| One warning about marrow bones (any bone actually), never let the dog have them unsupervised. I once gave Maggie a marrow bone outside in her pen to keep her occupied while I went out for a couple of hours. When I came back, she had her bottom teeth stuck in the hole in the bone and couldn't get them out. Luckily, I was able to unwedge the bone and remove it. Did I ever feel stupid and guilty. :o
Since that episode, I have heard of this happening to other dogs and the only way to get it off was to go to the vet, put the dog under and saw the bone off. Try and make sure the holes in the ends are too big or too small for the dog to wedge its teeth in them.
I have also found that the knuckle end of the femur, the part they actually can crunch up and eat is the best for cleaning teeth. The knuckle end doesn't splinter, it seems to break into small crumbly pieces (when it's raw). I do take it away when the bone is down to a size she could swallow whole. It's hard to find the knuckle end, but sometimes you'll see it in a package of soup bones.
I do know the type of bone you're referrring to, ladawn, with the three little bits and lots of cartilage. I'm not 100% sure, but I'd guess that this is the end of the femur bone that connects in the knee. I think the knuckle is the other end, that goes into the hip.  |