Picture it: A happy looking dog, mouth open, drooling and panting with a fat juicy T-bone steak being served to him on a plate. We have all seen this depiction in cartoons and media platforms for as long as we can remember. We have also been informed that meat is the preferred diet for our lupine-esque pals. Unfortunately, there are many dangers in giving dogs raw meat, especially when that meat still contains the bones. For our friend Phoebe and her owner Michael, that lesson was hard learned.

Michael wanted to give his special dog Phoebe an extra special treat for her birthday. She was turning 5 and Michael thought a T-bone steak that was all her own would be just the thing to help Phoebe celebrate. After all, there is no better friend a man can have. Why not share his favorite meal with her? Well, Phoebe dived right in. She devoured the entire steak whole with barely a thought to chewing or taste. She may as well have been wearing that quintessential bib and holding a knife and fork. (Oh, who are we kidding? That would only have slowed her down.). It was a lovely meal for a lovely dog. And for a time, things were fine. Phoebe turned five just as happy and healthy as ever.

A couple days later, however, Michael noticed something abnormal. Phoebe vomited. Not only that, but Michael noticed her stool was very soft. The next day, she could not get comfortable at all. She was asking to go outside several times that day and each time was straining to defecate with no results. When Michael stroked her abdomen to comfort Phoebe, she growled. That’s when he knew she must really be in pain and he decided to reach out to whiskerDocs for guidance.

After learning how Phoebe celebrated her birthday from Michael, our expert knew Phoebe may be in danger. Bones can get stuck in the intestinal tract anywhere from the stomach to the colon causing a physical blockage. They may also cause trauma and intestinal upset, all of which possibly explained Phoebe’s symptoms. The whiskerDocs veterinary expert advised Michael to seek veterinary care for Phoebe right away.

He sought help at his local emergency room and it turns out it was exactly what Phoebe needed. The bone from the steak had lodged itself in her stomach and was unable to pass safely. Phoebe was placed under general anesthesia and underwent surgery, and fortunately, the bone was able to be safely removed. After a few days of rest and recovery, Phoebe was back to her happy self. Michael was relieved that whiskerDocs was there with compassionate support and educated guidance that helped him determine the level of care Phoebe required.  

Phoebe has decided that, next year, she just wants a frisbee for her birthday, and after Michael's heartache over the incident, we're sure he'll happily oblige!