Chicken Back Bones?

[Yamaha_gurl]

As topic says...yes? No? Obviously not cooked. I saw them at the grocery store, and thought I'd buy them. Are they ok to give to a greyhound that has never eaten anything raw before (while being retired)?

[Guest Swifthounds]

Yes. They tend to have thin, easily crunched bones and lots of soft cartilage, so tend to be a good "starter" bony item.

 

I would give them separate from a kibble meal and also keep a close eye until you know whether your hound might be a gulper. If you want to be cautious, you can use pliers (not your hand) to hold one end and let the dog chomp on the other.

[Guest KennelMom]

Yeah, it's just a lot of bone usually.

[Yamaha_gurl]

Thanks for the info, you two seem to know so much...I love this site

[Guest iconsmum]

they're super cheap, and depending on where you get them, lots of times they still have good meat and liver traces still on them so you get organ, meat and bone.

[Remolacha]

The only caution I would give, sometimes they have big old gobs of fat and skin, which *can* cause a little loose stool if your dog has a sensitive tummy. I never had that problem with any of mine, but I have heard of it from others. If you are worried, just pull it off

[Nichole]

I cut the excess fat off of the chicken backs before I give them.

[RaineysMom]

I use them for making stock, wish I could find them around here! the only ones I can get are attached to the rest of the chicken

[Guest Swifthounds]

The only caution I would give, sometimes they have big old gobs of fat and skin, which *can* cause a little loose stool if your dog has a sensitive tummy. I never had that problem with any of mine, but I have heard of it from others. If you are worried, just pull it off

 

That should not normally happen unless the dog's gut is unable to digest the bone (backs are quote bony and far more likely to cause constipation) but if you worry, trim a bit the first time.

[racindog]

Yes. They tend to have thin, easily crunched bones and lots of soft cartilage, so tend to be a good "starter" bony item.

 

I would give them separate from a kibble meal and also keep a close eye until you know whether your hound might be a gulper. If you want to be cautious, you can use pliers (not your hand) to hold one end and let the dog chomp on the other.

Do you mean that if they are a "gulper" it is a real choke hazard? I love feeding them raw since it is so good for them and they like it so but I hate to watch them eat because it seems they swallow such big pieces it concerns me about being a choke hazard though I have NEVER ever heard of a dog choking on RAW meat. I did lose a Dalmatian who choked on cooked meat before I was enlightenend and strted feeding raw. My new boy swallowed such a chuck his last meal he somehow brought it back up-just like a ruminant does cud- and chewed on it some more before he swallowed it again. It was beef brisket. I almost always feed just raw beef because in my mind chicken is full of pathogens. Was jsut wondering about the implications of a gulper and feeding raw.

Edited August 30, 2011 by racindog

[Guest KennelMom]

Anything can be a choking hazard. I once had a greyhound that swallowed a chicken drumstick whole. Last time that dog every got a solo-drumstick! Everything went down (and came out the other end) just fine,but I do prefer to feed meat/bones large enough that they have to do a little bit of chewing.

 

For someone feeding primarily kibble and "supplementing" with something like backs, I would assume they want the teeth cleaning benefits of crunching through the bones....if the dog's a gulper there won't really be much chewing if it's just a back. It can depend on your source, but backs are usually fairly small, don't require a lot of chewing and don't have a ton of meat.

[sobesmom]

Yes. I use them a a supplement (kibble-feeder with raw yummies). Along with almost any raw meat/bone waste. The puppers love the cast-offs.