[SandyandMila]

Great to know, thanks!

[pugmomsandy]

I have krill capsules and a bottle of Nature’s Logic sardine oil. I also have Udo’s oil. I’ll use both at the same time sometimes. Haven’t used the coconut in a while since it is just not as convenient!

[SandyandMila]

Thanks, Sandy!

[beaglemom]

Just wanted to share with the people I know will understand that my dogs just had their first raw meaty bones for dinner tonight! Each had a duck neck that my husband and I held the whole time, since I didn’t want any gulping. Once they both stopped playing tug of war with us, they got the idea and got down to chewing. I must admit that every single one of the questions that Hound Dog Mom posted in the original post on this thread went through my mind, haha… was that piece too big? Are they chewing enough? Etc. Aside from my tendency to worry too much, it was definitely satisfying to watch them be “true carnivores”, crunching and grinding away. They’re both happily sleeping/digesting now… I’m very hopeful it agrees with them so I can continue to increase the variety of RMBs in their diet!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Glad to hear they enjoyed their RMBs! 🙂

[beaglemom]

Hmm a quick follow up on which I would appreciate any feedback… no one had a problem post-RMB until this morning when both threw up some small pieces of bone mixed with yellow bile. Both had normal poop (small, firm, etc) and both had an appetite for breakfast, and both are acting normally. Is this a normal reaction to the first time that much bone enters their systems… did they not chew enough… do I do feed RMBs again? Thanks HDM/everyone.

[Cyndi]

When I started my dog on raw about a month and a half ago, she did the same thing the next day. But she just threw up the once and had a bit of runny poop. I think it might be just their systems getting accustomed to real food and not kibble, if I’m not mistaken. I’m sure HDM or someone else can give you a better answer, but I just wanted to let you know that it’s probably normal and my dog was fine and is thriving on raw now. Good Luck! 🙂

Oh, and I felt the same way as you did the first meal my Bailey ate raw. I don’t know if I was more nervous or excited or what. It was very interesting to watch her at work on the bones and using her teeth the way the were meant to be used instead of just crunching a bowl of kibble. I still enjoy watching her eat.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Cyndi.

[NectarMom]

I had that happen too and I think. I over reacted too quickly and rushed mine to the vet. A good friend of mine has been feeding her Danes Raw for 12yrs and she said every now and then one of her Danes will throw up and she says it is common and just a case of mild Pancreatitis. It is scary though and freaks you out. I am one of those that is terrified of my dogs choking on raw bones. I am so stupid paranoid that I had ordered them raw rabbit chunks with bone and I cut the meat off away from the bone and threw the bone away. I am so weird.

[beaglemom]

🙂 Thanks Cyndi & NectarMom… yea, mine have been having ground raw (Darwin’s, Primal, etc.) for about 2 months now and haven’t had any trouble with it. I know there’s ground bone in that but thought maybe the RMBs might have sat differently since the dogs probably swallowed bigger pieces of bone than they’d ever had before (but still small obviously, since they chewed them up). I was surprised it took over 12 hours to resurface such as it did. I’m keeping an eye on them but otherwise they’re great… I just hope it doesn’t mean that having a duck neck or whatever causes them to throw up each time. They clearly digested the meat well, just not all of the bone.

[pugmomsandy]

beaglemom,

Necks are very high in bone content and they are probably not use to digesting that much or even digesting real raw bones to begin with. The meat from the necks probably digested well and quickly as compared to kibble that can take up to 12 hours or more. I’d wait a couple days to give them another one and even introduce something with more meat like a whole leg (skinless to begin with) or give them half a neck with some additional meat/organs. You can also introduce more bone (and raw in general) into their diet to get them used to it with commercial products. I fed mine commercial patties for several months before doing RMB and started mine with chicken wings and then drumsticks. My recipe book calls for x amount of necks with x amount of meat so just a neck by itself if just too much bone. BUT given just a few times a week should be ok once they work their way up to it.

[beaglemom]

Thanks pugsmomsandy, that makes sense. They do have raw so I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the issue, just the increased amount of bone like you said. I will look into getting chicken legs/wings.

[pugmomsandy]

The wings are high bone but I mentioned it due to it’s small size since I have small dogs to begin with! Mine can also eat pork ribs easily. The beef ribs are too hard. They just gnaw on those after the meat is gone.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[SandyandMila]

How long do the raw marrow bones stay fresh in the freezer once the bag has been opened? I’m going to feed Mila’s first raw bone tomorrow! 🙂

[theBCnut]

I clip the bag closed after I open it and have had stuff be fine for well over a month. BTW, dogs don’t mind freezer burn like people do. My dogs get all my freezer burned meat, for that matter, they get other peoples freezer burned meat too.

[SandyandMila]

Great thanks!

[pugmomsandy]

I’m pretty sure my marrow bones are several months old.

[theBCnut]

Mine don’t last that long.

[dowsky]

are raw rabbit heads considered a rmb and also are they good to feed to my dogs

[Cyndi]

Absolutely! You can even feed the whole rabbit!

