Wild Game bones?

[MonkeyLove]

Just wondering if anyone gives their pups bones from wild game? We're a hunting family and since it 'tis the season' we'll have some fresh ones and I was wondering what the concensus or experience was with them? Our other dog loves them so beyond waiting for her stomach to handle something other than puppy kibble, should I be worried about anything else?

[Louie's Mom]

Be very worried about parasites and organisms - you need to freeze the meat and bones for a long period of time ( I can't remember - I think it may be a couple months - or maybe 4 weeks?) to kill the nasties in the bones and meat.

DO NOT give your dogs cooked bones - they can splinter and puncture your dogs insides and that can kill them. Cooking changes the molecular structure of the bone, making it brittle and hard - raw bones are softer and more spongey.

Maybe look in the feeding section for the required time for freezing wild game - Sorry I can't help you with the full details.

[gmacleod]

Feeding wild game, bones included should be fine. Standard food precautions apply of course, which would include freezing the meat (especially any offal) for a period (2 weeks is plenty, no need for a month - unless you've a lot to store, of course).

[DAVE ED]

Gmacleod,
Do I need to be freezing all my bones? I ask this because I often pick up bones during my lunch hr and then feed them that night.Today I have picked up a beef rib from the butcher. Is it only necessary to freeze if I am not going to feed it for a few days yet? Or does it depend on what bone?

Cheers,

Dave.

[gmacleod]

I don't think you need to freeze bones from the butcher, no. Reason being, they come from animals raised for the human food chain - which means animals that are vaccinated, dewormed, etc. It's as safe to feed your dog raw bones from this sort of source as it is to eat rare or blue steak yourself And plenty of us do that regularly!

But when it's wild game you're talking about, well, those aren't vaccinated and dewormed animals. Plus, in certain areas, some sorts of game carry particular diseases. That's still OK - and most people hunting meat for themselves are well aware of which issues may exist in their areas. When you're going to eat the meat, it's wise to cook it thoroughly. No big deal. But the same goes for if you're going to feed it to your dog - it's wise to take the precaution of freezing it for a few days first to kill any parasites that might exist.

[DAVE ED]

Thanks for that Gmacleod.

[MonkeyLove]

Thanks to all who responded. We do freeze the bones (mostly for storage for later), but I will do so for the dog's health as well.

thanks again.

[ChpprsMama]

My husband has a hog bone and a deer bone in the freezer for Chopper. They've been in there for just over a month so if it's pretty out this weekend he'll probably get one. I hope he likes it......