Clients often call their local emergency clinic or veterinary hospital after their dog gets into the trash and gets a "bone".

Bones are a bit controversial. Some bones can be fine and others can be problematic. In general, most veterinarians don't encourage owners to feed their dogs bones. Bones cause problems because they are a choking hazard and are not easily digested.

Bones generally do not break down in the stomach and intestine as does food. This means that your dog may have to pass the bone fragments through his stool. This can lead to constipation, requiring a trip to the veterinarian. It is also possible for bone fragments to break off and tear the intestinal lining.

Determining if a bone is a problem or not will depend on the size of your dog, the number of bones they got and the size of the bone or bones that they ingested. One small bone in a big dog is generally not a big deal.

If you have specific concerns, call your vet or local emergency clinic. Give them information about the size of your dog and the number and size of bones they got. Good luck!