Give a dog a Bone ? ! ? ! ? ! *pics

[bckrazy]

That is very unfortunate, for Jenny. I hope you'll be happy to dish out $1000's if/when she gets an obstruction or fractured teeth from chunks of brittle cooked bone. That's all I have to say about that.

[GreyhoundGirl]

Around here if you don't cook meat, there are more chance of dieses than there is of splintering. All my other dogs and my dads dogs all ate cooked bones, and they all lived to ripe od ages, except for 2. I'm just more concerned about the danger of her catching something from the raw meat. The bones were free, so I sometimes wonder......

( those 2 were hit by a car and by a boat. )

[bckrazy]

Not if you freeze the meat for 1-2 weeks. Dogs do not contract diseases like people do, their stomach acids are much tougher and intestines shorter. As long as you're sure to give the raw before feeding kibble or after the kibble is digested, there will not be a problem!

However, you seem to have already made up your mind. I just think it's pointless to risk her life with digesting cooked bones when you can easily feed more appropriate raw bones. If you really think it cannot happen to anyone, my sister's Lab got into cooked bones when he was younger, they splintered his rectum and he had to get $800 surgery to repair it, not to mention the pain he went through.

[GreyhoundGirl]

Not if you freeze the meat for 1-2 weeks. Dogs do not contract diseases like people do, their stomach acids are much tougher and intestines shorter. As long as you're sure to give the raw before feeding kibble or after the kibble is digested, there will not be a problem!

However, you seem to have already made up your mind. I just think it's pointless to risk her life with digesting cooked bones when you can easily feed more appropriate raw bones. If you really think it cannot happen to anyone, my sister's Lab got into cooked bones when he was younger, they splintered his rectum and he had to get $800 surgery to repair it, not to mention the pain he went through.

The meat has been frozen for a long time, but don't you think bactirea would still be on it? It was vaccum-sealed. It just doesn't seem right to feed them raw. Do other people feed their dogs RAW bones?

I just think it's pointless to risk her life feeding raw bones when I can easily feed her more-approprate cooked bones.

Are you guys POSITIVE they should be fed raw? I don't want to risk it. I need a second opinion.

[bckrazy]

WHAT?! Sorry, I can't understand what you are saying, about risking her life feeding Raw bones when cooked bones are appropriate? I'm talking about species-appropriate, hon. You do not see canines in the wild eating cooked bones. Their bodies are not built to eat cooked bones. They are built to eat raw meat & bones.

To answer your question, my dogs get raw meaty bones everysingleday, that is their diet... and they are VERY healthy. They have sparkling white teeth, good poops, great coats & skin, good energy, etc. I would think that, if there IS some kind of elusive bacteria that won't die from freezing, my dogs would've contracted this a long time ago. They haven't ever been sick from Raw.

That said, I do not think you should feed Raw if you aren't comfortable with it, but IMO you sure as HECK shouldn't be feeding brittle, splintered cooked bones either. If you want to research feeding Raw bones, there are tons of Raw threads in the Dog Health section.

[Vela]

WHAT?! Sorry, I can't understand what you are saying, about risking her life feeding Raw bones when cooked bones are appropriate? I'm talking about species-appropriate, hon. You do not see canines in the wild eating cooked bones. Their bodies are not built to eat cooked bones. They are built to eat raw meat & bones.

To answer your question, my dogs get raw meaty bones everysingleday, that is their diet... and they are VERY healthy. They have sparkling white teeth, good poops, great coats & skin, good energy, etc. I would think that, if there IS some kind of elusive bacteria that won't die from freezing, my dogs would've contracted this a long time ago. They haven't ever been sick from Raw.

That said, I do not think you should feed Raw if you aren't comfortable with it, but IMO you sure as HECK shouldn't be feeding brittle, splintered cooked bones either. If you want to research feeding Raw bones, there are tons of Raw threads in the Dog Health section.

I agree completely. My dogs eat raw meat and bones every single day. They never get sick from it. Truth be told, you are far more risking her life by feeding her cooked bone than you are feeding her raw meat. Dogs are desgined to eat raw meat and don't contract the same illnesses people do, even if there IS bacteria on it. If it has been frozen it's perfectly safe and MUCH safer than cooked. Just because a dog hasn't died from it yet in your family doesn't mean it cannot happen. My dogs' food is raw meat, every day. They are never ill and in fact healthier than when I fed them kibble. I can see vast changes in their overall health. If you don't want to feed raw bones then don't, but REALLY don't feed cooked ones either. It only takes once for something terrible to happen, then it's too late.

[cyber-sibes]

Encouraged by the raw foods people here on PT, i've started giving mine raw chicken legs, wings and backs. They do seem to love them, have no problem crunching them up, and it should help keep their teeth in good shape. prior to this, I gave them those sterilized bones they sell in the pet stores, and some smoked beef bones -- and Star broke one of her molars on them. The vet said once this happens, she should have regular cleanings to remove the tarter, because now it could get into her jaw & make her very sick. This will cost $$$$$ because she'll need blood tests & anesthetic in order to clean her teeth. So only raw bones from now on!