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When feeding DIY raw, what do you do if you can't find a source for bone? I've been fortunate because I have several sources (raw food co-op, restaurant supply store, ethnic markets, local farms), so I haven't had to find a bone substitute – but not everyone is that lucky. I've seen many raw feeders recommend dairy products, green tripe, and bone meal as an alternative. In this article, I will share what I do when I don't have bone for a meal (or meal prep), and why I don't feed bone meal (and the other alternatives) in place of bone.
Why Bones are Important for Raw Fed Dogs
When formulating a dog's raw diet, I start with an 80/10/10 blend – 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ meat. It's important to have bone in the diet for several reasons…
Essential Nutrients – bones are an excellent source of calcium and phosphorous, which are vital for teeth and bone strength, support organ and tissue functions, and are ideal for growing puppies (so don't skimp on the bones).
Gut Health – bone tissue and fibers aid digestion and prevent loose stools by binding to food in the digestive tract. I often add additional bone to the meal when a dog has loose stool.
Satisfies the Chew Drive – carnivores naturally desire to chew, providing essential mental stimulation. Ripping and tearing are enjoyable challenges, similar to solving a puzzle. This stimulation releases endorphins and prevents them from chewing on unwanted objects when bored.
A Jaw Workout – your dog can strengthen their mouth, jaw, neck, and shoulders by chewing on edible or recreational bones.
Teeth Cleaning – bones help clean dogs' teeth and prevent gum disease by removing plaque and tartar buildup.
However, it's important to note that not all bones are safe for dogs to consume. Cooked bones, especially those from poultry, can splinter and pose a choking hazard or cause internal injuries. Always provide raw bones that are appropriate in size for your dog's breed and supervise them while they're chewing.
What's Bone Meal?
Food-grade bone meal is a product made from finely ground bones that are typically sourced from animals such as cattle or fish. It is processed and treated to ensure it meets specific safety standards for food and animal feed use.
Food-grade bone meal is produced by grinding and processing bones from animals. The bones undergo a series of steps to remove impurities, sterilize the material, and ensure it meets food safety standards. The resulting finely ground powder is rich in minerals like calcium and phosphorus, making it a common nutritional supplement for pets, livestock, and plants.
When shopping for food-grade bone meal, here are a few factors to consider:
Source and Quality: Look for products that clearly state the source of the bones and ensure they are from reliable and reputable sources. High-quality bone meal should be free from contaminants like heavy metals or additives.
Safety and Regulatory Compliance: Check if the product complies with relevant food safety regulations and standards, such as those set by the FDA or other local regulatory bodies. Look for products that are tested for contaminants and meet the necessary quality control standards.
Nutrient Content: Consider the nutrient profile of the bone meal. It should contain a balanced amount of minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for bone health. Ensure the product's nutrient content aligns with your dog's nutritional requirements.
Processing Method: The processing method can impact the bone meal's quality and nutrient availability. Look for products that use gentle processing techniques to preserve the integrity of the nutrients and ensure they are bioavailable for absorption.
Packaging and Storage: Proper packaging is essential to maintain the quality and freshness of the bone meal. Choose products that are securely packaged to prevent moisture or air exposure. Additionally, check if the product has a reasonably long shelf life and follow the storage instructions provided.
Why I Don't Use Bone Meal in Raw Feeding
I don't use bone meal for two reasons – (1) I can source bones and I have a meat grinder, and (2) I never found a source of bone meal that I could trust.
- Many food grade bone meal manufacturers use heat to process their meal, which makes it difficult for dogs to digest, preventing them from gaining the calcium/phosphorus benefits.
- The calcium in food grain bone meal is less bio-available and our dogs may be getting less than 50% of the calcium.
- Many manufacturers source their bone meal from other countries, increasing the risk of contaminants.
- The calcium-phosphorous ratio in bone meal may not be ideal for dogs.
Recently, I've begun to notice bone meal options, but these aren't for meal formulation. I would use one of the following if I needed to add more calcium to the diet of a growing puppy and bones weren't always available:
- Four Leaf Rover – this natural supplement contains calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D to support joint health, teeth, and bones. It's sourced from grass-fed australian beef bone, formulated by a holistic veterinarian, and made in the US. I like that this product includes Vitamin D to facilitate calcium absorption.
