Short answer: sometimes, but not always — and you should ask your vet first. Bully sticks are a high-protein, moderately high-phosphorus beef chew. For a dog with calcium oxalate or urate stones, that usually means limiting or skipping them. For some dogs with other stone types, or dogs who have been stable for a long time, an occasional bully stick may be fine. The stone type is what decides it, and only your veterinarian can tell you which type your dog has.
I'm Preston Smith, co-founder of Bully Sticks Central. We sell bully sticks, so I want to be straight with you: this is one of the few situations where the honest answer is “maybe not.” Here's how to think it through.
What are kidney and bladder stones in dogs?
Stones are hard mineral deposits that form in the urinary tract — in the kidneys (nephroliths) or, more commonly, the bladder (uroliths). They can cause straining, blood in the urine, frequent urination, and in serious cases a life-threatening blockage. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, the most common types in dogs are struvite and calcium oxalate, with urate, cystine, and silicate stones showing up less often.
Diet matters because different stones form under different urinary conditions. That's why there is no single “stone diet” — the right plan depends entirely on which mineral your dog is forming.
Why bully sticks come up in this conversation
A bully stick is a single-ingredient beef chew — 100% real meat, no rawhide, nothing added. That's exactly what makes it a great everyday treat for most dogs, and exactly why it raises questions for a dog with stones. Beef protein brings purines, phosphorus, and (with high-protein diets generally) shifts in urine chemistry.
Two things to weigh:
- Protein and purines. Dogs prone to urate stones — notably Dalmatians and dogs with liver shunts — are typically put on a low-purine diet. High-purine proteins are the biggest concern there.
- Phosphorus and mineral load. Dogs with reduced kidney function are often placed on phosphorus-restricted, protein-moderated diets. A daily beef chew works against that plan.
Worth separating two things that often get blurred together: urinary stones and chronic kidney disease. A dog who passed one struvite stone after a urinary tract infection and a dog with advanced kidney disease are in very different situations, even though both get told to “watch protein.”
Which dogs should probably skip bully sticks?
- Dogs with diagnosed chronic kidney disease on a prescription renal diet
- Dogs actively forming urate or cystine stones
- Dogs whose vet has put them on a strict therapeutic diet where treats are limited to a small percentage of daily calories
In these cases the issue usually isn't that one bully stick is dangerous — it's that therapeutic urinary diets only work when they're followed consistently. The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that dietary management is a cornerstone of treatment, and treats are part of the diet.
Which dogs might be fine with an occasional bully stick?
Dogs with a one-time struvite stone that resolved with treatment, dogs with normal kidney values, and dogs whose vet has cleared moderate-protein treats. If your vet gives the green light, keep it modest: a smaller thin stick a couple times a week rather than a thick 12-inch every day, and keep fresh water freely available. Hydration is one of the most consistently recommended tools for preventing recurrence.
Better chew options while you sort it out
Dogs still need to chew — it's how they self-soothe and help keep their teeth clean. Some lower-impact directions to discuss with your vet:
- Vegetable chews. Raw carrot, celery sticks, and cucumber spears give the crunch with almost no protein or phosphorus load.
- Rubber chew toys. Zero dietary impact. Stuffed with a vet-approved food, they buy you a lot of quiet time.
- Vet-formulated dental chews. Some are made specifically to fit within therapeutic diets. Ask your vet which ones pair with your dog's plan.
If your dog gets cleared for natural chews again, we'd point you toward our guides on single-ingredient chews and whether trachea dog treats are safe, plus our overview of what bully sticks actually are.
What we can promise about our sticks
Every bully stick we sell is 100% natural, single-ingredient, 100% real meat, fully digestible, and contains no rawhide. They're ethically sourced from grass-fed American and Argentinean farms and 100% high-quality guaranteed. What we can't do is diagnose your dog. If there are stones in the picture, your veterinarian's plan comes first — bring a bully stick to the appointment and ask directly whether it fits.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian about your dog's specific diet and health needs.
This post was last updated at August 6, 2026 23:26
