Dog Community

Questions about raw bones

Posted : 4/13/2006 3:13:40 PM

Ok, I think I have read on here that it is ok to freeze the bone, doesn't that also kill the moisture making it as brittle and dangerous as a cooked or boiled bone?

I do not currently give my dog bones but I will try at some point so I just wanted an opinion on my above question.

Susan

Posted : 4/13/2006 3:42:29 PM

I freeze my dog's bones but I let them thaw before giving them to them to eat...ie , knuckle bones, marrow bones. But I do give the dogs RMB's frozen....ie turkey wings, chicken wings, etc because by the time they get through the frozen meat it's pretty much thawed out. Cooking and freezing are completely different. When you freeze something it doesn't change the composition. When you freeze something and then thaw it, it's the same as it was in the beginning. But when you cook something you've permanently altered it. I can't explain it but no, I don't think freezing a bone will make it splinter.

fizzlbriches

Posted : 4/13/2006 3:59:18 PM

Thanks for your reply - I do know that cooking alters the composition...but I thought somewhere it was said about the moisture content being less if it was cooked - so I wondered how freezing affects the moisture content.

Now I just have to get over my fear and let my dog have one....I know he would love it but I am so afraid he will put the whole thing in his mouth and choke (irrational I know, but still there)

MJ

Posted : 4/13/2006 4:06:10 PM

ORIGINAL: fizzlbriches
Now I just have to get over my fear and let my dog have one....I know he would love it but I am so afraid he will put the whole thing in his mouth and choke (irrational I know, but still there)

Give him a bone that's too big for him to choke on and make sure he's supervised.

Christi

Posted : 4/13/2006 6:34:09 PM

I had the same fear but once she started chewing on them, I realized she was fine. Though she does make a horrible sound when she's scraping her teeth on them, trying to get every last bit off the bone. As far as the size goes, maybe you could have the butcher cut them to your preferred size? That's what mine does...

ron2

Posted : 4/14/2006 5:58:55 AM

Definitely supervise a bone. OTOH, I know an ACO who's dog hunts and eats squirrels, with no ill effects, yet. Of course, I don't know if the dog eats the whole thing or just the meaty bits.

agilebcs

Posted : 4/14/2006 6:47:47 AM

It's my understanding that freezing will kill certain bacteria and/or parasites. Most people are feeding human grade meat so it's not an issue but if you got some fresh meat, like venison, you'd want to freeze it first before feeding it.

mudpuppy

Posted : 4/14/2006 8:07:30 AM

if you freeze it un-wrapped for a prolonged period of time, it will dry out: freeze-drying. But if you wrap it up in plastic for freezing, as most people do, the moisture content remains the same, just goes from water to ice and back to water.

fizzlbriches

Posted : 4/14/2006 11:15:45 AM

Thanks everyone....makes sense about wrapping it in plastic wrap.

I have to find a good butcher to get bones from. I gave him a beef rib bone once (we had bought some for dinner and I just cut one off for him before cooking). He scared the crap outta me so I took it away...that was too small.

I will do it, I am bound and determined.