# Beef Ribs



## trikerdon (May 14, 2011)

I seem to remember in the back posts that you shouldn't give beef ribs as they are too hard and might break or chip a tooth. Now I seem to be reading about several giving the beef ribs. 
Sheba loves them and I give them to her and she eats all the meat around them and then plays with the bone for awhile. I keep an eye on her and then remove it.
So, are the ribs ok or not?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I have only heard of very few cases of cracked teeth from beef ribs happening. I've never had an issue...so I will continue to give them. I guess just keep it in mind that they have been known to crack teeth...even if rarely.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I feed beef ribs often, but the issue I'm having lately is that the dogs seem to get real erpy after eating them lately...Not sure if it is the type/brand or the fat amount on the ribs..


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

I bought some beef ribs and gave a big meaty one to my pup, thinking he would just gnaw on the meat, and not consume the whole rib. Well, he ate the whole thing in less than 5 minutes... Without really chewing it (!)

Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out, thinking it would injure his digestive tract or something. Or, I was imagining like a cartoon dog with a big rib bone sticking out of his side, fully whole... (there goes my imagination, lol).

Anyway, everything was fine- he digested the rib and didn't even have any upset or loose stools. 

Still weird to me, but there ya go.

(Still a bit nervous about giving him more, though...)


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

NewYorkDogue said:


> I bought some beef ribs and gave a big meaty one to my pup, thinking he would just gnaw on the meat, and not consume the whole rib. Well, he ate the whole thing in less than 5 minutes... Without really chewing it (!)
> 
> Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out, thinking it would injure his digestive tract or something. Or, I was imagining like a cartoon dog with a big rib bone sticking out of his side, fully whole... (there goes my imagination, lol).
> 
> ...


There was one pack of ribs I got a long time ago, 3 yrs maybe that the dogs could actually eat the bone, very soft...I thought maybe it came from a very young cow. The ones we have gotten lately are very dense.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

I haven't given beef ribs in about 6 months because Aspen is a very strong power chewer and the filling from his premolar came off. Won't give them again...


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

trikerdon said:


> I seem to remember in the back posts that you shouldn't give beef ribs as they are too hard and might break or chip a tooth. Now I seem to be reading about several giving the beef ribs.
> Sheba loves them and I give them to her and she eats all the meat around them and then plays with the bone for awhile. I keep an eye on her and then remove it.
> So, are the ribs ok or not?


I do what you do with Rebel. When he gets all the meat off and starts seriously gnawing the bone, I take it away.


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## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

my dog eats them as well, that's why he only gets calf ribs now, i feel better giving him the calf ribs, although he has never had problems wih beef ribs, but if your dog only plays with them, you should be fine


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i think a beef rib bone might crack and
create sharp peices. i give my dog
center cut femur bones and elk antlers.
some say you shouldn't give them femur
bones.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

I have given beef ribs before. My little dog just eats the meat, he can't eat the bone or chooses not to. My bigger dogs do eat the bone and don't seem to have much problem. I guess feed at your discretion. If in doubt, don't feed it. You aren't really losing out on much here anyways. Deer ribs are pretty popular here but they are much smaller.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Ive given beef ribs to all of ours, even the cats...I let them clean the meat off.

None of mine can eat the whole bone unless I let them go at it a LONG time....and normally by that time they have become bored of them!LOL

I dont worry too much about teeth, maybe I should, but I just dont.


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## funshine (Jan 21, 2010)

NewYorkDogue said:


> I bought some beef ribs and gave a big meaty one to my pup, thinking he would just gnaw on the meat, and not consume the whole rib. Well, he ate the whole thing in less than 5 minutes... Without really chewing it (!)


Give at least three bones still attached :smile: or a whole rack :biggrin:
Your dog can't swallow the piece whole and will have great time getting the meat off between the bones.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

funshine, I have done this before and they are very good at dismantling whole racks. I have seen them literally lick them to pieces!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Akasha and Zuri can both clean the meat entirely from 3-4 beef ribs bones all attached together in less than 5 minutes. They're fast!


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## Noodlesmadison (Sep 18, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> I have only heard of very few cases of cracked teeth from beef ribs happening. I've never had an issue...so I will continue to give them. I guess just keep it in mind that they have been known to crack teeth...even if rarely.


This is why I still haven't taken mine out of the freezer lol. Noodles recently had 7 teeth removed (one abscess and 6 hairline fractures) The vet thinks she has weak teeth or something. So beef ribs make me nervous...


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Noodlesmadison said:


> This is why I still haven't taken mine out of the freezer lol. Noodles recently had 7 teeth removed (one abscess and 6 hairline fractures) The vet thinks she has weak teeth or something. So beef ribs make me nervous...


My dog with four teeth does great on ribs - she can't break the bones, so it's great for the teeth she has left. 

She is small enough that she knows she can't get the bone in a position to try to crack it, so she just pulls the meat off and kind of gums around on the bone. It's the only method I have for cleaning her teeth except for chicken necks and she tends to swallow those almost whole so I don't know how much teeth cleaning she's getting from them.

you might try a rib and just see if Noodles will pick the meat off.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Noodlesmadison said:


> This is why I still haven't taken mine out of the freezer lol. Noodles recently had 7 teeth removed (one abscess and 6 hairline fractures) The vet thinks she has weak teeth or something. So beef ribs make me nervous...


Yikes! Poor girl. What about the condition of her remaining teeth? Do you know which teeth they took and which one was abscessed?


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

I give Lola a single rib because more would be way too much for her. She gnaws away but so far hasn't been able to actually eat any of the bone. She seems to really enjoy them.


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## Noodlesmadison (Sep 18, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> Yikes! Poor girl. What about the condition of her remaining teeth? Do you know which teeth they took and which one was abscessed?


Her remaining teeth were good.. but it's been awhile (I think it's been 7 months) and the vet did say something along the lines of "we may have to remove more teeth in the next few years". The abscessed one was behind the canine (I think one or two behind). And the other removed ones are on the sides. It's hard to tell because she won't let me look in her mouth long enough lol There's definitely a lot of gum in there


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Well, keep her up on eating raw meaty bones and she may never have another dental with extractions. As for beef ribs...they aren't a necessity or anything!


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