Just three generations ago, almost every pet owner gave their dog or cat table food and raw bones. Today, the greatest majority of pet owners have forgotten what their grandparents or great-grandparents fed to their dogs or cats. It’s time to remember.
Like so many of you, I don’t have the money for regular dental cleaning for my pets, plus the anesthesia involved for each procedure is something I’m not comfortable with. A video from Dr. Tom Lonsdale of Australia was a wake up call, and it caused me to remember what the pets of my childhood ate on a regular basis – raw bones.
The video that sparked my memories…
My grandparents had dogs and cats. These animals never ate commercial pet food – they ate table scraps and the raw bones cut away from meat. My own dogs as a child were provided with raw bones and a few table scraps on a regular basis along with some commercial pet food.
But for some reason, when I grew up and began to have pets of my own…I forgot about the table scraps and raw bones. From the generation of my grandparents (only table scraps and raw bones) to the generation of my parents (some table scraps/raw bones and some commercial pet food) to my generation – it changed for so many of us. I was a victim of Big Pet Feed programming.
‘They’ told us table scraps were bad. ‘They’ told us raw bones were a no, no. And many of ‘them’ still tell us that.
The FDA website tells consumers that veterinarians say it is “a bad idea to give bones to your dog”. Interesting to note however, that this FDA warning page to consumers against giving bones to dogs mentions “FDA has received about 35 reports of pet illnesses related to bone treats” – linking all complaints to commercially sold bones…no warning of raw bones (such as purchased from a butcher or the meat department in your grocery).
On the flip side of FDA are many veterinarians. Dr. Tom Lonsdale featured in the video above – who firmly believes just as my grandparents (and your grandparents) believed – raw bones can be very healthy as they clean a dog and cat’s teeth.
U.S. veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker is another. She separates bones into two categories…
- Edible bones which “are the hollow, non weight-bearing bones of birds (typically chicken wings and chicken and turkey necks). They are soft, pliable, don’t contain marrow, and can be easily crushed in a meat grinder.”
- Recreation bones “are the big beef or bison femur or hip bones filled with marrow. They don’t supply much nutrition, but they do provide great mental stimulation and oral health benefits.”
She shares a wealth of do’s and don’t with raw bones explaining “When your dog chews on a raw recreational bone, especially a meaty one with cartilage and soft tissue still attached, his teeth get the equivalent of a good brushing and flossing. This helps to break down tartar and reduces the risk of gum disease.”
Before you break out the raw bones for your dog – read both of her posts on this topic. Here and Here.
Dr. Ihor Basko – author of the book ‘Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom’ tells pet owners that “Giving your dog a bone can be beneficial.” He suggests giving bones to dogs 10 to 15 minutes after meals “removes trapped food particles from the teeth.” However Dr. Basko does warn against feeding bones to certain breeds of dogs and small dogs. He states: “Brachiocephalic breeds such as boxers, bull dogs, pugs, and shitzu are NOT mechanically designed to be able to chew bones effectively and safely. Little dogs and toys with delicate jaw structures and softer teeth should not eat bones.”
For those dogs and cats that aren’t able to chew bones, Dr. Basko recommends a homemade teeth and gum cleaning solution. “Mix the following together and keep in a small glass jar, and use to apply to teeth and gums. This mixture works well for gum disease, and softens the plaque over time, while also controlling the risk of bacteria and gum disease.”
2 ounces of Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
2 ounces Aloe Vera juice
If your pet suffers from bad breath, add one of the following to the above mixture:
Baking soda (one tablespoon)
Liquid chlorophyll (1 teaspoon)
“Application: Apply to teeth and gums, especially the upper molars to control plaque. Use a gauze sponge and soak in the mixed solution, then briskly rub onto stained teeth or plaque. Do this several times a week, and more often if your pet has a lot of plaque build-up. On small dogs and cats, use a Q-tip dipped in the solution, then apply to the gums, teeth, and plaque.”
“After applying the solution every few days to the gums, teeth, and plaque for 2 -3 weeks, you’ll be able to then scrape the plaque right off the affected teeth, using your fingernails, a soft towel, or even a Q-tip.”
