Raw Meat Bones...etc.
 

I've been doing a lot of research and reading up about raw meat bones/chews. I've heard that they're a very good chew to give and are very beneficial to the teeth and gums. I just have no idea where to buy them or what to buy!

Can you get them at a grocery store or is there a special type of store to get them at?

How do you store them? (meaning do you let your yorkie chew on one for so long and then stick it back in the freezer or throw it away?)

Typically how long do they last before they go bad?

What types are good?

Sorry for the long post. I just want to learn about them before I go out and buy any.

Hi there,

based on myentensive research i have done inthe past few weeks, raw bones and meat can be found at a butcher shop or a lotof pet stores are now carrying them in special freezers with raw pre-made food as well. ask the local global pet foods, or pet store.

also, i heard you can let them chew on it and yes put it back int he freezer. i would assume disgard after a few days and not to leave the raw food out for too long. it is great that they eat raw bones to help with teeh, and there muscles of the jaw and neck etc.

ialso read that small breeds should get bigger bones in case they chock. although there are those who feed small chicken wings, birds taht feed toy breeds such.

do some more research if you feel more comfortable!!!

Are you interested in getting recreational bones or actual raw meaty bones to feed?

What's the difference between the two?

Well recreational bones would be bones that cannot actually be digested. I've heard of some YTers using femur bones from the butcher for this. I'm not exactly sure though.. maybe they'll come by and be able to help.

We don't give any recreational bones except for the occasional bully stick. Franklin and Maggie chew a lot just eating their food. We feed prey model raw so they get their jaw exercise from tearing at large chunks of muscle meat and chewing on raw meaty bones. For their bone meals we feed chicken drumsticks/thighs/wings, chicken/pork necks, pork ribs, pigs/chicken feet, etc.

Ok then I think I'm looking more into the raw meaty bones. I want her to have a bone to chew on that can be digested. I just have no idea where to get them, how much to give, how long she should chew on it...etc.

You can get them at the grocery store! You want to make sure the bones are larger than the Yorkie's head so they actually have to chew on the bone and there is no choking hazard. However, since our Yorkies are so small.. pretty much anything will work. Like I said, chicken wings/drumsticks/thighs, pork/chicken necks, chicken/pig feet, pork ribs.... the possibilities are endless! If you are looking to transition to raw the bone will need to comprise 10% of her meals. You can balance this over a week or a month.. however you want. IF this is just supplemental, then one or two bones a week should be fine. As far as how long to feed, most of them can be eaten entirely in one sitting. Franklin and Maggie are larger Yorkies and eat most all of their bones within 15-20 minutes, depending on the bone. Smaller Yorkies might take longer.

Thank you very much! This helps a lot! I plan on just using them as a treat around lunchtime. I usually let her chew on a bully stick for an hour or so and have read so many wonderful things about raw meat bones that I figured it'd be good to switch things up a bit. I'll have to check my grocery store out next time I go.

Another question actually which may seem silly. :rolleyes:

In the grocery store, is there a specific place where these are located? Take in a Meijer for instance, would you go to where the meats usually are and specifically ask for them? I'm completely new to all of this so forgive me if this comes across as a stupid question.

I'm so sorry but I thought of another question. As far as an amount goes, I guess I'm just visioning 1 bone/neck/foot (lol) as being a lot or too much just as a treat, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Sasha is about 8-9 lbs. If it was a huge bone and I only wanted her to chew on it for awhile, am I able to put the bone back in the freezer for later consumption? I'm thinking no but again, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, when I ask for these at the meat department, do I need to ask how fresh they are? How long should I store them before letting my baby chew on one? Is the actual "bone" edible?

I apologize for all the extra questions.

It sounds to me like you're actually looking for a recreational bone instead of an actual meal. We feed entire meals of raw meaty bones and yes, they consume the entire bone. Franklin and Maggie are 9 and 11lbs and it takes them probably 5-6 minutes to eat a chicken drumstick. Ribs take longer.. probably closer to 10 minutes.

We don't feed raw recreational bones but I know some other YT members will give a femur or marrow bone as a treat (be careful if you get marrow bones to clean them out because marrow is VERY fatty and can cause pancreatitis). I don't know a whole lot about what they look like but I bet someone else (or even the butcher) will be able to help you.

Also, I'm not familiar with Meijer but you can get these bones in the meat department. We buy some of our meat right there off the shelves at the grocery store! Just make sure they don't have more than 80mg of sodium... the meat for human consumption is sometimes enhanced with chicken broth or extra sodium to make it more tender and flavorful. This additional flavoring can make a dog sick; mine do fine but it's better to stay on the safe side. Any meat you get directly from the butcher block should be un-enhanced.

Recreational bones once they are cleaned off (the dogs will take care of that ;)) should last you as long as a bully stick would. From what I understand, femur and marrow bones are quite durable. Any bones you feed for actual consumption can be put back in the fridge. I wouldn't do that more than once or twice though. Raw meat is good in the fridge for 5 or so days. Otherwise it needs to be frozen.

Here are some threads that might be helpful!

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...im-amazed.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...row-bones.html

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Thank you very much. I think marrow bones is definitely what I'm looking for.

You need to go to the butcher of the meat dept and ask for bones

I found a market that had some in stock so I bought 6 of them today. I took all the marrow out of the inside and did my best to cut off any excess meat that may have been on as well as the large hunks of fat. Do I need to get every last piece of fat off of the bone or is leaving a little on the outside ok? I just don't want her to chew on something that she shouldn't.