Can Dogs Eat Rib Bones?
Donāt be so quick to toss your dog some rib bones š āāļø

If youāre grilling up ribs this summer, you might be wondering if itās OK to toss your dog a bone or two. But can dogs eat rib bones?
Swallowing rib bones is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY because it can actually result in a couple different serious health problems.
We spoke with Dr. Michelle Burch, a veterinarian with Paramount Pet Health, and Dr. Sara Ochoa, a small- and exotic-animal veterinarian in Texas and a veterinary consultant for DogLab, to find out why eating rib bones is so unsafe for dogs.
Dangers of giving your dog rib bones
There are a bunch of dangers that come with giving your dog rib bones to eat or chew on.
Gastrointestinal obstruction
Itās super easy for rib bones to obstruct or damage your dogās gastrointestinal tract.
āPerforation of the esophagus or intestines can occur when bones shard into sharp points,ā Dr. Burch told The Dodo. āDogs can develop constipation or bleeding from the rectum due to bone ingestion.ā
If this happens, it can be fatal if your dog doesnāt get treated ASAP. So if your pup swallows any rib bones, bring him to the vet immediately.
More minor symptoms include stomach and intestinal irritation, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
Damage to your dogās mouth and throat
Eating rib bones can also do some major damage to your dogās teeth, mouth and throat, including:
- Breaking teeth
- Lodging pieces of bone in teeth
- Creating a choking hazard
- Cutting the mouth and esophagus
They just arenāt worth the risk
Since there are so many potentially dangerous things that can happen when your dog eats rib bones, there really isnāt any point in giving them to your pup in the first place.
āThere are no real benefits of your dog eating a rib bone,ā Dr. Ochoa told The Dodo. āWhile their ancestors may have eaten bones, our house dogs have evolved and do not need to eat these bones as they are provided a well-balanced diet.ā
Can dogs eat rib bones safely in any way?
If youāre hoping that thereās still a way you can safely give your dog rib bones, weāve got some bad news for you.
āThere is not a safe way to give your dog a rib bone,ā Dr. Ochoa said. āIt is best to never feed your dog bones from any protein source.ā
Why canāt dogs eat pork rib bones?
āPork is high in fat and can lead to pancreatitis,ā Dr. Ochoa said. āThe bone can also accidently be swallowed, causing your dog to have an obstruction and need surgery to remove the bone.ā
Why canāt dogs eat beef rib bones?
āThese bones can become stuck in your dog's stomach or intestines, get stuck in their throats or across the top of their mouth,ā Dr. Ochoa said.
Why canāt dogs eat cooked rib bones?
āThese are slightly safer than uncooked bones, but they can also cause many health issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea,ā Dr. Ochoa said.
So it doesnāt matter where theyāre coming from or whether theyāve been cooked or not ā dogs canāt eat rib bones safely. So if you see your dog sneaking a rib bone at your next cookout, grab it from him ASAP. And if you suspect heās swallowed one, get him to the vet right away.