In her (wonderful!) new e-book ‘What Cats Should Eat’, Dr. Jean Hofve discusses an interesting concern linked to feeding only commercial pet food… (Note: This e-book is one of the ways Dr. Hofve supports her pet food advocacy work. Please support her work)…
“Animals need more “hassle factor” per mouthful of nutrients. The literature contains hundreds of references to the food habits of feral carnivores and, therefore, the appropriate menu is readily available. Convenient prepared diets, those without sufficient “hassle factor,” are ruining the mouths and compromising the health of our animals.” By ‘hassle factor’ Dr. Hofve is explaining that most commercial pet food is too easy to eat. The hard work of gnawing meat from a bone cleans a pet’s teeth.
She suggests “Cats who have been eating commercial cat food need a gradual introduction to bones to increase their jaw strength and make sure the gut bacteria are prepared.”
From feline-nutrition.org – “When you feed a cat bone-in cuts of meat, such as chicken wings or necks, the cat has to use their side teeth to chew and cut the meat into pieces small enough to swallow. This vigorous use of the side teeth helps to keep the teeth clean, the gums stimulated and the jaws exercised. This is not only beneficial to their dental health, but helps to keep them mentally stimulated.”
Before you go back to what your grandparents did and give your cat or dog raw bones – consult with your veterinarian to make sure your pet’s mouth is in good condition to chew on bones. Read all of the links provided above thoroughly. There are risks to feeding raw bones and everyone should understand the risks, but to me – the benefits outweigh those risks. Today, my pets dine on human grade only food, with a several times a week serving of raw chicken or turkey necks. Very close to what my grandparents did.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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Diane
November 17, 2015 at 12:55 pm
I remember my Dad giving our dogs bones but they were always after the meat was cooked. Are you saying give them a piece of raw uncooked meat with a bone in it without cooking it?
Susan Thixton
November 17, 2015 at 1:03 pm
Yes – raw bones are less likely to splinter (though there is always that risk with any bone). Never give your pet cooked chicken bones. Some vets (Dr. Basko mentioned above as example) suggest cooked beef bones to soften them slightly (he explains this on his site). But most suggest raw bones (uncooked).
cathy
November 17, 2015 at 1:54 pm
in the past, I’ve given raw marrow bones from the grocery store to my dog and, although she loves them, the raw bones always caused extremely loose stools. so it’s not worth it to me. I do feed my dog raw dog food mixed with kibble and she does fine with that.
Susan Thixton
November 17, 2015 at 2:37 pm
In one of the posts that I quoted from – not sure which – it was stated that the marrow is mostly fat and some dogs can’t handle it initially, they have to be slowly introduced to that much marrow. It was suggest to start them off by scooping the marrow out of the bone at first – removing almost all of it. Then slowly allow them to consume more.
Aurora Clarke
November 20, 2015 at 8:27 am
Marrow bones pose a very high risk for dogs – first they are very hard – a weight bearing bone so more risk of breaking a tooth. Secondly there have been several reports of marrow bones becoming stuck on the dogs lower jaw – because they are cut in those neat little sections https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi49-Xei5_JAhXHqh4KHcrvDNoQFggsMAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.citynews.ca%2F2015%2F09%2F25%2Fhappy-ending-dog-expected-to-be-ok-after-bone-stuck-in-jaw%2F&usg=AFQjCNEyA9vJ-xZEwwsmG7JpKDjwCAaPtw
Just google ‘bone stuck on dogs lower jaw’ for more stories regarding the same. Stick with the big knuckle bones – knee bones and pasterns which have little marrow, lots of cartilage [think glucosamine!] Pork button bones are good as well as chicken necks. Note on chicken and turkey necks – I use a cleaver and chop them into 1 – 2 inch pieces as my dogs are greedy, this reduces risk of choking. Rule of thumb is to feed bones bigger than the dog can swallow without chewing.
Sherrie Ashenbremer
November 20, 2015 at 2:05 pm
I don’t want that to happen to my dogs. can’t take that chance
Aurora Clarke
November 20, 2015 at 6:17 pm
It won’t happen to your dogs if you choose the proper bones Sherrie. Marrow bones are problematic for several reasons. You do not have that risk with a large knuckle bone, brisket bones, pork riblets and many other safe bones.
Nina Wolf
November 17, 2015 at 2:27 pm
well…talk to your holistic veterinarian, or set up a phone consult with one if there is not one in your area. Chances are your local vet will tell you bones are awful and dangerous and oh here by the way you need this Science Diet.
Jeri
November 17, 2015 at 4:00 pm
Just what I was thinking. Going over this with a conventional mainstream vet will almost certainly end in a lecture, horror stories and scare tactics.
