Bones you should never feed

When your pet is wagging at your feet during dinner, it's tempting to pass down a bone. Please don't. It's genuinely dangerous.

Three risks of cooked bones

1. They splinter. Cooking makes bones brittle, so they break into sharp shards rather than crumbs.
2. They choke. Jagged pieces can lodge in the throat or gullet, causing coughing, choking or even a tear.
3. They injure the gut. Even once swallowed, sharp fragments can scratch or pierce the stomach and intestines, which may mean bleeding and surgery.

Especially avoid

Small, sharp bones such as chicken, duck and fish bones. Never give them.

Want to give a treat?

Human food is too oily and salty, and bones are risky. For chewing or rewards, choose dental chews or treats made for pets.