Raw, Meaty Bones for Dogs and Cats
Raw meaty bones can improve the health and well-being of your dog or cat! Many holistic veterinarians, including Dr. Ian Billinghurst, author of Give Your Dog A Bone and The BARF Diet, advise feeding uncooked bony parts of chicken (such as necks, wings, and backs), turkey necks, beef knuckles, marrow bones, and lamb bones as a significant part of your dog’s diet. These meaty parts provide good nutrition, teeth cleaning, psychological well-being, and full body exercise.
Raw bones are not dangerous
We have been told so often that bones can splinter and cause internal damage that it is hard to embrace the fact that bones are safe when given raw. Cooking a bone can cause it to become brittle and splinter, but raw bones are pliable and resilient. Poultry bones are soft enough to be completely chewed up and digested. Harder bones, such as beef, lamb, or buffalo are considered recreational bones and are mainly for chewing, not eating. They have marrow, gristle, and connective tissue that contribute valuable nutrients and roughage.
Raw bones are nature’s toothbrushes
Despite food companies’ claim to the contrary, dry kibble does not clean teeth! Dogs raised on commercial food alone frequently develop tartar, gum disease, infected mouths, and bad breath while dogs raised on raw bones have clean, white teeth that never need scaling. Raw bones act like floss in the mouth, polishing and scraping away tartar as the animal crunches and gnaws. In addition, raw meat creates a somewhat acidic oral environment to retard plaque formation and freshen your pet’s breath.
Raw bones provide a perfect mineral balance
For eons, Nature’s plan was that wild canines and felines obtain needed calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other minerals from consuming the bones of their prey, and that is still the preferred source. Bones contain the proper mineral balance, eliminating concern about over-supplementing any single mineral. If your dog consumes more bones than he needs, the excess is excreted. Don’t be surprised by some chalky, crumbly stools—this is normal.
The nutritional value of raw bones
Besides contributing calcium and other minerals, raw bony parts provide essential fatty acids (poultry is higher than beef or lamb), fat-soluble vitamins, blood-forming factors found in the marrow, including iron and copper, cartilage and collagen (arthritis preventing), proteins and valuable amino acids, especially lysine. Poultry necks and wings also contain natural glucosamine. Meaty bones can constitute an entire meal if vegetables and other foods are fed at other times.
Ground poultry bones for reluctant animals
Some dogs and cats are not enthusiastic about bones, or have poor teeth and don’t like to chew. For these animals, finely ground or hacked-up chicken backs, necks, or wings are a good substitute. Although they don’t clean the teeth as well, they provide the same nutritional value and can encourage a gradual transition to larger pieces.
Visit us to learn more
We offer many options including ROAR bones —human-quality, raw beef knuckle bones, marrow bones, whole, sectioned and ground turkey necks, and ground chicken backs. To get started, talk to one of our Pet Care Specialist to find the best raw bones for your dog or cat.