When I did the raw stint with chicken I NEVER fed the long bone like thighs or legs to my dogs. I had a good friend that raised rotties and she gave turkey legs and thighs to her crew. Her girl died due to a bone that pierced her intestines. I feed cooked chicken necks and backs and they never pose a problem since the bones are small and easily chewed up. Some dogs wolf down their food and will wolf down bones that are not really bite sized. I would not chance feeding long bones of poultry of any kind. My friend's heart break was enough for me not to take the chance.
Most nutrients in dogfood are lost due to the cooking process. I feel that dogfood is comparable to us eating Purina human chow every day. It may fill our nutritional needs, but I find a variety of foods keep them happily eating and if the eat something dead in the woods they don't ever get sick. I hear about dogs getting into the garbage and getting pancreatitis and almost dying from it. My dogs can eat anything and never get the runs or gassy ever.
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Originally Posted by Diana
They get everything they would eat in nature (plus some!) I do not see how they could possibly be missing essential nutrients  . There are supplements available, I picked up some salmon oil to help with the coat, and I might try some alfalfa powder, but past that apparently they are getting everything they need. Dont be fooled about the kibble that adds all these viatmins and minerals into thier foods... they add it because the foods lack it to begin with! 
Not at all worried about salmonella & e coli, there have been more cases of dogs being sick from canned foods. Plus they have a highly acidic stomach (and super short digestive tract) that kills most bacteria.
And bone fragments? All the meats I give them are fully 100% ground, it looks like canned tuna. Raw bone does not splinter... its cooked bone that can be seriously bad for your dog. I would NEVER feed cooked bone (and no one should!).
I was worried about all these things too... until I did a lot of research and realized these were all myths. Again, kibble is fine, but raw so far has been great to my doggies.
-Diana |