- Buck Bone Organics Ground Wild Elk and Deer Antler Powder for Dogs – this all natural supplement is made from naturally shed elk and deer antlers. It's high in calcium and other minerals to support bones, teeth, and joints. My only issue with this product is that I'll have to balance the phosphorus in the meal and I may need more Vitamin D to help with the calcium absorption.
An Alternative to Bone Meal
If raw bones aren't an option and you can't find a quality source of bone meal, you can try seaweed calcium.
Seaweed calcium is a dietary supplement derived from various types of seaweed, such as red algae or lithothamnion. It is known for its high calcium content and is often used as an alternative to traditional calcium supplements derived from sources like limestone or coral.
Benefits of Seaweed Calcium
Calcium Source: Seaweed calcium provides a bioavailable form of calcium that is easily absorbed by the body, making it an excellent option for raw feeders who don't have a source for raw bones or a meat grinder.
Minerals and Trace Elements: Seaweed calcium is also a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, boron, and zinc. These nutrients are important for maintaining overall health.
Bone Health: Calcium is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Adequate calcium intake is essential for bone development, strength, and health; especially when Vitamin D is also added to the diet.
Sustainability: Seaweed is a sustainable resource that can be harvested without depleting natural habitats. It requires no additional land, fertilizers, or freshwater to grow, making it an environmentally-friendly source of calcium.
The Downside of Seaweed Calcium
The reason I stopped using seaweed calcium is because it's important to (1) balance calcium and phosphorus, and (2) the diet needs Vitamin D to aid absorption of the calcium. While this can be figured out with the assistance of Animal Diet Formulator software, it's much easier to feed raw bone and use a base mix.
What About Eggshells?
About 95% of the eggshell contains calcium carbonate; but it only has 0.3% phosphorus. Using eggshells requires an adjustment to the diet to balance the calcium:phosphorus ratio. If ground eggshells is the best option for calcium, then the amount used (along with supporting nutrients) can be calcuated with the help of Animal Diet Formulator software .
It's important to buy from a quality source. I source pasture-raised eggs from friends who raise chickens, so I don't have to worry about what was used to rinse the eggs that are so shiny and clean at our grocery stores.
I don't use ground eggshells for my dogs' diet. Instead, I sprinkle them in my flower garden to deter slugs and enrich the soil.
What About Dairy Products?
While milk is a great source of calcium for humans, it's not the best option for dogs. Cow's milk contains more lactose and feeding it may lead to digestive upset. Raw goat's milk is easier for dogs to digest and it contains more calcium. However, this doesn't make milk an appropriate substitute for raw bones.
Hi Ruth…
Yes, I wrote a blog post about DIY raw feeding that is more for beginners that might interest you: https://keepthetailwagging.com/raw-dog-food-recipe-guidelines/
Hello,
We currently feed our dogs Raw Bistro brand raw food – currently Turkey. We go through 36 lbs. of food / week and spend roughly $1000 / month on food. We love feeding raw and our dogs are great on raw food – but the expense is crazy. We are interested in making our own if the savings would justify the work of making and sourcing of ingredients. Do you have any insight?
Thank you
Ruth
My dog has IBD and had to stop raw feeding while trying to heal the inflammation. I hope to return to raw food later down the road. For now, I am home cooking and using calcium carbonate from NOW brands. What does your research say of that calcium source and what is your opinion?
My dogs really like green tripe. I was so happy to learn how it can make a positive impact on my dogs health. As for bones, I usually order grinds that contain bone.
I tried to give my dogs raw pork bones as a treat. Gracie and George liked them. Unfortunately, one batch I picked up at the international grocery store was cut against the bone. George tried it. It hurt him too much so no more. I know you mentioned rabbit ribs etc. I couldn’t do it. I have a long relationship to rescued rabitts. I was so happy that Gracie didn’t like rabbit. I made very generous donations to my house rabbit society.
