# Vanishing Ham Bone



## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

So our Corgi got a hold of a smoked ham bone today, about 8" in length, and very quickly made it disappear. I would have considered it a recreational bone. Apparently, he believed otherwise.

Now he looks rather green instead of his normal oreo look. Not to mention he's walking around moaning. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say his stomach hurts a little... Any suggestions?

(Must make a mental note of Corgis' determination to do whatever it is they _think_ they want to do.)


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I would say vet.


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

The bone in a smoked ham can be very sharp and brittle.
I'll add to the previous post and say EMERGENCY vet. NOW!


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob's right. Emergency vet immediately. Tonight. Now.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Any vomiting, diarrhea, or lack there of yet?


----------



## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

Updates?????????? Hope he is alright.


----------



## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

Technically, he's not "mine", so I couldn't make the final call on taking him to the vet, even though I pushed pretty hard for it. Chelsea insists that he's eaten ham bones all his life (I guess they used to give him ham hocks and the like) and that he always lays around and groans afterwards and is fine the next morning.

He does seem fine this morning. Perky, running around, and defecating as normal. ::shrugs:: I was worried as hell last night.

So why is Hartz selling these bones if they aren't safe? I mean, we have two beef mammoth bones for the big boys, but they aren't even trying to eat the bone on those...just pulling off the stuff that's stuck to them. The little bit of gnawing that they did on the knuckles was to no avail. Bruno, however, just blew right through the ham bone. Has to be pretty common (??) if a 30lb dog has no problems with it. I would think??


----------



## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

Glad to hear he is doing okay. As for why they sell that stuff...I'm guessing because people are more then willing to buy them...it's all about the $$$$$$$$$$. They sell rawhide bones still....yet many many dogs end up having expensive surgery to remove obstructions that occur when their gobbled up and expand. <-------------Yup, I'm speaking from personal experience. 

BUYER BEWARE!!!!


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Was it one of the bones with filling??? Maybe it gave him gas.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

i realize it's not your dog, but if it was mine, i'd still dose him w/a couple cc's of mineral oil; just cause he pooped ok this am doesn't mean he can't still get plugged up. FWIW


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Alicia Mertz said:


> So why is Hartz selling these bones if they aren't safe?


That's rhetorical, right?

You know about the Hartz flea collar and topical flea stuff?

The Hartz shelf at the store should have huge skull-and-crossbones signs.


----------



## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

I do remember something about the Hartz products several years ago, but I don't remember the specifics. These bones were gifts from their "buddy", Dan - a well-meaning friend of ours in Massachusetts. We got the big bones out to give the Shepherds and Bruno apparently snatched the smaller ham bone and took off without us seeing him. I don't usually buy "treats" of any sort.

Don't think it was filled, Jeff, but I could be wrong. Never really got a close look at the thing!

And Ann, mineral oil sounds like a good suggestion. When you say "a couple cc's", do you literally mean 2? I'll go give him some now.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

CanisMajor.com says:

one dose of one or two tablespoons of cooking oil or mineral oi


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

and on a label online:


Indications


A mild laxative for the lubrication of the intestinal tract.

For Use On
Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, and Dogs

Dosage & Administration

Horses - 1 quart<br<
Cattle - 1 quart
Sheep - 5 ounces
Hogs - 1 pint
Dogs (Toy Breeds, and Puppies) - 1 ounce
Adult Dogs - 2 ounces
CAUTION: Exercise care in administering to avoid aspiration into the lungs and possible foreign body pneumonia. Prolonged use or repeat use may interfere with normal absorption of nutrients from digestive tract. END


BUT:
MarvistaVet.com says:

"An old fashioned remedy has been the oral administration of mineral oil. It is best to avoid this temptation as mineral oil, being a light fluid without flavor, is easily inhaled accidentally into the respiratory tract. Since it is a mineral based compound, it cannot ever be removed by the body and the immune system will forever attempt to wall it off with inflammatory granulomas. END

This would make me think more about a cooking oil (evoo, for example), than mineral oil.

But I will look further.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

OK, PetTips and other sites say:

"Avoid using mineral oil as a lubricant or laxative as it drains the body of vitamins; use olive oil instead."


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

ann freier said:


> just cause he pooped ok this am doesn't mean he can't still get plugged up. FWIW


Good point. Plus obstructions can re-position.


----------



## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

You caught me in time. I went out right after my last post and mowed the lawn waiting for Ann's response.

I just gave him 10 cc's of olive oil instead (about 2/3 tablespoon, I believe). I found a site that said 30 cc's was equivalent to 1 ounce, but that seemed like a LOT.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Alicia Mertz said:


> You caught me in time. I went out right after my last post and mowed the lawn waiting for Ann's response.
> 
> I just gave him 10 cc's of olive oil instead (about 2/3 tablespoon, I believe). I found a site that said 30 cc's was equivalent to 1 ounce, but that seemed like a LOT.



It sounded like a lot to me, too, but other sources said 1/4 cup for a big dog....

I'm thinking that will be pretty sure to trigger a bout of diarrhea, no matter what else it does...... 

I'm sure a zillion dogs have had mineral oil with no problem, but I have avoided it ever since I learned how it kills vitamin E and other antioxidants (like in skin lotions, etc.).

But evoo has no downside that I know about.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

connie, as always, you keep me updated--never had heard that about mineral oil, but heck, when you think about it, most of us (i think  ) keep either veg or olive oil on hand in the kitchen anyway.
gotta learn something new everyday!!!!


----------

