FROZEN MEAT FOR DOGS.

[Guest Frank]

Some say, when you freeze bunnys, vanison ect, for dogs, it loses its vitimin content and fresh meat is better.

 

I skin and rap all my bunnys, venison, goat, ect, in 2 freezer bags, for my whippet pup, thinking this will be fine.

But, now, this has me thinking. Only problem i have with feeding fresh is, worms.

 

Whats all your experinces?

 

P.S, when i mean frozen feeding, i mean feeding it when its defrosted.

 

Frank.

Edited January 24, 2007 by Frank

[spike 0]

I would ithink fresh is always better, but I have to keep most of mine frozen. Defrost, throw outside, jobs a good'un

[Rainmaker 7]

I would ithink fresh is always better, but I have to keep most of mine frozen. Defrost, throw outside, jobs a good'un

 

So long as it hasn't been left frozen for an age, and probably also covered in freezer burn, frozen food is fine. Look at human food - "frozen from fresh to preserve nutrients/vitamins/minerals" is a major selling point.

 

As for defrosting, you can feed whole RMBs still frozen with no problems (not "sticky" frozen, but a quick rinse and serve is fine - just like ice cream). Mince, offal et al. will obviously have to be defrosted; in which case put it in the fridge or a very cool room overnight.

 

In winter I prefer to serve food blood-warm (i.e. freshly killed) where possible. Any frozen food gets thoroughly defrosted and slightly warmed (hot water) for five minutes so they're not eating icy food in icy weather.

 

Just some observations

[Guest Frank]

Thanks folks so far.

 

Rainmaker, the meat i freeze, stays in the freezer for a month, is this fine you think?

I also found some bunnys from last summer that i shot, would these be no good and have feezer burn?

 

Thanks,

 

Frank.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Frank; My fridge is a funny f*cking thing. I can never seem to get the temprature in there 'Just So', even with my little in fridge thermometer.

 

Thus, often as not, I leave recently frozen down meat in there, to thaw, and it Still comes out with ice crystals on it!

 

Dogs couldn't give a flying f*ck!

 

As an interesting aside to all this; I know of some people in a well cold part of the world who had a small pack of large Dogs. One winter they aquired a couple of dead steers. They just dragged them onto their land and dumped them there. The weather froze them rock solid and their Dogs just helped themselves at will. Lasted them all winter

[Guest Frank]

Thanks for that Ditch.

 

Looks like feeding fozen is ok, to a certain extent, but fresh is best.

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

[Guest MOLLY]

I always freeze to get rid of any parasites. The bones i get are in bulk so would go off by the time they ate them all. Now i can remember a thread years ago about someone feeding there dog human grade minced beef and the dog died, some kind of infection (humans cannot get it) and it would have been ok had they frozen it 1st...cannot for the life of me remember any more than that though

I dont think rabbits frozen for a long time would do them any harm, but may perhaps not be nutritionally as good, but it wont matter giving her them if its one a week till you use them up?

MOLL.

[FastDogz 155]

When i was feeding RAW..i used to feed "natures menu" frozen meats and some offal - heart,kidney ect ect alongside with veggies It did him well for a while but i once left my Mum in charge of the dog and she didnt know how to make a raw feed up So for 3 days he went onto commercial food and has stuck on it - Oh and while we was away one week the electric went and the freezer defrosted and it was full of rotton meat when i got home

[Guest Frank]

Thanks Molly and FastDogz

 

I think freezing to kill off parasites for 2 weeks will do and as you say Molly, i also get my meat in bulk and only have a whippet pup, so makes sense to freeze.

I gave her some fresh rabbit last sunday, from the rabbit we got, but most of the time its defrosted and given, without the skin, as i have heard that rabbit skin ect, can get stuck in the gut and kill them.

 

Frank.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Frank

[king 12,022]

the rabbit skin will act like a brush cleaning the intestines as it passes through and stopping any bones from digging in

[Guest Frank]

Thanks King.

 

It was actually the breeder of my whippet that told me about the rabbit skin.

he said, a mate of his, was geving whole rabbit on a rgular basis, until one morning, he found his lurcher, dead in its kennel

 

A post mortem, revealed, rabbit skin stuck in the gut and made it twist, ect.

 

So, you can see, how i have all of a sudden, become worried about it, so just skin the rabbits now, but allways gave them whole in the past.

 

Frank.

[Guest MOLLY]

When the gut is twisted it is called gastric torsion....it is usually caused by exercising a dog with a full stomach regardless of what type of food it is. Mine get the whole lot, skin, fur etc.

MOLL.

 

When the gut is twisted it is called gastric torsion....it is usually caused by exercising a dog with a full stomach regardless of what type of food it is. Mine get the whole lot, skin, fur etc.

MOLL.

[Guest Frank]

Thanks Molly.

The dog in question, had just returned from a nights lamping, with an empty stomach and was fed once the dog settled down.

 

It was apprently, caused by the rabbit skin blocking the intestines, causing them to twist.

Sorry, thats all i can say, as it was the vet who discribed it to my mate.

 

I have been loking into it a wee bit more and it seems, that its only a small risk, so i dont think its anything to worry about.

 

Frank.

[Rocks 77]

I feed animals the way ditch described all winter when everything is frozen. Cuts my feed costs about 95% I still feed dog food but they do not eat it much. And for the dog that died eating meat sounds like a cull to me any dog that can not eat what god intended for it should die. Who says dog food is better the companys that make it or the vets that get a kick back for selling it. I do feed dogs meat in the summer as much because i do not like the smell of the digested meat or of rotting bones( dogs hide these in the bushes or bury them and retieve later)

[Guest Frank]

Thanks Rocks.

 

The dog, died, as a result eating rabbit skin, not meat.

 

Thanks for your experiences though, all good info.

 

Frank.