I'd appreciate any thoughts on this, I can't seem to find much from the Search facility :)

Banya is on Hills ID for her colitis but recently I discovered to my delight (and hers!! ) that she can gnaw on large marrow bones for recreation and that they don't give her any problems. To say I'm thrilled is an understatement. Anyway, my question is whether it is OK to give these straight from the freezer?

I don't eat much meat myself and find it hard to handle lots of raw stuff with blood and fat everywhere so it would make my life a lot easier (plus I thought it might attract less flies in this heat?).

Last question: we were given these huge round marrow bones, does anyone know where these would come from? My OH thinks perhaps the hip joint?

Lindsay
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I give mine bones straight from the freezer - no problems :)

Daisy

Yes frozen bones are fine.

Thanks guys, does anyone have an idea as to what the bone might be?

Banya is going to get such a treat on Saturday!

Lindsay
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If it's large it has to be cow or horse.  Won't whoever gave it be able to tell you?

Oh god don't tell me it's a horse! I think it must be cow - I didn't think to ask and its a bit of a drive to the farm shop, but next time I will ask :)

Lindsay
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If it came from a farm shop I expect it was a cow, unless the old cart horse has recently demised ;)

Whats wrong with a horse ,dogs in the wild if they found a dead horse would eat it.

They'd probably eat a dead dog or cat too, so would you suggest we feed bones from those too?

Those who choose to feed raw in the understanding thats its the natural way to feed dog can not IMHO
choose to be upset when a "Nice" animal is the source of the food . 

Jo - I am afraid I find your post very hard. I don't eat meat myself, I only eat fish, and I find it hard enough to handle it anyway esp. when raw, huge, bloody and fatty and frankly smelling of dead animal. I am doing it for my dog.

It's got nothing to do with "nice" animals being killed - what a totally ridiculous thing to say especially as you don't know how I think. Nice - Nice!!! I don't think of horses as being nicer than cows or pigs. What i do feel is that horses have probably given someone a lifetime of service, perhaps been someone's beloved "friend" and it disgusts me to think that I might be feeding that horse to my dog. I  also used to ride a lot and feel a deep love for horses,  as much as I do dogs.

I'd as soon feed my dog a human thigh bone as a horse's.

Lindsay

It's a fact that dogs eat meat and given the opportunity will eat raw meat no matter what the source, its only human who have decided what Meat is in our eyes acceptable.

You have singled out horse because of your bond with them .However Cows are sacred to some people and others find the eating of pork abhorrent.  All humans have the right to choose they way they live . Dogs eat to live because they don't have human's ability to make rules.    

So why (I read your post before you edited it) accuse the 'Brits' of being 'funny' for finding the consumption of horsemeat distasteful? Why not pick on these other races for being 'funny' for not eating beef or pork?

From a dog point of view they would find all of us humans funny , they just eat because its what nature tells them to do to survive, 

You weren't talking about dogs finding humans funny - you were putting forward your own point of view. You said "My mother was right - you Brits are funny". I assume from that you're not British. But that doesn't explain why you think British are 'funny' to find the idea of feeding horse distasteful and not other people's cultural beliefs 'funny'.

Please don't turn this thread into yet another argument or it will be locked!!

It's a fact that dogs eat meat and given the opportunity will eat raw meat no matter what the source, its only human who have decided what Meat is in our eyes acceptable.

You have singled out horse because of your bond with them .However Cows are sacred to some people

Well, if my dogs and i lived "wild" no doubt if they came across horse which was dead they and even I would eat it - as we live in a town in Dorset in the 21st century my point is that my dog eats what I feed her - I make my choices - simple as that really.

Lindsay
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But as you posted the question asking what the source and type of bone you had fed your dog. A bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted (no pun intended) .  I would have thought it reasonable for you to find out first before you fed ,than after and then try to shoot the messagers who then point out what it may be.and why dogs are happy to eat

I asked if  it was OK to feed frozen raw bones  first question.

Second was, did anyone know what the bone might be.

I didn't ask  what animal did it come from - or I'd have said. I meant what was it - you know, what part of the body. As someone pointed out, coming from a farm shop it was very unlikely to be horse, and i did know that. I didn't phrase my question well enough, or else people weren't reading it well enough - or perhaps it could be read in 2 ways. Either way, I wasn't after any discussion about whether it's right or not to eat horse, or what we feel about it etc etc.

I'm certainly not shooting any messenger - I replied politely even to Isabel who did mention horse first.