Hi Janet…have you considered seaweed calcium? Animal Essentials has a great product that I use with my puppy (because he needs more calcium than our adult dogs): https://prf.hn/l/KzwQAX7
Hi. Im not comfortable feeding my 9 month old Jackchi Raw Bones she is a aggressive chewer. Makes me very nervous. I am feeding her Home Cooked but missing the Bone in her diet. Not using the Bone Meal such as yourself for the same reasons. I dont have a Grinder myself and still looki g for a butcher to grind bones for me. Until i can find a butcher to grind some raw bones i dont know what to give her for her Calcium and Phosphorous in her diet. She is also a picky eater so i stopped feeding her kibble. She is getting her Protein, Vegetables, not sure what fruit to feex her if any, and missing the healthy bone in her diet. Any help would be appreciated.
You can try a great supplement by Animal Essentials. It’s what I use when I don’t have bone: https://amzn.to/2IhNnij
Hello! I am trying to start my dog on a raw diet but he is missing quite a few teeth which would make chewing raw bones difficult. I am concerned about him missing the needed calcium. Any ideas?
Thanks for the comment. I disagree with the theory that feeding necks can lead to hyperthyroidism. There were a couple of articles written, however, no one has done a study to confirm that this is true. With so many raw feeders feeding duck necks, turkey necks, and chicken necks, you would think that we’d eventually see a rise in hyperthyroidism in our pets, but we’re not seeing it. Also, my dogs get annual blood work which includes a thyroid screening and their thyroids are healthy.
I feed my cats a homemade, balanced raw diet and there are many bones that they can handle. I usually start with a whole chicken and add the extra muscle meat and secreting organ necessary to balance it out.
I’ve used other poultry, rabbit, and they even like to gnaw on raw, meaty goat cubes. They occasionally will swallow some of the smaller pieces that come in those packs like ribs.
I wanted to caution you about mainly feeding necks as they contain some parts of the thyroid gland and if fed frequently over time can cause hyperthyroidism.
I like using the whole chicken as that’s the main idea in the Franken-prey model – to emulate a whole prey diet with parts of various animals. I think there is a benefit to feeding a variety of proteins and diet parts.
I agree with you about the bone meal. A good idea, but it has its risks due to the industry.
There are also so many benefits to feeding real bones as you mentioned.
Best!
Well, I don’t think eggshells are enough nutritionally because they are 100% calcium with no phosphorus. It sounds like you’re using them to firm up your dogs’ stool. You can try eggshells; I don’t know if this will work because I’ve never tried it. When my dogs have loose stool, I add Olewo carrots to their meal and it does the trick:https://amzn.to/2T2LeJh
As an FYI – green tripe is a preferred protein for dogs needing low phos and low purines as is the case for kidney and liver disease.
Hello. Im feeding my dogs answers raw pet food and they have had liquid poops for a while now. someone told me to add bone meal but i dont want to do that and you say eggshells arent enough. what should i do?
Thank you, Rhonda!!!
I’m so happy I found you. I watched an interview you did with Dr. Karen Becker & Rodney Habib just a few days ago and now by a random internet search on a raw food question & here you are. Love your great research and tips!
I’m very sorry about your experience. I hope your dog recovers fully and rapidly.
I don’t feed chicken, but I do feed duck. I grind the duck wings because I don’t feel comfortable with feeding them whole. I’ve found that they don’t chew up the bones enough for my comfort level. I try and stick with duck necks, duck frames, and rabbit for edible bones. My dogs do very well on them. For teeth cleaning, I stick with bones that they will gnaw on instead of try and eat.
Hi, I recently tried my dog on raw chicken bones to supplement calcium into her diet. I do not recommend. Actually I’d warn against, I had to take her too the vet because the shape she had bitten the bone into was that of a spearhead. I’m still not entirely convinced she 100%.
Hi Greta, my dog had bladder stones I desolved them by putting avc in his foid
In green tripe, the ration is 1:1, which I’ve been told is ideal for dogs. With each other protein I feed, the ratio varies.
What is the ratio of calcium to phosphorus?
Good morning, Greta
I’m not a veterinarian and cannot advise on medical issues. I recommend reaching out to a holistic veterinarian who is also experienced in animal nutrition. One veterinarian that I often recommend is Dr. Lauri Coger who offers consultations: http://healthydogworkshop.com/
Hi Kimberly, my dog has bladder stones. She pees with blood in her urine. Leaves blood spots over my house, has a hard time of holding her pee. Vets have her on sim dog food that suppose to helps with reducing the stones. He said their small but to me over a year now and I see absolutely no change. Any suggestions would be great. I am going to transition her to raw or lightly cooked ground beef with human trade bone meal and sum carrots n peas.. Is this a good start?
