Braai Bones and Dogs: Why Cooked Bones Are the Problem

Ask any South African vet what ruins their December and they will say braai bones. Cooked bone is dry and brittle, and instead of crushing it splinters into sharp shards that can perforate the gut or lodge in the throat.

What actually goes wrong

Three things, in rough order of frequency. Obstruction, where a lump of bone blocks the intestine and needs surgery. Perforation, where a shard punctures the gut wall and causes life-threatening infection. And constipation, where compacted bone forms a concrete-like mass that has to be removed under anaesthetic. Chop bones, rib bones and chicken bones are the usual culprits.

If your dog has eaten one

Do not induce vomiting. A sharp shard coming back up does as much damage as going down.
Phone the vet and describe the bone type and size.
Watch for retching, drooling, pawing at the mouth, repeated vomiting, a hunched or tense belly, straining without producing, black tarry stool, or a dog that will not settle.
Do not feed bread or "to push it through" — that is folk advice and it does not work.

Many dogs pass small amounts of bone uneventfully. The point of phoning is to know which category you are in.

Running a braai without the drama

Put a lidded bin outside before you start, not after. Brief guests once — most bones reach dogs through a well-meaning uncle. Keep the dog on a lead or behind a door during clearing up, which is when plates are at nose height and everyone is distracted. Check the yard the next morning; bones travel.

What about raw bones

Raw bones are safer than cooked because they flex rather than splinter, but they are not risk-free — they can still cause obstructions, fractured teeth and bacterial contamination. If you feed them, choose large raw bones the dog cannot swallow, supervise, and never give a cooked one under any circumstance.

Better braai-day options

A stuffed rubber toy frozen with wet food, a large carrot, or a piece of plain unseasoned meat off the grill keeps a dog occupied and out of the way. Skip the boerewors — the salt and spice cause their own upset, and onion in some marinades is toxic.