I would have thought it reasonable for you to find out first before you fed ,than after and then try to shoot the messagers who then point out what it may be.and why dogs are happy to eat

I hope this is now explained - I wasn't asking what animal the bone came from, and as for anyone telling me why dogs are happy to eat - (I presume you mean horse) it sounds as if you think you are telling people what they don't already know in your opinion? Anyway as I've said,  I've  have made my choices.

Lindsay

It is not appropriate to feed same species because of disease risk, cats would probably be alright, even if the neighbours complained ;) but horse meat has long been a traditional pet food.

Hi Lyndsay - has it been cut at either end?  My butcher saw's marrow bones for me and they are usually the long leg bones from a cow - A 'hip bone' has a ball and socket joint and you can easily identify these - the socket tends to have that knuckle appearance while the ball, well that does what it says on the tin :D
Sarah

I couldnt feed my pets any animal that has traditionally been used as a pet,and horses fall under that category for me.I couldnt feed my dogs a horse anymore than i could a dog or cat :( Besides the fact that horse has to be one of the most least digestable meats around which will often lead to diarreah,it is also very lean which makes it lower in energy than other meats.I know there are other negatives associated with it that i cant remember off the top of my head.

Those who choose to feed raw in the understanding thats its the natural way to feed dog can not IMHO
choose to be upset when a "Nice" animal is the source of the food .

Jo are you a raw feeder? :) Personally,i would get upset if a "nice" animal was slaughtered for the sake of my dogs.

As for the frozen bones,alot of owners do feed them this way.I dont,however,firstly because my dogs wouldnt be interested in a frozen bit of meat and because i just dont think a guts full of frozen meat would be particularly healthy or comfortable.JMO :)

Lyndsay cant you call the people who gave OH the bone and ask what type  they are? :)

I doubt any horse is slaughtered for the sake of dog meat.  They are slaughtered because their useful lives are over or because nobody wants them.  Once that has occured I don't really have issues with them going for pet food, infact it is probably preferable to more cows, sheep and especially chickens being reared for the purpose.  I do understand completely why some would feel they don't want to feed it if they have a particular affinity to the animals, I certainly would not eat a dog but other that a desire to see good welfare and slaughtering I, personally, have no issues with it in general.

"I doubt any horse is slaughtered for the sake of dog meat."  Or, in the case of New Forest ponies the population is controlled by loading loads of them onto trucks and driving them to France where they are used as meat, for people.

Dogs and cats will eat any dead meat.  I will not even repeat what I saw on TV last night on Life of Grime, New York. All I will say is a woman had a number of dogs and cats and she died at home.

What dogs will eat "naturally" is not my benchmark for types of meat I'd voluntarily feed them. 

As I say I quite understand why someone would not feel they could feed horse meat. 
I'm afraid I don't really understand whatever points your first two paragraphs are making or even if you are agreeing or disagreeing with the quote of mine you have given :)

Hi Rozzer/Ktee

I think it must be a hip bone - I remember my biology but it's odd seeing it so huge and strange looking! :P

Thanks,

Lindsay
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They should be fine L, just defrost it till any ice/frost has gone, it can cause burns, or run it under water for a few mins. I doubt very much your local farm shop will be giving out horse bones ;) :)

Its probably a hip/thigh bone, they`re the most usual, maybe beef, pork or lamb :)

Thanks Christine,

Years ago my grandad used to get the ice out of his pond and his mongrel used to eat it - one day he died after eating it and my mother always told me it was because of the ice eating.. made me a bit nervous although  sled dogs I'm sure eat frozen meat etc etc...

Will take the advice about defrosting a bit, thanks :)

Lindsay
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Hi L sorry didn`t explain that very well:rolleyes: I meant any frost/ice on the outside. Have you ever taken anything out the deep freeze & it sticks to & hurts your hands, or an ice cube stuck to your lips? I think the same could happen to the dogs so I just take any excess frost off first before I give em :D

Oh poor dog :( maybe your mum was right about the ice, who knows, or maybe its just what dogs are used to, sled dogs are used to it

Hi L sorry didn`t explain that very well

No sorry my reply was confusing, I was in a hurry for work! I knew what you meant :)

Lindsay
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Our puppy loves ice cubes!! She has about 5 a day and they have never stuck to her lips... :-). She also enjoys occasionaly frozen frankfurters/green beans... Hopefully she will get over it when the weather cools down lol.

Our GR puppy loves ice cubes too!

frozen frankfurters/green beans... what a great idea :)