[theBCnut]

Rabbit heads are excellent to feed your dogs. There are nutrients in brains and eyeballs that aren’t found anywhere else in the body in an amount that could possibly help. Yes, they would be considered an RMB. An RMB is a bone that is consumable and has meat attached. That is pretty much any bone that isn’t large animal weight bearing. So a cow leg isn’t an RMB, but a cow rib can be for a large dog. But it isn’t for a small dog if the dog can’t consume it. Small goat legs are RMBs for 1 of my dogs, but not the other 2.

[Hound Dog Mom]

My dogs love the rabbit heads (and whole prey rabbits) from Hare Today. Brains and eyeballs are a great source of taurine and DHA. 🙂

[SandyandMila]

I’m going to be feeding Mila her first RMB (chicken back) tomorrow. Exciting!! Question, how much of her food should I feed her, is the chicken back 20% of her daily intake? Thanks.

[Hound Dog Mom]

As long as she’s getting a balanced food at the other meal I think it would be fine to feed a larger RMB (such as a chicken back) as an entire meal a few days per week. Just see if it makes her constipated, chicken backs are basically all bone with some skin (very little meat) so the high bone content could make her constipated. I don’t typically give my dogs just an RMB as a meal because the calcium to phosphorus ratio would be too high. So, for example, if I were feeding a chicken back I’d give a chicken back + 1/4 lb. gizzards + 1 egg. But if you’re just feeding RMB’s intermittently making a meal of it shouldn’t pose an issue.

[SandyandMila]

I do plan on feeding them intermittently, but don’t want it to be unbalanced. Should I add some of her food (canned and/or kibble) or HK Embark to make it a meal? I’ve had it thawing over night but its still partially frozen, can I feed it like that or should I feed it tomorrow?

[Hound Dog Mom]

You could add some of her regular food to it, but I really don’t think it would be necessary as long as she’s getting at least once balanced meal a day. The only think I would look out for is constipation from too much bone – if this does happen just give her a handful of hearts/gizzards or boneless chicken when you feed her a chicken back. It’s perfectly fine to feed partially frozen – I give my dogs partially frozen RMB’s all the time because I often forget to take them out of the freezer far enough in advance.

[SandyandMila]

The Primal website also shows in a video that u can thaw the portion by putting the bag in a big bowl filled with cool water for about 30 mins, so I might try that. It’ll be her first one so she’ll be a little hesitant at first. I hope she enjoys it. 🙂 I love the videos of Gertie eating her meaty bones, maybe I’ll post a pic. Thanks for your help.

[DogFoodie]

I’ve been doing RMBs intermittently, but am not trusting my math and am worried that I’m not calculating the amount that I’m given them correctly. Using a figure of 2.5% for the percent of their body weight that I’m choosing to feed, is this correct:

I’m feeding Sam as if he were 75 lbs, so the math is 75 x .025 = 1.88 lbs total daily divided by two meals is .94 lbs per meal, right?

When we get to 70 pounds, the math is 70 x .025 = 1.75 daily divded by two meals is .88 lbs per meal.

Bella, is 15 x .025 = .38 daily divded by two meals is .19 lbs per meal.

I found this conversion chart to convert pounds to ounces which will make this a heck of a lot easier to figure out when I get my digital kitchen scale. http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-ounces.htm

It’s just that for some reason, the math is throwing me off. You gotta hand it to kibble in the convenience department when it comes to calculating portions.

[Hound Dog Mom]

You math looks right to me. BTW – to convert pounds to ounces just multiply the pounds by 16. So, 0.94 X 16 = 15.04.

[DogFoodie]

Thanks, HDM!

You know, had it not been for your help, and the help of other raw feeders here, I probably would’ve been scared to get into raw at all. Raw can be a little bit intimidating and stressful and you guys always make it look so easy and are always so reassuring!

Thanks for taking the time to share all of your knowledge and experience with us!

Blessings, Betsy

[Hound Dog Mom]

No problem Betsy. I enjoy helping everyone learn more about raw food and I think it’s great that you’re incorporating some RMBs into Sam and Bella’s diet. 🙂

[DogFoodie]

Hi guys!

Is a beef trachea a chew, rectreational bone or RMB?

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’d consider it a chew. I give them as treats occasionally, they keep the dogs busy for awhile.

[theBCnut]

Trachea has no bone, it’s cartilage. That makes it a great joint chew.

[neezerfan]

Hi! I have a couple of questions.
I’ve been feeding my dog Darwin’s, rotating with canned and giving RMBs about twice a week. I want to start feeding home prepared raw in place of the canned. So…
1. If I buy the grinds from Hare Today, they come in 3 lbs size? My dog is 12 lbs. He eats about 1/3 of a pound of Darwin’s a day. Once I defrost the grind package, will it go bad before I use it up?
2. If I get a grind with bone, is there a premix to use with that? I think all the ones I find are for boneless meat. I don’t want to use synthetic vitamins if possible.
3. I always thought both goat and rabbit were more bony than meaty, if you know what I mean. If I feed that, should I add in extra boneless meat?
4. Rabbit heads…As I said, my dog is 12 lbs, will they be too big for him? He does well with chicken necks, turkey neck pieces, ox tails and pork ribs so far. He’s a good chewer, not a gulper.
Thanks for your help!

