Are Marrow Bones Safe for Dogs? 5 Important Things to Know

Your dog is the love of your life. It’s no surprise that you want to spoil them. One way you may wish to spoil your pet is by giving them marrow bones. But are marrow bones safe to feed to Fiddo?

 Read this article to learn about all you need to know about spoiling your furry best friend with marrow bones.

What Is a Marrow Bone?

A marrow bone is a common treat that you may see being given to dogs. It is believed that there are health benefits to giving your dog a marrow bone.

Marrow is a component in bones that is rich in fat. Marrow also contains stem cells that consist of red and yellow marrow. When digested, your dog’s body will produce red and white blood cells.

Marrow bones also contain iron and an abundance of antioxidants, which can provide wonderful health benefits to your dog.

However, it is important to bear in mind that marrow contains as much as 85% fat per bone. Therefore, too much marrow bone can increase your dog’s chances of obesity. It is also important to remember that if your dog is already overweight before feeding them marrow bones, you may need to consult with your vet first before feeding them. Your vet may recommend switching around the diet to coordinate with your feeding your pup’s marrow bones.

If you’re curious about the percentage of nutrition in marrow bones, read to the bottom of this article for a table that contains this information.

Benefits of Feeding Marrow Bones to Your Dog

Yes! There are substantive benefits that your dog can gain from a marrow bone when it is done right. Such as:

• Improvement in Dental Hygiene– Marrow bones can remove plaque buildup, which can improve your dog’s gum health. Additionally, your dog may have sweeter breath through chewing marrow bone. Now that’s something to bark about!
• Inspires Exercise- Marrow bones improve your dog’s exercise due to the use of the upper jaw. Plus, some dogs become energized with excitement from the activity of chewing on the marrow bone.
• Keeps Your Dog Entertained- Marrow bones provide an additional dose of stimulation. This can keep your pet entertained and reduce separation anxiety or prevent them from destroying furniture.
• Provides Numerous Vitamins and Minerals- Marrow bones are full of antioxidants and vitamins that can improve your dog’s overall wellness.

Is It Safe to Feed Marrow Bones to Dogs?

In short, the answer is yes. It is safe to feed your dog marrow bones. But there are a few things you may want to consider such as:

• Does your dog have issues that are already putting your dog at risk for obesity and other weight issues? If you answered yes to this question, you should consult your veterinarian before feeding your dog a marrow bone.
• Does your dog do a lot of activities? If your dog enjoys running, hiking, swimming, and other energy-demanding physical activities, you may want to consider feeding your dog marrow bones. But if your dog is a smaller breed that doesn’t get a lot of exercise or has sensitive tummy issues, you may want to hold off on feeding them bone marrow.
• How are their teeth? If your dog has sensitive or soft teeth, bone marrow may not be a good choice of treat to feed. While marrow itself is jelly and fatty in nature, the bone is hard and can chip or break soft teeth. 
• If you choose to smoke your dog’s marrow bone as a treat, you will want to watch them to make sure that they don’t start eating it. While the meat may be tender on the inside, the outside can break and cause splinters to get stuck in your dog’s gums. Ouch!

Pancreatitis and Marrow Bones For Dogs

You should not feed your dog marrow bones if your dog has a long-term disease such as pancreatitis. The bones can trigger a flare-up and upset your dog’s long-term condition, making it worse.

What Is Pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas. The pancreas is located on your dog’s right side. It is responsible for the excretion of enzymes to the small intestine and hormones into the bloodstream. However, when the pancreas is inflamed, it will eat itself, which can be fatal for pups.

Signs of Pancreatitis

• Vomiting
• Uninterested in Eating
• Exhaustion
• Pain in the Stomach Region

Signs of Severe Pancreatitis

• Anaphylactic Shock
• Fainting
• Diarrhea
• Extreme Dehydration
• Prolonged Periods of Sleeping

If your dog displays any of these signs please seek veterinary attention IMMEDIATELY.

How to Make Marrow Bones for Your Fluffy Best Friend

While you can go to any pet shop to buy Fluffy a marrow bone, it is healthier to make them from home, and it isn’t hard!

Marrow bones need to stay refrigerated because of the meat they contain inside the bone. Otherwise, the meat can rot and lead to salmonella poisoning, which can be fatal to dogs.

Signs of Salmonella Poisoning in Dogs

As long as you follow the recipe below and cook the marrow before giving it to your dog, there should not be any issues with marrow bones. However, accidents can still happen, and salmonella exposure can occur.

Here are six symptoms of Salmonella poisoning:

1. Dehydration
2. Watery stools
3. Bloody diarrhea
4. Exhaustion
5. Fever
6. Collapsing

If your dog experiences any of these, it is best to rush them to the closest veterinary hospital so that they can be treated. 

Salmonella can be treated easily in dogs. Usually, it consists of a round of antibiotics and fluid therapy, which is coupled with nausea and diarrhea control.

Salmonella poisoning should NOT be taken lightly. If left untreated, it can lead to serious lung infections and loss of labor in pregnant female dogs.

Roasted Marrow Bone Recipe

If you’re new to cooking or aren’t great at it, this is a simple and easy recipe that you can cook up.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs of bone marrow. It is best to get the bones from your local butcher. It supports local businesses and is a healthier option than store-bought bones.
• Container
• Salt
• Baking Sheet

Steps:

1. Before cooking the bone marrow, you will need to prep the bone to remove excess blood, fat, etc. Place the 3 lbs of bone marrow in salt water and leave for a day or two. Be sure to change out to the salt at least four times during preparation to successfully remove excess blood and components.
2. Once the two days have gone by and the prep is complete, place the marrow bones on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 450 degrees F for thirty minutes.
3. Every ten minutes during baking time, turn the bone marrow over so that it evenly browns.
4. In 30 minutes, your dog will have fresh marrow bones that are golden brown and delicious!
5. Let the bones cool before serving to your pup. DO NOT serve the bones hot or fresh out of the oven.

5 Additional Things You Should Know About Marrow Bones For Dogs

1. DO NOT let your dog eat a marrow bone around other pets. They may become territorial and go after the other animals in your home.
2. Do not allow your dog to chew on the marrow bone for more than 15 minutes to limit the risk of exposure to salmonella or bone splintering.
3. Always refrigerate the marrow bone after your dog is done chewing it to keep it fresh and free of bacteria.
4. Look for a marrow bone that isn’t small enough to choke on and get caught in the esophagus. On the flip side, be on the lookout for a bone that isn’t overly large so that it does not hurt or crack your pup’s jaw.
5. Never leave your dog with a marrow bone unattended. It takes only a split second for an accident to happen.

Are marrow bones safe for dogs? It is safe to say yes as long as you prepare the bones before consumption, limit chewing time, and keep the bones refrigerated.

Table of Vitamins and Minerals That Marrow Bones Have for Dogs

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