deer bones and dogs??

[blackbear cove]

I am trying to find out if it's safe to give newfys deer bones to chew on if they are boiled first?? We are having a deer butchered and if it's safe I'd like to save the knuckle bones....but dont wanna hurt the health of my newfs either.

 

[Sheila]

I don't think I'd recommend them cooked in any way, but we always give the raw deer bones...knuckle and sectioned femur mostly.

 

[blackbear cove]

what does boiling do to them?? I was worried about bactria and unhealthy issues with them....your do fine with them raw?

 

[Sheila]

Cooking bones can cause them to become brittle and become a hazard. I had always worried about bacteria and stuff as well so I would only give the dogs stuff that was frozen since "last" year. Then for whatever reason I just quit worrying and started giving them recently frozen bones. I suppose there's a slight worry, but they eat critters in the yard at will and I don't suspect a deer would be anymore dangerous than eating a mouse. I haven't ever had an issue except for maybe a bit of the runs if I gave too much. I'm far from an expert though, so I can only share my own experiences.

 

[blackbear cove]

Thanks Sheila....

 

[luvmynwfy]

Hi,

I give venison bones all the time but absolutely not cooked for the reason mentioned above (makes them dry and brittle). I have always fed raw bones - even the recreational ones are left raw (ie femurs and knuckle bones) just to be safe. I do freeze everything and give food frozen.
that's been my experience for the last 5 years or so.
Good Luck,
Marina

 

[blackbear cove]

I seen on a web sight a X-ray of a hound dog who'd had bones compacked in it's colon and the poor dog had to be treated in the vet's hospital for 4 days after eating deer bones....I'm a bit worried still....do your dogs stools ever get chalky dry after wards?

 

[KatieB]

Yes the small chalky white hard formed stool is a common one with dogs on a raw diet. If they have had a meal with a lot of bone content it is very common for the stool to be white. Do not be alarmed by that. I supposed bones could become impacted but in the year plus that we've given raw bones on nearly a daily basis we've never had a digestive problem of any sort. Our breeder has fed raw for 11 plus years and the only blockages she's ever had were from her dogs eating socker socks!!! Not from bones. So I'd go ahead and give them to your pups. If you're worried about bacteria you can freeze them first. My pups are jealous..they'd love some deer bones

 

[littlerosieuk]

Do not even think of boiling the bones as that is the only time that they cause a problem.

Raw bones are the best thing you can feed.

Janet

 

[TerriW]

Does anyone have a link to the blog about the lady whose dogs wouldn't get out of the elk?? If you read it, you probably know what I mean. This would be a good place to link to it!

 

[Newfs Forever]

:!rolling::!rolling::LMAO:Terri,

That was probably one of the funniest threads I had ever read. I still chuckle to myself.

 

[rcantor]

To avoid hijacking the thread, I've started a new one in open discussion

 

[Sailorgirl]

Last year a deer that had been shot with a bow and arrow died about 100 yards from our house. THe hunter must not have been able to track it and that's where it landed. The dogs would disappear for nearly an hour at a time, then the neighbor's Berners started disappearing and all four would trot happily back home. So one day we put them on leashes and basically just let them lead the way. The four of them had pretty much devoured that deer and then they got to the point where they were bringing home leg parts, rib parts, etc. to chew in the yard. Fortunately all four dogs are at least partly fed raw. Anyway ... other than being totally disgusting for the people involved, the dogs were fine and pretty darn happy.