Has anyone experienced any problems when feeding raw bones?

Ive started Loki on a raw diet this week, now I have more storage space, and was talking to a butcher who is a customer of ours about meaty bones which he is letting me have for nothing, and I incurred a lecture (not from the butcher) about the dangers of feeding dogs bones and about how they could choke on them etc and how it was too much of a risk, one she wouldnt take with her dogs!

Has anyone ever had an incident involving a raw bone of it getting stuck or causing problems?

Also what bones should I be asking for when I go to get them on saturday?

I can hand on heart say that all my past dogs and my current dog have had raw bones (Always raw as once cooked, they become more brittle and and more likely to create sharp shards) without any issue whatsoever. In my view, if anything they increase health benefits, as opposed to decrease them. They promote the natural cleaning of teeth and gums, as well as give the dog marrow and other essential ingredients.

I can't give any preference, but my current dog loves a leg of lamb or two!

Thanks GSDLover, thats reasuring to hear, I spoke to vet and although they dont actually agree with feeding raw as such she understood my reasons for changing to raw and siad it was important for me to feed whats best for Loki

Hiya Hannah,
I have no real opinion on feeding bones either way, although i do think you have to be careful.
There's an interesting article in Dogs Today August edition about feeding bones and a natural diet. lots of pros and cons, pretty fair article. It does mention that a lot of vets say NOT to feed them. I think it's personal choice, but as with anything, you have to take care. Might be worth reading up a bit more before you decide to feed bones though...that's pretty much the tone of the article, lots of reading and research before you make a choice...true of anything and everything.
Personally, I think my guys are too old to change their ways now so we're sticking to what they've always been fed. With the pups, i have no choice so....easy for me. Not so easy when you're making a lifetime decision for your own young dog.
You can only do what YOU feel is best.
Axxxxxxxx

Hi Hannah,

I feed raw and the only incidents I have heard of have been from dogs eating cooked bones, not raw. I tend to be a little cautious and modify the diet due to dogs ages etc and it has worked well for us.

Loki is still rather young isn't he? When mine are pups they get chicken wings and minced lamb etc. They do sometimes get the odd rib but at his age I would avoid weight bearing bones (legs/thighs etc) as these are tougher than wings. Mine are a large breed and so I move them onto chicken carcasses/backs at approximately 5 - 6 months of age. At this point I feel they are capable of coping with rib bones etc. Mine get mostly chicken carcasses and the other bones are often minced, though I will give them lamb and pork ribs (or other non weight bearing bones). They get the odd thigh or leg but not until they are older and then only on rare occasions.

The only large bones they get are marrow bones and these are purely for recreation

I have not experienced any problems in feeding raw bones.

My dogs regularly have raw chicken, lamb, pork, beef and fish, all with bones, with no problems at all. Dogs are designed to digest bone.

Your butcher is not an expert in dog nutrition and should stick to selling meat rather than lecturing you on what not to feed your dog. You wouldn't try to tell the butcher how to dismember a cow carcass, would you?

It is up to you what you feed your dog and as long as you are comfortable with feeding raw bones, then go ahead

Thanks Alisa1 I have done alot of research on the net, and the reason I have started feeding raw is because Loki will only eat a certain food for awhile then stops eating it, he wont eat any dried food on its own, only with meat added, keeping changng diet obviously isnt good for any dog and as Loki clearly likes variety (even his treats he will only eat for awhile unless they are varried, he loved pigs ears then just went off them, one day!) I feel feeding raw is the only way I can give him a varied diet without upsetting his tummy. I also am feed raw in an attempt to find out if Loki's itching is food related and obviously avoid foods causing it if it is!
It was more something my this lecture made me think about, that I hadnt really heard of any incidences with raw bones and to see if others had, then me being unsure about switching to it, I will read the article though because I buy that magazine any way and am sure it will be of interest!

Thankyou! I probably didnt make it clear but did put in brackets it wasnt the butcher it was someone who works here he was just happy to have someone taking bones off him!

The article describes a dog who was fed raw and ate a raw chicken wing, which lodged in the large intesteine and needed to be cut out, he devloped an infection and died. A rare incident i'm sure, but one that can happen apparently.(As I say I think this is a personal choice thing and i have no real opinion either way on the feeding thing.)
As an aside though, dogs can learn to be fussy eaters and if loki has learnt that he can get something better by stopping eating, that's just what he'll do. The Biff was a terror for that!

Thanks greyhawk loki is 6 1/2 months he has only had chicken wings so far and minced meat, do you buy your bones minced or mince them yourself?