In this article I\u2019ll go over some of the pros and cons of feeding raw game meat to dogs as part of the dog\u2019s overall raw diet.<\/p>\n
A raw diet means just like it sounds, feeding a dog a diet of raw meat and bones. Learn more about the basics of raw feeding here<\/a> <\/strong>and <\/strong>check out our raw feeding FAQs<\/a>.<\/p>\n While there are many health benefits of feeding your dog a raw diet, one of the downsides is how it costs a lot more than feeding dry food (kibble).\u00a0<\/p>\n For example, feeding one of my 65-pound dogs a store-bought raw diet costs about $400 per month! By comparison, it costs about $80 per month to feed the same dog a higher-end dry food.<\/p>\n Even if I buy the meat myself and make my dog\u2019s raw food, it still costs about $200 a month to feed one of my dogs.<\/p>\n So, it makes sense to consider feeding raw game meat to dogs, including the raw organ meat and raw bones.<\/p>\n Raw game meat can supplement what you\u2019re currently feeding your dog while saving you some money at the same time.<\/p>\n Yes and no. It\u2019s not a simple answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dogs are obviously designed for eating raw meat and bones! They can handle more bacteria than we can, and their strong jaws and teeth are meant to easily crunch up, swallow and eat raw meat and bones.<\/p>\n So I\u2019ll go over some of the pros and cons of feeding your dog various wild game so you can make your own decision about what\u2019s right for your particular dog.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, it\u2019s actually illegal in some areas to feed wild game to pets and livestock. And, of course wild game can also carry diseases and parasites. Feeding it to your dog does come with some risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n For this reason, it\u2019s smart to do some research on the specific laws and risks based on where you live and where the wild game comes from. Use this article as a very general piece of your ongoing research.<\/em><\/p>\n Here are some of the reasons to consider feeding your dog raw meat from wild game such as venison, elk or\u00a0<\/p>\n You can potentially save a lot of money on raw dog food by feeding wild game meat.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you hunt large game yourself such as elk, you probably want to use that meat to feed your family \u2013 the human members of your family, that is. Unless you have very lucky dogs!<\/p>\n But, sometimes friends or family may have older elk or venison in their freezer from last year that they didn\u2019t get a chance to eat up. Or maybe you have some yourself from the previous season.<\/p>\n This is a great option for dogs and that way the meat does not go to waste. It certainly won\u2019t harm a dog to eat meat from a previous season if it\u2019s been frozen.<\/p>\n Since it\u2019s not legal for recreational hunters to sell wild game meat in most of the U.S., sometimes hunters will give their meat away.<\/p>\n You can check Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for people who are giving away their extra meat.<\/p>\n Even if your dog is not eating 100% wild game meat, it\u2019s still a nice option to have once in a while as an additional protein source.<\/p>\n Wild game meat is generally going to be better quality meat than anything you find in a grocery store! It\u2019s wild, organic free-range meat!\u00a0<\/p>\n As an example, my family eats wild elk meat at least twice a week!<\/p>\n Elk roam freely and eat a natural diet of grass, bushes and trees. They don\u2019t eat corn like most of the cows raised for beef, and they are not confined to a small area.<\/p>\n Elk meat has so many vitamins and nutrients and it\u2019s lean meat high in protein. It contains vitamin B2 and B3, iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc, according to WebMD.<\/p>\n Yes, nature is very cruel and violent. But wild animals generally live happier lives than the cows, pigs and chickens raised for food in the United States.<\/p>\n Eating wild game ourselves and feeding it to our dogs is far more humane than supporting U.S. factory farming.<\/p>\n Raw organ meat is an important part of feeding your dog a raw diet because of the nutrients found in organs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Organ meat should make up about 10 percent of your dog\u2019s raw diet, according to most raw feeders. See our article on organ meat for dogs.<\/a><\/p>\n While it\u2019s easy to buy a variety of muscle meat for your dog\u2019s raw diet \u2013 such as ground beef or chicken quarters \u2013 it\u2019s not easy to find a variety of organ meat.<\/p>\n If you know someone who goes deer hunting and processes the deer themselves, ask them to set aside the organs for your dog. Dogs can eat any of the organs from a deer such as the heart, liver or kidneys.<\/p>\n If you hunt yourself and normally take the animal to a wildlife processor, you could ask the processor to save the organ meat for you. (Some will and some will not.)