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Strong bones are a structural goal – and a metabolic neccessity.

By Randy Kidd, DVM, PhD

The bones that dog owners are most familiar with are the ones they buy for their dogs to chew; ideally, these are moist, fresh (or frozen) cattle bones, still sporting tissues that dogs can tear and gnaw off and nutritious marrow to extract. Posing a great deal more risk to a dog’s teeth are the dead, nearly fossilized bones sold in many pet supply stores.

Over time, humans have drastically altered the skeleton of the dog, creating enormous variation in the appearance of diverse breeds – and causing severe problems in some, especially in the tiny and giant breeds. The farther we get away from the natural canine’s skeletal structure, the more apt he is to have debilitating skeletal problems.

The bones inside the living dog barely resemble the dry, brittle bones sold as recreational chews. Rather, living bone is a dynamic, vibrant organ that is in a perpetual state of flux, constantly generating and dying, accumulating and being worn away. …

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