The FDA has just released one of their “Consumer Health Updates”. This latest update cuts against the grain of thousands of years of human interaction with dogs, warning dog owners that “Bones are unsafe no matter what their size.” For those of you still shaking your heads in disbelief, let me reiterate that the FDA has just warned us that bones of any size are unsafe for all dogs!
While most of us have become accustomed to our government using monumental piles of money to deliver nonsense warnings like this; it is still beyond belief that a group of bureaucrats can come to such a ridiculous conclusion and spend our hard earned tax dollars warning us about the supposed risks of allowing our dogs to chew on bones.
Keep in mind that this is the same FDA that still allows ethoxyquin as a preservative in dog food, and yes, this is the same FDA that was powerless to prevent the tragedies that lead to the dog food recalls caused by melamine tainted ingredients imported from China.
Most dog owners understand that sharp or splintered bones can be dangerous for dogs (people too!). Occasionally a dog may suffer health problems arising from chewing bones. The fact is that humans also swallow bones from time to time, resulting in choking and other health issues. Can we expect the FDA to begin regulating the quantity and quality of bones in human food? Perhaps the well meaning bureaucrats at the FDA should simply outlaw the presence of bones in all food. We all know that canines in the wild manage to survive because they eat only the boneless animals, right?
As pet owners it is our responsibility to know our animals, their dietary needs and their eating habits well enough to regulate their diets and keep them reasonably safe just like we do with ourselves and our children. When did we became the kind of society that allows our government to tell us what to feed our selves, what to feed our dogs and how to keep our children from drowning in a bucket?
I don’t know about you but my immediate response to the latest warning from the FDA was to go straight to the freezer and get out a nice big bone for both of my dogs.