Homecooking and Raw Bones?

Kaybie's Mom · #1 06-19-2007, 07:19 AM

My local pet supply store just started carrying premade frozen raw items. The price for a raw bone (hambone, etc) is pretty reasonable. I was thinking of picking one up for Kaybie to try......she's never had one. But I was wondering if those are ok to go with homecooking? And do I just give her the bone frozen or do I have to thaw it first? Also, how long are they good for once they've thawed......or can I keep throwing it back in the freezer?

PS
I wasn't sure if this should go in raw feeding or homecooking section????

Roscoesmommy · #2 06-19-2007, 07:22 AM

If it is just a bone for her to chew on, I dont see why it would matter. If it is something for her to actually eat, I have read on here that there is a certain amount of time that you must wait between giving them raw and cooked meat. I want to say I recall something about 5 hours, but I am not completely sure.

ehayes21 · #3 06-19-2007, 07:22 AM

I usually give my raw bones frozen and then refreeze after they are done knawing on them - the raw bones I get are recreational, is this what you are talking about?

**Jan** · #4 06-19-2007, 07:23 AM

A raw bone would be fine either frozen or thawed. You can put it back in the freezer when your dog is done with it.

Kaybie's Mom · #5 06-19-2007, 07:28 AM

I am not honestly sure of the details. I just opened their freezer there and they have prepackaged bones of all sorts. Buffalo knuckles, hambone, etc. I was thinking of trying either a hambone or a beefbone depending on what they have available. They seem to have a little meat on them but not tons. Just maybe a bit of fat or cartilidge.

Roscoesmommy · #6 06-19-2007, 07:32 AM

I gave Roscoe a beef soup bone and it had a little bit of meat on it and some fat. He LOVED chewing on the fat. It took him a good 20 minutes to get all of it off before he actually started chewing on the bone. Just be sure that if there is any marrow in it, you scrape some of it out. Too much marrow can make them have runny poos, but a little is ok.

**gmacleod** · #7 06-19-2007, 07:33 AM

There's no need to wait between feeding cooked and raw meat. It's only if you fed a load of carbs (eg. grains, or starchy vegetables like potatoes) that will take an age for the dog to process that there's any need to wait a few hours between that and a raw meal

With the bones you're looking at, it sounds as though any would be fine. The only one I'd question a little is the hambone (has it been cooked or smoked? Ham usually is). Providing it's raw, there are no issues.

Kaybie's Mom · #8 06-19-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmacleod

There's no need to wait between feeding cooked and raw meat. It's only if you fed a load of carbs (eg. grains, or starchy vegetables like potatoes) that will take an age for the dog to process that there's any need to wait a few hours between that and a raw meal

With the bones you're looking at, it sounds as though any would be fine. The only one I'd question a little is the hambone (has it been cooked or smoked? Ham usually is). Providing it's raw, there are no issues.

I will have to double check but I'm 99% sure all the stuff in the freezer is raw. It's prewrapped in clear plastic but it sure looked raw to me. This store just started carrying raw items and they have a huge freezer in the store now. They have everything in there from turkey necks to hambones.

As far as the marrow.......I don't even know what that would look like? And how do I scrape it out? It looked like a solid bone......

Roscoesmommy · #9 06-19-2007, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaybie's Mom

As far as the marrow.......I don't even know what that would look like? And how do I scrape it out? It looked like a solid bone......

In the bone that I got, it was in the middle. It is white with a consistency of something like soft ice cream. You will know what it is when you see it. I just scooped it out with a spoon. If the bone is in a circular shape, it will be in the middle of the bone. Some of the bones may not have any marrow in them if they are certain parts of the body. I think it just depends on what you get, it may be a solid bone or it may not be. Sorry I cant explain any better, I wish I had a picture to show you. I'll search and see if I can find one...

Roscoesmommy · #10 06-19-2007, 08:05 AM

Ok, I found this video that shows you what you should get and if you look closely, you can see the marrow in the middle of the bone. I cant listen to what she is saying because I am at work, but I read the transcript and she seems to be pretty knowledgeable. The only thing I would suggest is scooping some of the marrow out first, not all, but some.

http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/...bones-dogs.htm