Posted on 11/30/2009 5:46:23 AM PST by savedbygrace
Someone has given us a lot of ground deer meat. I'm storing it in the freezer, of course.
I'd like to feed some of it to our Golden Retriever with his regular kibble.
Is it necessary to cook it, or would it be safe to feed it to him raw? We've fed BilJac raw meat to our dogs in the past, so I'm thinking raw is OK.
I looked it up once because I had a wild hog hind quarter I didn’t want to cook. Apparently, the dog has an enzyme in it’s stomach that humans don’t have (anymore?) that allows it to process raw and even slightly rotten meat. Kind of like a buzzard I guess.
So yes, from what I have read and learned, raw meat is ok for a dog.
WHy would you waste great deer meat on a dog?
myself, I’d cook it just to be safe.
I would ABSOLUTELY cook it, thoroughly!
I have 2 goldens also.
Cooking their food does not hurt them, but there is always a risk with raw.
That’s what I was thinking. What a shame.
By the way, some people/vets argue that the dog is LACKING if they are not given some raw meat because the nutrients THEIR body needs is cooked out.
So yes, from what I have read and learned, raw meat is ok for a dog.
It's gotta be okay, because of what I've seen our dogs eat over the years... LOL...
I would never serve undercooked venison.
BTW, if you don't care for venison, mix it with ground beef, and use it as a "filler" in any casserole, sauce, etc.
Me too.
By the way, seems to be the consensus that no cooked bones should be given to a dog - any cooked bone can splinter. Raw bones are fine.
My brother-in-law gave me a deer two weeks ago. It is now in my freezer in steaks and sausage. Once you eat deer sausage, the store boughten stuff don’t even come close...
If the deer carries the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, feeding the raw meat to your dog can pass that on to him. I would cook the meat to be certain to kill any bacteria.
If CWD is your fear, you shouldn't be eating the meat at all, cooking doesn't kill the prions.
If this is frozen from LAST YEAR...then it is likely for animal consumption. If it was properly handled and is from this year's hunt, add 50% ground pork and enjoy with a few beers or your favorite beverage.... The dogs will eat the left overs and love ya fo it!
frankly if i shared expensive game meat with you and you fed it to your dog, i’d be really annoyed and insulted
I agree. Dogs NEED a dead fish from the side of the road/ rotten stuff from the gutter, wastebasket napkins, cat poops covered with kitty litter — things like that. Seem to crave them, at least, and they never miss a beat.
No problems.....
Years back I almost raised one of my hunting dogs on raw deer meat. He loved it. I would send him outside with a chunk frozen and he would knibble away at it.
I save the liver, gizard, and heart from pheasants I shoot for the dog. I wouldn’t have a problem giving it to them raw, but my wife insists on sauteeing them in BUTTER for the darn dog.
Personally, I think raw meat is healthy for dogs.
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