Hi Green Spotters! February is Pet Dental Health Month, so it's a great time to talk about Raw Meaty Bones. Why do we love incorporating Raw Meaty Bones into our dogs' and cats' diets? Read on for a FAQ blog on Raw Meaty Bones!                  

Q. Why RAW?
Raw bones and food are not only digestible, they also do not contain fillers. Raw Meaty Bones are generally low-fat and are a no-carb chew. Raw bones are considered safe to be chewed. Cooked bones become brittle and can splinter when chewed. NEVER give your pet a cooked bone. They can splinter and become a danger to your pet's mouth, throat, and digestive tract.              

Q. Why Feed “Raw Meaty Bones”?
A. Simply put: the muscle meat, connective tissue and bone in a Raw Meaty Bone act like nature’s toothbrush and floss. It is the best and most efficient way to clean teeth for dogs and cats! (With that said, we do still recommend regularly brushing your pets' teeth with pet-safe toothpaste too!) We consider raw bones for dogs essential because they support digestion, clean teeth, mentally stimulate, strengthen the jaw and mouth, ease anxiety, and provide essential nutrients including phosphorus and calcium, to your pet.     

Q. What IS an edible Raw Meaty Bone?
A. A Raw Meaty Bone is a raw edible bone or bones that are encased in muscle meat and connective tissue. Being raw, these bones are safe to be chewed, crunched, and consumed. Some examples are chicken quarters, chicken/duck/turkey wings, lamb/pig tails, chicken/duck/turkey necks, chicken/duck feet, chicken/duck drumsticks (turkey drumsticks are too dense), chicken/duck heads, whole cornish hen, whole quail, and more! Raw Meaty Bones should be size appropriate for your dog or cat, and their chewing style. As with any chew item, always supervise your pet when giving Raw Meaty Bones to your pet.  


                

Q. What is NOT an edible Raw Meaty Bone?
A. Edible Raw Meaty Bones are *not* weight-bearing bones (femurs, knuckles, etc). Weight-bearing bones are recreational bones and are intended to be chewed until the meat and marrow have been consumed or the bone starts chipping - it should then be discarded. Bone chips are digestible but are also a sign that the bone is ready to be tossed. Recreational bones can be fabulous at cleaning teeth.    

*IMPORTANT*: Weight-bearing (recreational) bones are very dense and can cause damage to teeth if your pet is a very aggressive chewer.
Check out our Choosing Chews blog for other chewing options recommended for very aggressive chewers.
Due to their density, recreational bones are best for moderate or light chewers. Always supervise your pet with chews.              

             

Q. Wait... my pet can consume chewed up raw bones? Is that safe?
A. Yes! Most dogs and cats do well with Raw Meaty Bones, benefiting their dental and overall health. Consuming Raw Meaty Bones will also add beneficial calcium to your dog or cat's diet.

We see two exceptions to feeding Raw Meaty Bones:
1) If your dog or cat has a specific medical condition that increased calcium would affect, brushing their teeth instead of feeding Raw Meaty Bones would be best. 
2) For pets that try to "gulp" chews without chewing them, another type of chew or food-stuffable toy may be a better option than Raw Meaty Bones.

Raw bones are safe for dogs and cats if you feed an appropriate size bone, monitor your pet closely as they chew, and source the bone from a trusted pet retailer, local raw co-op, or butcher.    

Remember, Raw Meaty Bones are smaller (non-weight bearing) raw bones, with muscle meat and connective tissue that can be chewed, crunched, and fully consumed.    

Weight-bearing recreational bones should not be fully consumed. And never feed a cooked bone to your pet.        

Q. How do I introduce Raw Meaty Bones to my pet?
A. If you are interested in trying Raw Meaty Bones with your cat or dog, here are a few tips to get started:             

  • Start with a little raw food first (if your pet has never had raw food). This will introduce your pet to raw meat without wasting a whole chew if they don't take to it immediately. Especially for kibble/dry-food fed dogs and cats, it can take some time for them to realize that raw food and Raw Meaty Bones are indeed FOOD! Some pets do take right to Raw Meaty Bones, though. It's worth the time to get them used to Raw Meaty Bones for the great dental benefits alone!
  • Be sure your dog or cat is chewing on the Raw Meaty Bone and not just gulping it down. If you think your pet will try to gulp the chew, start with a Raw Meaty Bone that is larger than their mouth.
    • Additionally, for pets that "gulp" their chews, another type of chew or food-stuffable toy may be a better option than a Raw Meaty Bone.
  • Raw chicken, duck, and turkey necks are some of the easiest Raw Meaty Bones to introduce to your dog or cat.
    • Plus, they are conviently sized for:
      • Small Dogs/ Cats = Chicken Neck
      • Medium Dogs = Duck Neck
      • Large Dogs = Turkey Neck
    • We're big fans of feeding raw necks to our pets here at TGS!
  • When introducing a Raw Meaty Bone, it can help to bring it to room temperature (especially for cats). Once your dog or cat is enjoying the Raw Meaty Bones, you can even feed them frozen to make them last a little longer and clean teeth even better!
  • As your pet begins to consume Raw Meaty Bones, watch their stools closely. White stool means you need to cut back a little on the amount of bone being fed (the white color is calcium). Easy peasy. 
  • Raw Meaty Bones don't typically "bleed" and they are not really considered messy. Plus, they don't leave crumbs like slow roasted bones do! But if you're worried about a possible mess, we like feeding Raw Meaty Bones on a towel or outside. It's then super easy to throw the towel in the wash. Our team and most of our customers that feed Raw Meaty Bones are happy to feed them inside, but some do prefer to feed them outside. You could also feed Raw Meaty Bones in a crate if you're concerned about possible mess. 
  • How often to feed Raw Meaty Bones: This depends on the pet and size of Raw Meaty Bones being fed. For example, a 45lb dog may eat a chicken foot a day, but only eat a duck neck a few times a week. Feeding Raw Meaty Bones just once or twice a week can have a great effect on your pet's dental health!
  • Always supervise your pet while they chew Raw Meaty Bones, or any other chew item.

Do you have more questions about feeding Raw Meaty Bones or need assistance deciding which ones may be right for your pet? Stop by the store to talk to one of our knowledgable Green Spot Team Members, or contact us at info@greenspotomaha.com. Thanks for reading and thank you for supporting our local, independent store!           

           

The Green Spot is a family-owned, independent pet supply shop. We've been helping pet parents like you aid their pets to a better life via nutrition since 2012. We're glad you found us and hope you'll come into our store for a visit! Our inclusive events, supportive pet-parent community, and certified pet nutrition pros are what set us apart - thanks for supporting local!