[pugmomsandy]

Trachea doesn’t have any meat on it either.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi neezerfan –

Once thawed raw food should be used within 3 days. I’m only aware of two pre-mixes designed to balance a bone inclusive diet – one is the whole carcass formula sold by Feline Instincts and the other is CarnivoreRAW without Calcium sold by Young Again Pet Food. A much cheaper route would be to just add a low calcium or calcium free human multi-vitamin, some veggies (or a fiber supplement) and omega 3’s. You could also learn to balance a recipe completely from scratch with whole foods (this is what I do) but it’s a bit more time intensive and takes a bit of research. Rabbit is high in bone (as are most smaller prey animals) but the calcium to phosphorus ratio is still balanced so it’s not necessary to add more meat. If you find that your dog is constipated you can certainly add more more (high levels of bone can cause constipation for some dogs) but I honestly don’t think it will be an issue. The rabbit heads should be fine for your dog, you’ll have to try them out and see though.

[theBCnut]

You can partially thaw the 3 lbs chub and cut it into appropriate size pieces and refreeze. It’s not ideal, but it’s not too bad either. It is only a few cents more to get the 1 lb chubs and they are a much better size for your situation.

[DogFoodie]

Two quick things…

1.) I had emailed My Pet Carnivore earlier (prior to posting my question here regarding trachea), but you guys responded first. In my limited experience with them, I will say this MPC has great customer service. I just thought I’d share their response regarding trachea:

“They are not considered any kind of bone, and we ourselves have fed
them as a treat (or a chew), but they would generally fall into the meat
category.”

2.) How do you give your pups a quick clean up after they’ve eaten a RMB? Bella’s ears and paws were a greasy mess after eating some pork neck bones this evening. I tried to clean her up with some puppy wipes I had on hand, but they didn’t seem to work very well. I’m headed back to work after a week’s vacation (staycation) and really don’t want to have to give her a bath tonight. But, for future reference, is there a quicker solution to greasy ears? : )

[NectarMom]

I have 4 dogs under 12lbs and I buy the 5lb packages of ground Rabbit and Venison and beef and tripe and what was suggested to me by Tracy the owner of Hare Today was to defrost the whole 5lbs and then individually bag in proportions enough for my 4 girls and then refreeze what I am not using that day and I have been doing this for a month with no issues.

[neezerfan]

Thank you all. HDM– baby steps, baby steps….

[theBCnut]

Betsy, you need a snood or a clothes pin or maybe a scrunchie.

[InkedMarie]

Neezerfan: Hare Today comes in one and two pounders, too. Its only something like 20 cents more for the smaller chubs; it’s what I buy.

[boobear27]

I’m a RMB first timer:) I apologize in advance if I have too many questions. Are Turkey necks safe for a Toy poodle and a Rat terrier? My Toy poodle is more of a gentle chewer and the Rattie is more of an aggressive chewer.
I just bought some Raw turkey necks at the meat section at Stop and shop it’s from a brand call Shady Brooks Farm and it’s already cut in half..Would these be ok for them to eat? Do I give it to them straight from the package? or do I freeze them first and for how long do I freeze them before I give it to them? Do I cut of the skin and meat or leave it on?

[Cyndi]

Turkey necks are perfectly safe to give your dogs, except they may be a bit big for them. I have a border collie mix and she’ll eat a half of a turkey neck for part of a dinner. Chicken necks and duck necks are smaller. Now that I think about it though, some of the pug owners here give their pugs turkey necks, so I guess they may not be too big. You don’t have to freeze them for any amount of time, just thaw them out and give to your dogs. You don’t have to cut anything really off of them unless there is a lot of skin on them, then you might want to take some off. The ones I get from my butcher don’t have a lot of skin so I just give them as is.

[boobear27]

@Cyndi Thank you for your reply:) My dogs eat dry kibble..Is it ok to give it to them after their kibble or would it cause stomach problems?

[Melissaandcrew]

“Safe” depends on your dog. They are considered an acceptable item in the raw world for a dog to have, but if the dog is too aggressive of a chewer or gulper, it would be an issue. make sure youwatch them.

[theBCnut]

My 12 lb JRT gets about 1/5 to 1/3 of a turkey neck depending on the size of it.

[boobear27]

I gave my Toy poodle and Rat Terrier their first Turkey neck this morning for breakfast. At first they weren’t really interested in it when it was frozen so I let it defrost and after that they loved every bit of it they were in turkey neck heaven:) I think next time I’m gonna try chicken necks and see how they will like those.

[boobear27]

How many turkey necks do you give a dog? Since it was my small dogs first time I gave them both one small size maybe half of a Turkey neck to start off with..Is one enough for them since they are small dogs? I don’t wanna cause any issues with them.

[neezerfan]

I would say 1 is enough for them. How did they do? Did Stop&Shop cut them lengthwise by any chance?

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