be cheaper! Yeah, whatever......

[cali]

awwww poor baby thats the thing I like about BARF diet they learn to ALWAYS chew bones well, so we really dont have to worry if they ever got a hold of a cooked bone. I hope bailey is ok!