Have you ever wondered What Parts Of A Deer Can I Feed My Dog? and how to prepare wild, raw venison for your dog to eat as part of his diet of raw dog food? I have, and I’m glad to share what I’ve discovered over the years by writing this blog post today. Venison or deer meat is a popular choice among pet food makers and dog owners as a high-quality protein source.
Deer meat’s suitability for canines is a matter of some discussion. I’ve summarized these ideas below so we can examine how to best maintain your dog’s health and whether you should feed him venison.
What Parts Of A Deer Can I Feed My Dog?
Dogs can safely eat deer hearts, liver, and antlers. Deer meat is an excellent substitute for other meats and is entirely safe for dogs. Many pet owners automatically think that if a treat contains the word “bone,” it is unsafe for their dogs to eat it because bones can shatter and obstruct your dog’s throat. It all hinges on how the bones were created, though.
Are Chicken Feet Good For My Dog? was a previous blog post where we discussed this subject. According to the facts and nutrition, animal bones that have been cooked in any way, such as boiling or frying, are the ones to avoid. They pose a choking risk, can result in major intestinal obstructions and tooth damage, and the heating procedure even removes the bone’s vital nutrients. What about the bones from deer legs?
Is Deer Meat Good For Dogs?
Dogs can consume venison (deer meat); it is a standard option and is beneficial to canines. Venison is a good choice for a diet high in raw meat, although it can harbor bacteria if not handled properly.
Boiling or freezing the venison before feeding it to your dog to eradicate any bacteria is advised. Ensure the venison jerky you give your dog is made from pure protein sources rather than ones with lots of chemicals.
An everyday treat is venison sausages, which can be beneficial for your dog but should only be given in moderation because many companies add a lot of fat to their sausages. Liver and heart are healthy meats for your dog, and you may include them in a raw diet. However, some dog species, like Dalmatians, can become unwell if fed excessive amounts of the liver.
Dogs benefit from eating raw bones, which can be added to their regular raw diet or given to them as a treat. Cooked bones, however, should be handled with caution as they are more likely to splinter in your dog’s mouth.
Cooking meals for their dogs is a typical habit among owners. Five pounds of deer, two cans of broth, four cups of water, three cans of corn, and three pounds of brown rice are some ingredients in a venison recipe.
Before adding maize and stock and boiling the combination, the venison is cooked in a pan. Add the rice, simmer for an hour, turn off the heat, and chill for the night. For a detailed explanation of this recipe, continue reading.
Which Venison Parts Are Safe For Dogs To Eat?
You might be wondering what portions of a deer you can feed your pet now that we’ve shown that venison is healthy and safe meat for your dog. The advantages and drawbacks of feeding your particular dog varieties of deer meat are described below.
Venison jerky
Dogs frequently receive jerky as a gift, but is venison jerky healthy for them? Being selective when purchasing venison jerky is essential because it can be a fantastic treat for your dog. If the jerky is made from a single source of protein and has been naturally dried out, it is an entirely nutritious treat to offer your dog.
However, many pet food manufacturers include ingredients in their dog treats that can be pretty harmful when consumed in excessive quantities. Decide carefully which jerky to choose.
Venison Sausage
As long as they are free of chemicals, venison sausages are a wonderful delicacy, much like deer jerky. Making venison sausages is a simple and all-natural delight that provides healthy fatty acids for your dog’s coat. Many dog owners have even begun to make their venison sausage treats.
Deer Liver
Dogs love the liver because it is an excellent iron source. The liver from venison is no different. About 20% of the time, raw meat diets include organs. However, there is a simple technique to feed the liver alone.
The liver can be cooked on a meager fire for roughly 20 minutes to produce a dried liver treat that is considerably healthier than store-bought dog treats. Before giving your dog liver as a regular treat, do some breed study first because some dogs, like dalmatians, can become quite ill from overeating liver.
Deer Heart
Hearts are a nutritious addition to your dog’s diet. Thus many raw diets contain them as well as liver. The cooked heart can be a tasty and nutritious treat for your dog, but always be sure the venison hearts you buy are produced ethically. Additionally, if you intend to feed your dog raw heart, ensure it has been frozen for a few days.
Deer Antlers
Dog lovers adore the fantastic and well-liked reward of deer antlers. My mother’s dog, who is too adorable to refuse, begs for hers every night without fail, so it’s a good thing they’re a tasty treat. They are a natural and durable chew, which is why they have gained such popularity.