Thank you so much! How much green tripe would you add? I’m making patties
Sure. I don’t use calcium carbonate because green tripe is a great source of calcium and phosphorus.
Hi Kimberly can I add green tripe to cooked foods? I have a recipe from a vet for a stew but it involves bone meal or calcium carbonate. Thoughts? Also on calcium carbonate
Not 100% sure because I don’t feed any of these things. You’ll have to try and see; or you can ask in a raw feeding group where you’ll have the benefit of more people and more experiences to draw from.
My butcher gave me bonemeal from his shop made when they saw meat with bones. He told me to be careful not to give my dog too much at a time because it is so rich that too much could cause diarrhea. I am temporarily taking her off all chicken and chicken products to see if she is allergic to chicken (she has skin problems). I have been giving her chicken necks for calcium. Necks have a lot of fat on them, so I’m wondering if the bone meal with meat, bones, bone marrow, and fat is richer than chicken necks. I gave her about a tablespoon of the marrow last night with about a third cup of ground turkey. What do you think?
You can add ground bone, eggshells (but speak with a nutritionist about balancing the phosphorus), or green tripe, which offers the perfect balance of calcium and phosphorus.
Hi, my dog will not eat any bone . How can I get bone in his daily diet without ever using a real bone? He will not eat any meat with bone in either.
Kim
Darwins Raw Pet Food. They have a prescription selection and there are different choices for different ailments. I believe kidney disease is one if the prescription meals. Check it out.
I recommend green tripe – it offers the perfect balance of calcium and phosphorus and it’s what I add to my dogs’ diet when they’re eating a non-bone raw meal.
I was looking into bonemeal because I have an older bitch that is allergic to chicken. So I feed her meat with Oregon mix. So what do I give her If she’s allergic to chicken and doesn’t do well chewing bones ?
late reply, but Dr. Barbara Royal in her Royal Treatment book (pg. 93) mentions tripe as part of a kidney support diet. She also recommends ground egg shell as a substitute for half of the bone meal since it has less phosphorus. She also gets into phosphate binders which control phosphorus absorption.
Hi Kimberly – check out my new book A Novice’s Guide for Raw Feeding for Dogs. It’s currently available on Amazon and goes over the benefits of raw, transitioning to raw, and my experience with my dogs: https://www.keepthetailwagging.com/noviceguide
Hello…I have a 2 1/2 month old Jack Russel Daschund mix puppy. I am serioulsu considering a raw diet for her. I’m not sure where I should start. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks for sharing, Leslie – I share many of Dr. Becker’s videos and link to her articles in my blog posts.
Dr. Becker has very informative videos and articles on healthy pets website. Here is a link to the information she has on what type of bonemeal to use….http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/09/bone-supplements-for-pets.aspx. I hope this information is helpful.
Robin, there is a great group online at yahoo, K9 Kidney diet. I got a lot of great advice and information there, so my advice is to join them. You really need to limit the amount of phosphorus your dog gets, while also giving him the protein he needs. One of the best ways to accomplish this is with Green Tripe. The white tripe from grocery stores is not the same, it must be green tripe, which you can get from pet stores and probably online as well. Good luck to you and your pup!
Kimberly,
I really do appreciate the help! I am doing as much research as I can too.. not much available, I might just have to get what I can and just experiment.
Thanks again Kim and Merry Christmas! 🙂
I stopped feeding bonemeal when I learned that it may contain fluoride
Hi Robin
I don’t have any experience with kidney disease and raw feeding. I’ll do some homework and start working on a post for Monday 12/6.
I used to feed my young dog tripe and raw foods, but found out he has kidney disease. Now I am looking for ways to feed him raw foods but I am not sure if tripe would still be good for him or what type of treats or other foods he could enjoy since he needs low phosphorus foods. Can you help with any ideas?
Sometimes it goes that way #south
Hey! I love the new site. I will definitely stay tuned in for broth recipes!