Does anyone know what this is?

[Lance B]

Took the dog for a walk and she managed to find herself a "prize" and she seemed quite proud of it! Didn't really pay too much attention to it at the time of discovery as it just looked like another bone that she had found and she continued to chew on it for the rest of the walk. Once we got home and looked at the actual item, it was quite a strange looking thing.

It appears to be made of bone and has 6 individual "fingers" or prongs at one end, then flatten out come together. It is about 30mm wide at the pointed end and about 50mm wide at the flattened or joined end. The amount you can see in the 2nd last images is about 200mm (8") of it, but it started out at about 600mm (24") long before our dog chewed the end off it on her way home. The end that she had chewed away was probably a tad wider and flatter, maybe 60-70mm wide. It smells of fish, so I am assuming it is an ocean creature's bone of some sort but have no idea what.

If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

The "finger" or pointed end

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671191/original.jpg

Side view

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671192/original.jpg

Showing how they come together and flatten out a tad.

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671193/original.jpg

Close up of the "fingers"

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671194/original.jpg

Close up of where they come together and flatten out. It is quite stronge and can't be easily split apart.

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671195/original.jpg

A more complete view. Further to the right, out of the photo, it is quite badly chewed by our dog so not much use for the photo. All of it is joined together and as I say, basically impossible to pull apart without destroying it all.

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671196/original.jpg

End view

http://www.pbase.com/lance_b/image/146671197/original.jpg

[Linton]

Hmm very interesting! Certainly looks like marine cartilage of some sort, but the form of it is very weird....new species perhaps...lol. Try emailing a copy to marine experts at your local uni maybe..

[fess67]

Check inside the dog!!!!! I saw a film about that stuff once and if you are not related to Sigourney Weaver I suggest you start running now!!! :lol:

[Mary Anne]

Sorry No Idea Lance though its a strange looking something.

[ricktas]

it reminds me of a bulb for some of the cordyline plants (grasses), rather than being a bone. I wonder if someone has pulled out some plants and thrown them away and it has hardened, and therefore just seems to be like bone. I suspect it might be the tubers of some sort of plant, rather than being actual boney matter. it could easily smell of fish if someone adds fish-meal type fertiliser to their garden

I would be careful about letting your dog chew it, without knowing exactly what it is, it could be harmful. Dogs are not really the brightest when it comes to selective eating. Take onions, they will eat them, but onions make dogs anaemic, and therefore they should never be fed them.

[Rattus79]

If I was forced to guess what it is, I'd say whale teeth. It's the only thing I cant think of that looks remotely like these.

NB, I am not a Marine Biologist, don't by any means take that as gospel!

[Lance B]

it reminds me of a bulb for some of the cordyline plants (grasses), rather than being a bone. I wonder if someone has pulled out some plants and thrown them away and it has hardened, and therefore just seems to be like bone. I suspect it might be the tubers of some sort of plant, rather than being actual boney matter. it could easily smell of fish if someone adds fish-meal type fertiliser to their garden

Thanks for your thoughts.

It really seems like bone as it has the fibres of bone. I am very confident that it is bone as it looks fresh.


I would be careful about letting your dog chew it, without knowing exactly what it is, it could be harmful. Dogs are not really the brightest when it comes to selective eating.

You must know my dog well! :D Definitely not the brightest and will eat anyhting.


Take onions, they will eat them, but onions make dogs anaemic, and therefore they should never be fed them.

Yes, we never let her eat onions nor chocolate. We have found only one thing which she will not eat and that is olives, of all things!

- - - Updated - - -


Check inside the dog!!!!! I saw a film about that stuff once and if you are not related to Sigourney Weaver I suggest you start running now!!! :lol:

:lol:

If she starts heaving from the chest in a few days, I'll start running! :D

[ricktas]

it is not a whale's tooth. my family has several of those (which are on loan to a museum) and it ain't one of those, unless it is some sort of filtering whale.

grapes is another thing to avoid..caused kidney failure

[Film Street]

It's a Bulgarian fetta stirrer.

[Rattus79]

itunless it is some sort of filtering whale.



That's exactly what I was thinking. Possibly a humpback. But that's just a guess. :D

[Lance B]

it is not a whale's tooth. my family has several of those (which are on loan to a museum) and it ain't one of those, unless it is some sort of filtering whale.

I was thinking that myself, maybe baleen? Having looked at images it doesn't look like that either.


grapes is another thing to avoid..caused kidney failure

That causes kidney failure to me too! :D

[Lance B]

grapes is another thing to avoid..caused kidney failure


That causes kidney failure to me too! :D

Silly me, that should have read, "Grapes, in the form of wine, could cause kidney failure to me too!" :o

[ricktas]

Silly me, that should have read, "Grapes, in the form of wine, could cause kidney failure to me too!" :o


actually that would be liver failure...hehe. Alcoholims destroys the liver.

[danny]

Have no idea... but I am glad that you didn;t save it up for a "Who/ What/ Where #, What is this?". Because it would have gone on for a very long time. :lol:

cheers
Danny

[Mark L]

... but I am glad that you didn;t save it up for a "Who/ What/ Where #, What is this?". Because it would have gone on for a very long time. :lol:


Yes, how would we know to answer "something your dog picked up.":D

So now stop the current "Who/ What/ Where #, What is this?" from going on for to long please http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?111950-Who-What-Where-793-What-is-this

Sorry Lance, have no real idea, other than a cuttlefish that's wandered in from Fukushima!!

[Lianne]

It looks like the upper part of the baleen plates from a whale.


Bacon and sausages are no good for dogs either - pancreatitis.

[Steve Axford]

Does this look familiar
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=baleen+plates&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=PNF9UI_MIomRiQe6l4CgBw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1536&bih=725

[Lance B]

Does this look familiar
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=baleen+plates&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=PNF9UI_MIomRiQe6l4CgBw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1536&bih=725

Yes, I saw all that but it still doesn't look like what I had. I think I will try to contact a marine biologist to see what it is. Unfortunately, my wife threw it away and all I have now are the photos. :(

[Steve Axford]

Perhaps it is from a whale species that doesn't get a google photo.

[crazymorton]

That's weird. Did you get an answer yet?