2muttsMom
November 17, 2015 at 3:42 pm
I keep WHOLE Raw Meaty Femur bones with knuckles on BOTH in the freezer for my dogs… I TAKE them out & let them chew on them for about 30 minutes EVERY DAY… THEN I PUT THE BONES BACK IN THE FREEZER. when the dogs chew the knuckles off, I toss the long bones out & replace them with new bones. Rather the giving them the knuckles, I prefer the whole femur bones because the dogs have to maneuver the whole bones around into position to chew them. Keeping the bones in the freezer, eliminates worry about spoilage.
Both of my dogs weigh 55 pounds and my Vet approves as long as I don’t let the dogs chew on the LONG bone
Laura
November 17, 2015 at 4:21 pm
The next time I bring them in I’ll ask my cats’ vet about the state of their dental and jaw health, but as of right now they’re both getting their teeth brushed daily with one of those soft, rubber-like baby fingertip brushes. One of them with very healthy teeth can tolerate a tiny bit of a paste of baking soda and water, but the one with a bit of gingivitis fights too much. We were told by their vet that the reason he has more gingivitis than would be expected of a young cat his age is because of his FIV. Can FIV really contribute to gingivitis? He gets a water additive called Oratene that seems really safe based on the ingredients and reviews online (though it only seems to help a bit), but I’m thinking of switching to a different toothbrush that actually has a handle. I’m just concerned because I don’t think I was able to find a baby toothbrush like that when I looked, and I really don’t trust a pet toothbrush, because lord knows the kind of chemicals the plastic in them contains. Do you have any experience brushing an animal’s teeth? Any advice?
Jessica
November 18, 2015 at 2:41 pm
Skip the toothbrushes and give your cats raw bones. I have a 10 year old raw fed cat (no ground raw food) and his teeth look amazing. We switched to raw about 7-8 years ago and before we made the switch his teeth were already yellowing and headed south. Now they are pearly white and he’s never had a dental cleaning in his life. Chicken necks are good starter bones as they are soft, I started with chicken wings and it took my cat about a month to figure out how to eat the bones. You can even just give the tip of a chicken wing off your own chicken (before cooking of course) since those usually go to waste anyway.
Laura
November 18, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Okay, thank you 🙂 I’ll be sure to check with their vet to see if their jaws are healthy enough, but I don’t really see there being a problem. Since they both need to lose a little bit of weight, should I cut their food back a bit when they receive a bone, or do little birdy bones not contain enough calories to warrant that?
Jessica
November 18, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Since your cat’s could stand to lose a little weight it wouldn’t be a bad idea to reduce the amount of food fed when they get bones. You don’t have to be exact, using equal proportions should work just fine, and you can just estimate it. Its always best to go by your cats weight anyways to see what’s working. Are you feeding any kibble? Kibble of any kind is the worst for dog and cat teeth. The carbs in the kibble stick to the teeth and cause plaque and whatnot just like it does for us humans. Canned food is much better as they are generally much lower in carbs.
I hope your cat’s like the bones, it’s a lot less stress on everyone than brushing.
Laura
November 18, 2015 at 8:05 pm
They used to. Now they eat The Honest Kitchen with bits of “human foods”, like chopped up boiled chicken, added in several times a week, with the THK scaled back accordingly. I’d like to try out different meats and such to see what they like and to add variety.
Aurora Clarke
November 20, 2015 at 8:34 am
Canned is no different than kibble – they just add water, lots of it!
Cats are often reluctant to chew bones, try starting them on small fresh or frozen [thaw] smelts and caplin with bone in. Other small bones such as quail which can be found in the grocery store as well as rabbit. Some folk go as far as getting rodents at the pet store or online – they are often frozen, sold for feeding snakes.
Acroyali
November 18, 2015 at 3:41 pm
Laura, I’m not sure if FIV cats can have increased dental problems, but my guess would be probably simply because of the compromised immune system. My immune compromised ones always have and currently do accumulate tartar on the teeth rapidly.
I use a childs (very soft bristled) toothbrush on my pets’ teeth. A few of them need it done, a few don’t, but for the ones who do it seems to help as long as I’m diligent. Even being raw fed, they still (due to health issues or genetic problems) have a hard time keeping their teeth from gunking up. I am unimpressed at the ingredients in most pet toothpaste (xylithol does NOT belong!), so I use coconut oil. Most animals LIKE the taste of this stuff, and a few of mine make the job easy. I put the coconut oil on the brush, hold it out, and they proceed to chew on the brush. Couldn’t be easier!
