Can Beagles Chew On Bones?

Beagles are one of the most adorable and highly energetic dog breeds across the world. Being a Beagle owner, it is nothing less than a challenge to keep your furry pal away from other notorious activities all day long. One of the effective ways to keep the pets engaged is to give them a bone to chew on. Some pet parents must be wondering whether Beagles can safely chew on bones or not. Well, there are few factors to be considered before giving a bone to your pet.

Beagles can chew on uncooked bones that are derived mainly from raw meat. Such bones are soft that makes it easy for your pet to digest them properly. Avoid giving cooked bones to your Beagles as they are not considered safe and beneficial for your pet’s health. Cooked bones become hard and brittle that makes them prone to breakage.

There are a lot of contradictions regarding the consumption of bones by the pets. Some pet owners prefer giving bones to their furry pals whereas some might not. However, one cannot deny the health-loaded benefits of bones that are essential for your pet. If you are on the verge of including a bone into the daily diet regime of your pet, then the following facts would be of great help!

Health-loaded benefits

Bones are rich in minerals and nutrients that play a pivotal role in satisfying the appetite of your pet. When a dog chews the bone, it stimulates the saliva enzymes and helps in preventing the building up of plaque on teeth. It also protects your furry pal from many types of gum disorders. If your Beagle tends to lick or scratch the paws, you can easily distract him by giving a bone to chew.

Chewing is touted as a pet dog’s natural instinct that acts as a stress buster and reduces anxiety too. Apart from this, chewing a bone assist in the mental stimulation of your pet and helps him to stay calm, composed, relaxed, and attentive.

If your Beagle’s dental health is not up to the mark, then you can give him a bone to keep his teeth strong, clean, and odor-free. However, make sure that the bone should not be too hard as it can harm your Beagle’s teeth. Chewing a bone on a regular basis can also help in improving and enhancing the face cut of your Beagle.

Why avoid cooked bones?

Cooked bones are not easily digestible and can affect the health of your pet in a negative way. These bones become hard and can be easily splintered. If your Beagle is chewing a cooked bone, there are more chances of the sharp pieces that break off from it which can hurt your furry pal.

If your Beagle accidentally ingests or swallows the sharp pieces of the bone, it might get blocked in the esophagus, gastrointestinal, windpipe, and other organs of your pet’s body. In severe cases, negligence towards the same can even lead to rectal or internal bleeding. In such cases, you should immediately take your Beagle to a veterinarian doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Why bones are not considered safe?

Raw and uncooked bones are considered to be safer for your Beagle as compared to the cooked ones that are sourced directly from your kitchen scrap. However, even if you are giving your Beagle an uncooked bone, then also you need to take certain precautions.

You cannot leave your pet unaccompanied while he is chewing the bone. You need to be more vigilant and watchful at that time as the bones are prone to breakage and the small pieces of the same, if ingested inappropriately, can choke the throat of your Beagle.

Beagles fall under the category of small dog breeds, so it is comparatively easier for the broken pieces of the bone to get stuck in their throat. Hence, to prevent your Beagle from choking, it is always advisable to avoid smaller bones that are more prone to breakages, rather you should go for the bigger ones.

What about the store-brought bones and rawhides?

Many people completely rely upon the store-bought bones when it comes to the safety of the pet. However, it is not a feasible option as even before purchasing store-bought bones you need to consider several factors that are associated with the breed and size of your pet. Each breed is different and so is their size that is why you should always choose bones based on the type and size of your dog breed.

Quite often, the stores sell fully or partially cooked bones that are brittle as compared to the uncooked ones. Some might even sell bones that are dried through baking or smoking along with the addition of seasonings, preservatives, and artificial flavorings,

To ensure good quality and safety, always examine the packaging properly to make sure that the bones are raw and soft enough for your Beagle to chew safely.

Another important factor is the size of the bone that you are buying for your pet. It is not necessary that just because a store is selling bones of a particular size, it would suit your pet. For Beagles, you should always go for large size bones as smaller ones can potentially hurt your pet.

If we talk about the rawhide chews, these are somewhat similar to the store-bought bones for pets. The rawhide chews might contain traceable amounts of toxic chemicals due to their manufacturing process. They are even not free from contamination as they contain Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Such chews can cause blockages as well as digestive problems in pets.

Rawhide chews consist of artificial sweeteners, chemical additives, and gelatin in their main formulation that is considered to be toxic for the health of pets. One should always avoid chews with such types of ingredients.

Which types of bones are ideal for Beagle?

Uncooked or raw bones are considered to be safe and appropriate for consumption by pets as they are edible. For your Beagle, you can go for the uncooked bones that are sourced from the raw meat of chicken, lamb, turkey, and beef as these are soft enough for your furry pal to chew, eat, and digest easily.

At the same time, you should be aware that such bones come along with a risk of bacterial contamination. However, this risk can be reduced to a great extent by appropriate handling but you should seek advice from a good veterinarian doctor on how to handle and store the raw bones safely.

Are recreational bones good?

Recreational bones are not edible like the raw or uncooked ones. Such bones are made using hip bones or large femur sourced from the beef or bison and is then filled with the marrow. These bones might also contain soft tissue, meat, or cartilage and can easily available from your local butcher.

These bones contain a filling of marrow that is usually high in fat. Before giving a recreational bone to your Beagle, adjust and regulate the diet of your furry pal. However, if your Beagle is obese and is on a low-fat diet, then it is preferable not to give such types of bones.

Basic Guidelines for Optimum Safety

All types of bones come along with a risk of choking the throat of your pet, if ingested in an inappropriate manner. If you are giving a bone to your Beagle for chewing, then you should take the following preventive measures to ensure the safety of your furry companion.

• Do not give the bone if your Beagle is undergoing any sort of medical treatment, specifically the dental restorative medication.
• Make sure to give the bone after a meal as a less hungry Beagle is less likely to swallow the bone quickly.
• Always ensure that the size of the bone is longer than the length of the muzzle of your Beagle.
• Do not give your Beagle, pork, or rib bones

Wrap Up

You can give your Beagle a raw or uncooked bone and let your furry pal chew it for 10-15 minutes approximately at a time as it reduces the chances of any injury.

Also do not forget to refrigerate the bones when not in use and discard them every three to four days as it decreases the probabilities of contamination.

Bones, when given to the pets in proper supervision, can improve and enhance their overall health otherwise it may also prove hazardous.