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Raw bones good or bad??


ncsugrad54
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Hi. I'm sitting at the vet right now with my dogs and mentioned I give them raw bones sometimes. The vet began telling me how unsafe it was and how dogs almost always break a tooth. Is this true from yalls experience? It wasn't until recently I started giving my dog raw bones and that was because I asked a pet store (not Petsmart or petco) and they said raw bones would be good for cleaning their teeth. I thought a lot of ppl on here gave their dogs raw bones. Maybe I am wrong? I was buying ones that had less marrow on them. Would you guys recommend raw bones or not?

 

Ps thanks in advance!

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I usually feed my dogs raw, frozen beef ribs. Those bones are a bit softer and they eat them up/consume them for the most part. I stay away from the large, marrow saw cuts that are thick and hard as stone. Raw bones are a great tooth brush for dogs but there's always some concern they might break a tooth. I never give them cooked bones, that usually upsets their tummies/bowl movements.

 

"yalls"...is that plural for "you all"? :D

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Your vet is absolutely correct. Weight bearing bones from large ungulates are too hard for most dogs and th risk of tooth breakage is high.

 

Many people believe that beef ribs and weight bearing bones from smaller animals such as deer, hogs, sheep and goats are also too hard. I'm beginning to agree as my vet just discovered that Bodhi has a broken tooth that wasn't broken at his exam last year. I suspect it mat have been from one of the bone in pork shoulders I've been feeding him recently.

 

OTOH, the folks at the pet store were also correct. The right kind of bone can be great for cleaning teeth. Things like chicken backs or duck necks are wonderful tooth cleaning tools. (Chicken necks are OK if your dog won't swallow them whole; many do and that can be a choking hazard.) What you want to look for are bones that are soft enough for the dog to fully consume. Best if it has some meat on it as the ripping meat off is what cleans the front teeth.

 

I feed things like chicken backs frozen so they last a little longer.

 

Remember that too much bone fed without added meat can cause hard stools or even constipation.

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I give my dogs each half of a raw, frozen turkey neck each week. They last longer frozen and they end up getting completely consumed.

 

I get them from the grocery store. They're pretty big - cutting them in half before freezing them is MUCH easier if you have a good meat cleaver (not to be confused with a vegetable chopper, completely different beasts).

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Chicken wings are small enough to be choking hazards for many dogs, especially if they're the type with the tips removed and then cut into smaller portions. If they're complete and from large birds, they might be OK.

 

Why would they be high in salt? Only if they're enhanced with additional salt. But chicken on it's own isn't too high in sodium.

 

I don't know about where you live, but here in the US chicken wings are pretty expensive ever since Buffalo wings and all the variations became popular. They usually cost as much or more than whole chickens. Often as much as breasts.

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I can't remember what the last bones were I bought before this pack, but currently I have a 2 pack of lamb femur bones in my freezer.

 

I looked at the chicken necks at the pet store, but just couldn't buy them because of the look. ;-)

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Ask your supermarket meat manager what they can order. Check the yellow pages under wholesale meats ans see what they can order. See if there's anyone in the area who does custom butchering. The usually throw bones away. Make friends with hunters. Check Yahoo for raw feeding groups in your area.

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If the pork is from the grocery store, no.

 

I feed all kinds of bone in meat similar to Gideon's list plus venison. I won't feed deer legs as they are too big and hard for my dog to consume. I'll let Im tear the leftover fleshy parts then take it away.

 

I get all mine from a wholesale restaurant supply place and rarely the grocery store and deer is always from friends/family that hunt.

 

What you pay at the pet store will shock you once you source from human places. I once saw dried trachea for I think close to $10/lb in a fancy little bag in a boutique pet store and I buy fresh trachea and esophagus for .65/lb. :)

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thanks waffles. I just found that when my dog was on raw food her teeth were clean, and now they aren't. so I am going back to raw and will feed less to try to get her weight done. if they don't look better in a month it is to the vet to clean them.

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I get them from the grocery store. They're pretty big - cutting them in half before freezing them is MUCH easier if you have a good meat cleaver (not to be confused with a vegetable chopper, completely different beasts).

 

Get a dedicated bolt cutter...the added leverage works amazingly well (thank you Denise Fenzi).

 

Why would they be high in salt? Only if they're enhanced with additional salt. But chicken on it's own isn't too high in sodium.

90% of chicken meat sold in supermarkets has sodium from enhancement or washing. I had a (small) dog with heart disease and he had to have a low sodium diet and it was tough to find even necks that didn't have sodium in them.

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Get a dedicated bolt cutter...the added leverage works amazingly well (thank you Denise Fenzi).

 

A good meat cleaver makes an effortless job of it - I can't imagine it's being any easier with a bolt cutter. One whack and they're in two. Just remember to keep your fingers clear!

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A good meat cleaver makes an effortless job of it - I can't imagine it's being any easier with a bolt cutter. One whack and they're in two. Just remember to keep your fingers clear!

 

Ah! I didn't have a cleaver, but I did have a bolt cutter. Its sure easier than trying to do it with a knife or scissors.

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Commercially raised pork has never touched the ground in the US and is pretty safe, but I tend to freeze everything anyways. I have too many freezers and things get lost in them so most things are frozen for a while before I get around to feeding them. Naturally raised pork should be frozen at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 weeks, longer if your freezer doesn't go that low.

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I often give Tess raw bones with meat on them, Today I bought a big farm bred chicken, I'm going to wack off legs, wings and breasts and give her the whole back and feet. I also buy beef ribs, trim part of the meat for me and give her the bone with a lot of meat still on it. Sometimes I give her pork or beef knee joints, they're soft bone and cartilage. They're not nutritious though, they're just for fun.

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Sometimes I give her pork or beef knee joints, they're soft bone and cartilage. They're not nutritious though, they're just for fun.

 

They're nutritious, just not balanced nutrition by themselves. (Of course, neither are the other bones you mention unless you add a fair amount of extra meat to them.) ;)

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