I’m going to try the teeth and gum cleaning solution. I’ve had marvelous success with using the homeopathic preparation Fragaria Vesca 6x. I dilute a pellet or two in a few drops of water and stir a few times (I usually let the pellets dissolve, but not always) and apply that to problem teeth/areas with the brush or an eyedropper. If done daily (or several times daily), this loosens the tartar and makes it very easy to flick off. You can’t get under the gumline, but for an animal that isn’t the best choice for surgery for whatever reason, this can provide a lot of help. Tissue salts calc. fluor and calc phos can help re-strengthen the tooth enamel and improve over-all mouth help. It’s always best to use any homeopathic preparations away from food and water (I usually give it about 30 minutes).
I’ve been told baking soda isn’t the best choice for daily cleaning, simply because it’s abrasive and can damage enamel if the enamel is soft, but n=1.
Kathy
November 17, 2015 at 7:25 pm
I believe it is a myth that toy dogs cannot eat raw bones. My 5yr old papillon started on raw over 2 months ago. He has since eaten chicken thighs, wings & makes 2 meals out of a leg with the back attached. All dogs should be watched at feeding time. I held his first few bones for him to get used to chewing and almost always feed them frozen. Here is a link to the myth – http://rawfed.com/myths/toybreeds.html and also a papillon website I have come across in my research. http://www.roadsend-papillons-phalenes.com/2013/09/menu-items-for-raw-meat-diet-raw-meaty.htmlhttp://www.roadsend-papillons-phalenes.com/2013/09/menu-items-for-raw-meat-diet-raw-meaty.html Thank-you
Acroyali
November 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm
My toy dogs have always loved raw bones, too, every bit as much as my much larger dogs! My dogs with good (correct) bites never seem to have the problems with teeth as my dogs with incorrect (undershot, overshot, etc) bites do. I think that has a lot to do with overall gum/teeth health. Years ago I took in a litter of kittens; all but one kitten had a good, correct bite. One did not. Many years later, the kitten (cat) with the incorrect bite has gum and teeth problems; the others never have.
Roads end papillons is a great breeder 🙂
Garson Hunter
November 18, 2015 at 9:38 am
This is my story and the experience of one person. I have two rescues dogs and their teeth were a mess. The teeth were coated with that dark gunk from kibble, the gums did not look healthy and their breath was awful. Since adopting them they now eat only human grade raw chicken carcass, necks, duck necks, ground turkey carcass. offal and non human grade green tripe. Once per week they each get a can of Pacific salmon with no added sodium. Also once/twice per week they get raw recreational bones that only have slight meat on them to pique the dogs’ interest. After three months the vet said their teeth were clean and didn’t need any work. As an added bonus, their breath no longer smells.
Carolyn Andre
November 18, 2015 at 4:04 pm
If I start my cats on raw bones – I’m thinking necks and wing tips? – I presume at first they won’t be finishing a whole piece. What do I do with the remainder? Do I always discard the uneaten part or can I rinse & refrigerate until the next day? Or freeze & thaw?
Sherrie Ashenbremer
November 19, 2015 at 8:21 am
I have five dogs, 3 Shih Tzu, (all about 10 pounds), one Pekingese (13 pounds) & one Beagle/Jack Russell mix (about 25 pounds) all rescue dogs. I just read that the Shih Tzu should not be given raw bones due to the way their mouth is. Any advice? Some of you have said that you give your dogs the bones for say maybe 30 minutes, but I tell you my Pekingese (Opie, especially Opie) one of my Shih Tzu (George) would bite my hand off if I tried to take a bone from them. How do you handle that? I would love to give my dogs raw bones, I purchased a bag of, Yoghund Straight & Marrow Natural Raw Beef Bones frozen treats to give my dogs. But I won’t be able to get them back once George and Opie have these bones. Four of my dogs are Puppy Mill survivors so there is some food aggression. Any ideas for help would be wonderful, thank you
Aurora Clarke
November 20, 2015 at 8:41 am
Ridiculous! If they can eat kibble they can chew bones! My kittens started gnawing raw chicken bones at five weeks of age! I have had a yorkie weighing 7 pounds who chewed bones very well! My dogs are rescues as well and a JRT who is very aggressive with his bones. First you teach them “Leave It” or “Drop It”, both is best then offer them a higher value treat – peanut butter, tripe or even a squeak toy. I use gates to separate my dogs during bone chewing and they often have their bone a whole day or more. Don’t forget dogs are scavengers and opportunists! A rotting wood chuck is a delicacy to them so a 2 day or bone is not a problem. I’ve been feeding raw food and bones 45 years btw with no problems what so ever.