They might even be safer because they splinter considerably less frequently than bones. Although there is always a chance that your dog could choke on a treat, you should never leave them unsupervised.
Benefits Of Deer Meat For Dogs
Compared to other types of meat, venison offers many advantages to dogs.
Leaner
Venison is substantially leaner than beef since deer are wild animals with completely different lifestyles from cows. Compared to beef, which has 160 calories and 6 grams of fat per 3-ounce serving, venison has only 135 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Allergies
Venison is an excellent food source for dogs with allergies to common foods like chicken or beef. Your dog usually experiences digestive problems or itchy skin due to these allergies. The good news is that eating venison eliminates their problems, and most dogs never experience any adverse side effects.
Natural
Deer are native wild creatures. Giving your dogs venison eliminates all the drawbacks of using farm animals. The deer receives no chemicals, antibiotics, or additives in its food. You are more closely considering what your dog would eat in the wild by giving it deer meat to eat.
How Much Venison Should I Feed My Dog?
Feed your dog modest amounts of venison along with their regular meal when introducing it to them for the first time. Any new food can overtax your dog’s digestive system and cause stomach distress. You can gradually increase the deer meat you give your dog until it makes up most of their diet as they become accustomed to it. It ought to take 3 to 4 weeks.
It will help to calculate your dog’s weight and activity level to estimate how much venison to feed them. Therefore, a 100-pound dog with moderate exercise would need 29 ounces daily. The 29 ounces you would give your dog on a BARF diet would consist of 70% venison flesh, 10% bones, 10% organs, and 10% fruits and vegetables.
Do Dogs Eat Deer Bones?
The advantages of giving your dog bones as rewards in terms of health and safety are hotly contested among dog owners. Let’s examine whether giving your dog deer bones is a good idea.
Raw Venison Bones
Adding bones to raw dog food gives your dog a lot of beneficial vitamins. Your dog can consume raw bones without any problems, but the most crucial thing is to ensure your bones’ source is secure.
As a result, sure, you can give your raw dog bones; they make a tasty complement to their regular meals. However, if you give them food as a reward, pay attention to the source and never leave them alone with a bone.
Cooked Venison Bones
Only boiled bones are the only kind of cooked bones that are safe for dogs. More cooked foods have a higher chance of splintering in your dog’s mouth and can harm their mouth and throat in several ways.
Additionally, some nutrients are lost during cooking, making cooked bones less healthy than raw ones. If you must feed your dog cooked bones, ensure they are boiled.
To Conclude
Hopefully, you understand What Parts Of A Deer Can I Feed My Dog? Dogs can eat deer’s liver, heart, and antlers without getting sick. Deer meat is a great alternative to other meats and is safe for dogs to eat.
For millennia, dogs have been consuming raw deer meat. In comparison to most commercial dog diets, venison is healthier. My two hunting dogs, in my own experience, adore raw venison. I hardly ever offer them cooked food unless it is a meal left over.
Due to their venison diet, my working dogs have plenty of energy for hunting. It’s important to remember your dog’s behavior while giving them any new food. You can start feeding your dog venison as its leading food once you’ve noticed that it has adapted to it. I hope you have the same success with your pets as mine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to treat a dog that became ill after eating deer meat?
Seeing your dog ill can be frightening, especially if you’re concerned that you fed them something toxic. Vomiting may indicate tainted meat or a protein allergy. You should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian if your dog becomes ill shortly after eating venison to ensure everything is alright. As long as any underlying issues aren’t handled, could you stay away from giving them venison?
Cooked deer meat: can it harm dogs?
What about prepared deer meat? We are aware that dogs can suffer harm from cooked bones. If your dog needs a naturally high protein diet, cooked deer meat can be harmful because it isn’t as high in protein and can leave your dog lacking.
Can dogs obtain CWD from consuming deer meat?
“Chronic Wasting Disease” (CWD) refers to a condition that can harm the neural systems of wild and domesticated cervids, including deer. The brain and eyes of cervids should not be consumed as this disease can be spread through an infected cadaver. While there haven’t been any reports of CWD in dogs, it has been recorded in other animals that can eat raw food, like cats and ferrets.
What amount of venison can I give my dog?
Due to its low protein content, several veterinarians advise against using venison as the sole source of meat in a dog’s diet. Depending on your particular dog, it can be fed full meals for roughly two to three days of the week.