<\/p>\n I go pheasant hunting with my dogs in the fall and I save the pheasant hearts and livers as a special treat for them! They love it!<\/p>\n My dogs find deer bones in the woods and chew on them pretty regularly \u2013 bones such as rib bones and jaw bones. I only take them away if the bones appear brittle and sharp from sitting out in the elements.<\/p>\n It\u2019s safe to feed raw bones to your dog from wild game meat but I prefer not to give my dogs large, dense bones such as deer legs or any of the large elk bones.\u00a0<\/p>\n The reason is I worry they will crack a tooth on these harder bones, even if it\u2019s a small risk.<\/p>\n Depending on your dog\u2019s chewing style, you might also want to avoid giving them larger bones.<\/p>\n Deer and elk antlers are another option for chewing. You can buy farm raised elk antlers at some pet food stores, but giving your dog antlers from wild elk are even better!\u00a0<\/p>\n Again, know your dog\u2019s chewing style as antlers are also very dense for chewing. They make a great option for some dogs and not others.<\/p>\n If you hunt birds like pheasants, ducks, geese, turkey or quail, you could save the carcasses for your dog after you\u2019re done harvesting the meat for yourself. This makes a great \u201craw meaty bone\u201d meal for your dog.<\/p>\n See our article: <\/strong>Can dogs eat turkey necks?<\/a><\/p>\n Feeding your dog wild game meat does have some risks. You will have to decide for yourself if feeding your dog wild game meat is right for you.<\/p>\n In the United States, the Food Safety Inspection Service ensures that all commercial meat, poultry and eggs are safe to eat. (This does not necessarily mean the meat is superior to wild game meat, but you can trust that you\u2019re not going to get sick from it.)<\/p>\n On the other hand, wild game meat from recreational hunters is not inspected by anyone for quality or safety.<\/p>\n You have to trust that you\u2019re getting the meat from someone who has handled and stored it properly.<\/p>\n Any wild animal has the potential to carry parasites, so there is always some risk to feeding your dog any kind of wild game.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can kill most<\/em> potential parasites in wild game meat by freezing the meat for a month before feeding it to your dog. I recommend you use a freezer set to 0 degrees. This still does not guarantee the meat will be free of parasites but it lowers the risk.<\/em><\/p>\n When in doubt, you could also cook the meat before feeding it to your dog. Yes, I realize this is not raw meat but even cooked wild game is healthier for your dog than any kibble or grocery store meat.<\/p>\n Some examples of parasites dogs can get from wild game meat include tapeworms (found in many animals) or trichinosis (most commonly found in wild boar or black bear).<\/p>\n Yes. Dogs and people<\/em> can get trichinosis from the parasite trichinella most commonly found in black bear meat and also wild boar.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If you decide to feed your dog black bear meat or wild hog meat, I recommend you cook the meat instead of feeding it raw.<\/p>\n The trichinella larvae can migrate and embed in the muscles, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. People primarily get this disease from eating wild game that is not properly cooked.<\/p>\n Here is a gre<\/a>at article<\/a> on avoiding trichinosis (for people) in wild bear and wild boar meat. Freezing the meat can make a big difference, but it is not 100 percent safe.<\/p>\n Thankfully, you generally shouldn\u2019t have to worry about trichinosis if you are hunting deer or elk or birds such as pheasants, ducks, turkeys, etc.<\/p>\nIs it OK to feed my dog raw deer meat? Or other wild game?<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thatmutt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Feeding-raw-game-meat-to-dogs.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thatmutt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Feeding-raw-game-meat-to-dogs.jpg.webp\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFeeding raw game meat to dogs benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Save money on raw dog food by feeding wild game<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. Wild game meat is more nutritious meat for your dog<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Wild game meat is a more humane food source<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Variety of organ meat \u2013 wild game for dogs<\/span><\/h3>\n
5. Raw deer bones for your dog<\/span><\/h3>\n
Risks of feeding your dog wild game meat<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Wild game meat is not inspected<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. Wild game can carry parasites<\/span><\/h3>\n
Can dogs get trichinosis from raw bear meat?<\/span><\/h3>\n