Sherrie Ashenbremer
November 20, 2015 at 9:06 am
You use tripe for a treat? What exactly is that? Where do you get it? I need to teach my dogs Leave It or Drop It. I didn’t think of that, but that is a great idea. My Peke, Opie has several teeth that are rotten and loose. He is having a dental on Dec. 7th, after that I would love to get him on raw bones. And get my other dogs on raw bones. I can’t afford to pay for dentals for 5 dogs all the time. And it’s not good for the dog to be knocked out and have dental every year. Thank you Aurora, any help would be grateful.
Aurora Clarke
November 20, 2015 at 3:06 pm
Yes, to tripe dogs love it! Its bovine stomach. Green tripe is tripe with some of the fermented grass clinging to the tissue. Bleached tripe is popular with many ethnic groups including the British – dont’ feed your dogs this type, there is little food value in the bleached tripe. For dogs you can purchase it frozen/raw, dried treats or canned at pet stores. Frozen raw is the most nutritionally beneficial providing a rich source of probiotics.
I would start Opie on bones ASAP it may save some $ at his dental! Those loose teeth, if they come out while he chews you won’t have to pay the vet for ‘extraction’. Get a big knuckle bone he can nosh on at his leisure. I had a dog who needed her teeth scraped of tartar and I started her on bones, in the two weeks before her appointment. Took her in for the procedure and the vet asked ‘who scheduled her for a cleaning because in his opinion she didn’t need it’!
Remember that bones and raw food can only do so much – genetics and environment, vaccines and everything else touching their lives is a factor in their health. That said, we almost never require any treatments at our vets aside from the odd wound or something of the sort. I’ve never had a pet who had a teeth cleaning and they tend to live longer, more active lives.
Sherrie Ashenbremer
November 24, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Thank youAurora Clarke, I will give my dogs some bones. I purchased a frozen bag of Yoghund Straight & Marrow Natural Raw Beef Bone Frozen treats. They are 2.5″ Beef Marrow Bones, are these good for my dogs? Second thing I have never heard of Tripe at the pet shop? I will call or stop by PetsMart and see if they have this “tripe” Thank you and have a nice Thanksgiving Holiday
Aurora Clarke
November 26, 2015 at 10:31 am
Those are the type of bone I tend to avoid Sherrie. As your dog is small, they may be fine for him. I go to the grocery store for bones, better selection and much cheaper. Big knuckle soup bones, riblets… and button bones the ones we don’t want for ourselves because all the cartilage and gristle. Pork hocks are fine as long as you score the hide with a sharp knife in a cross hatch pattern. The only time I had a dog at risk, she was unable to chew through the tough hide and had pulled off the whole piece of skin and couldn’t get it down. You can toss the skin or score as directed so it can be eaten – its chock full of essential fatty acids and other good things – collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin to name a few.
Sherrie Ashenbremer
November 26, 2015 at 8:47 pm
Thank you Aurora Clarke, I am just so nervous that one of my small dogs will get a bone caught in the throat and get it stuck and choke. But I will check out the Grocery store
Aurora Clarke
November 27, 2015 at 8:46 am
Hi Sherrie, we all share your fear! Truth IS that ALL food has risk! There are instances of puppies and small dogs choking on kibble! There is a much higher risk of dogs bloating on kibble than there is on raw diet. Kibble is often contaminated with salmonella and other toxins. Over a 1000 dogs have died from the Chinese processed foods. Kibble is very hard on the renal system often causing renal failure in later years – because the canine digestive system is designed for MOIST foods not dry cereal based foods! Even the grain free foods are loaded with starchy vegetables where the body converts starch into sugars which can trigger diabetes.
So, back to bones – its simple, choose LARGE bones they cannot swallow and choke on. Funniest sight I ever saw was my 7 pound Yorkie carrying off a large bovine knee bone that weighed almost as much as she did! It was so heavy her back end was air born! Small dogs are very determined! 🙂
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