raw meaty bones

[bock]

Today I gave the dogs (a lab mix and a chiwawa mix) the raw cow bones we got from Raley's yesterday for $2. I know that is probably a bit expensive for a pound of bone, but we just wanted to try it out. My chiwawa immediately started chewing on it, but my lab took a few minutes to warm up to it. I let them chew on it for about 25 minutes but my lab's gums started bleeding in the back of her mouth, so I took them away. Is it bad if there teeth start bleeding? Do their teeth and gums get tougher after a while? My lab doesn't mind you touching her while she is eating, but I expected my chiwawa to not like it so much. When I took her bone away she was growling, so I firmly said no and held her on her side. She is not aggressive any other time, not even with kibble, but she does not like her ''special'' treats to be touched. Is this a dominance issue that I should be working with her on? Well, I put their bones in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer. I am going to leave tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday, so will the meat still be good if I freeze it until then? Sorry for all the questions, but I am just not sure. Thank you!

 

[welasharon]

I feed my dogs raw bones as well. I think your dog will be fine. It's gums will toughen up and it may be scrubbing some tartar off the gum line causing the bleeding. It shouldn't be a problem. The meat will still be fine just make sure you defrost it well before giving it back to them. It is an excellent way to keep their teeth clean and it entertains them at the same time. You can give them any kind of bone as long as it is raw. Never give them cooked bones.
sharon

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Its like if you don't brush your gums well an then one time you do. They bleed. So Its not really a bad thing. It just shows that there teeth are getting cleaned. If they get it a lot then they wont bleed.

 

[bock]

That's good. Thanks!

 

[Brindlebtch]

Your lab's gums probably started bleeding because he has gingivitis, which is an infection of the gum caused by lack of oral hygiene and tartar build up. Chewing the bone will wear off the tartar and massage his gums and make the gingivitis better! Let him chew!

We were butchering chickens and I gave my dog a warm liver and he grabbed it and them spat it back in my hand. Wouldn't have anything to do with nice warm fresh chicken innards!

 

[Akane]

The bones will still be good. Mine sometimes haul them out in the yard and spend days chewing on them from winter through summer. In the winter they've spent days eating whole rabbit or chicken. It stays frozen for at least 4 months out of the year. For the aggression I would just practice taking things away. Start with 2 treats or toys that the dog is possesive over. Give one, and then hold out the other one while reaching for the first and saying something like "give". If the dog growls discipline them and take both away to start over a few minutes later. After awhile the dog should realize giving up the object for another is a good trade and will come to understand what the command means and that they can't get away with ignoring it. Then you can phase out the 2nd item and just ask for the first one, hold it awhile, and give it back until they are releasing it without argument every time. This is also useful practice during games like fetch. If your dog tends to run off with items when you try to take them you may need to start out with a leash.

Bleeding gums does happen sometimes and not just with raw bones. My shiba was bleeding after chewing a large chunk of rawhide that belonged to my mom's dog.

 

[Crazyland]

Giving them the bone frozen is alright too.

My dogs have a bone out in the yard somewhere that is a week old.

Brindle~ Mine don't like the liver either. lol

 

[bock]

Thanks everyone!

I will give the bones back, I just don't want to leave them unsupervised. They have gotten into fights before, the chiwawa always starts it.

 

[welasharon]

Those little dogs are the most ferocious of all! It's a good thing they are not as big as they think they are.
sharon

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

It's actually better to let them clean their teeth on edible bones - bones they can actually chew through. Chicken backs or thighs, pork neck bones, short ribs, or soft knucklebones for the big dogs - those act like a toothbrush. The harder leg bones can be too tough and damage teeth, especially for dogs who aren't used to them and try to consume them instead of just gnawing. I've fed raw for over a decade now; all of my dogs get raw meaty bones every day of the week. They do miracles on teeth and they're good for every other bit of the dog too, so by all means keep feeding them - just consider using softer raw bones.