# Do you cook marrow bones?



## saileeny (May 13, 2008)

I bought some beef marrow bones today for Baxter but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to cook them first or not. If so then how do I cook them?

Thanks!
~Aileen


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

NO! Cooked bones splinter! Feed raw.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

As FQ stated, NEVER give cooked bones. And when feeding marrow bones, it's best to decreas the amount of the dog's regular food, as the marrow is very rich and can cause diarrhea.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> As FQ stated, NEVER give cooked bones. And when feeding marrow bones, it's best to decreas the amount of the dog's regular food, as the marrow is very rich and can cause diarrhea.


 
....... & very smelly gas:doh::doh::doh::doh::yuck::yuck::yuck::yuck:


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

As stated never cook them - no cooked bones whatsoever. If you are worried about bacteria freeze them, it also makes it last longer. I find when they have had them few times you don't have the gas and loose stool problem. Ensure they are also big enough for the dog. I usually go by no smaller then my fist (I have a little fist though) LOL.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Gwen said:


> ....... & very smelly gas:doh::doh::doh::doh::yuck::yuck::yuck::yuck:


 
I can 2nd that!!!! :hide: The kids would hide from Beau the first time he had a marrow bone. Raw of course


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## Softpaws (Apr 8, 2008)

I don't understand the no cooking of marrow bones. I have got lots of bones that have been heated to kill germs and don't splinter. Some are full bones with knuckles, others have no marrow but are flavored, other have a little meat attached. In 20 years of goldens eating them I have seen no splintering. How do they prepare these bones? Can't you bake them in a oven for a few minutes at high temperature?


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## saileeny (May 13, 2008)

Thanks to everyone who responded! 
Are smoked bones different than cooked ones? I've given him smoked bones they don't seem to splinter. 
Thanks again!
~Aileen


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

No smoked are diffrent then baked or boiled. I don't use smoked because I have noticed those to splinter. Also, I don't like the way the dogs smell after chewing them a few of mine have got loose stools and vommited because of those. I have also seen some that obviously were not smoked long enough as they were molding. Raw frozen are the best way to go.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

As others have said give the bones raw. In addition to what Ash stated with reguard to smoked bones I have also found they tend to stain the paws, legs, carpeting and anything else they came in contact with.




Softpaws said:


> I don't understand the no cooking of marrow bones. I have got lots of bones that have been heated to kill germs and don't splinter. Some are full bones with knuckles, others have no marrow but are flavored, other have a little meat attached. In 20 years of goldens eating them I have seen no splintering. How do they prepare these bones? Can't you bake them in a oven for a few minutes at high temperature?


It is a fact that they are prone to splinter when cooked, boiled, microwaved or smoked. Does not mean that evryone will and I would think the amount they are "cooked" would also have an effect. Cooking also diminishes the nutritional value of the bone. I do nothing to prepare them so there is the "germ" factor, more so for the human than the dog. To help reduce this risk, when dogs get raw bones they are in their crate or in the backyard.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

In addtion to what both Ash and Hank stated about the smoked bones, they are very high in sodium.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

AmbikaGR said:


> As others have said give the bones raw. In addition to what Ash stated with reguard to smoked bones I have also found they tend to stain the paws, legs, carpeting and anything else they came in contact with.
> 
> Cooking also diminishes the nutritional value of the bone. I do nothing to prepare them so there is the "germ" factor, more so for the human than the dog.


Yes, how could I forget the staining its that and the smell is what gets me the most I think. I can be a little bit of a neatness freak (I admit it). And that ECSPECIALLY in the house is a no no.


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