Giving Raw Marrow bones

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Please advise what is the recommendation with preparing raw marrow bones. I see some will microwave it or bake it and scoop out the marrow, some give raw. We feed raw diet so I'm not worried about his tolerating it, but what is the advantage of baking? To get marrow out? To sterilize for bacteria?
Thanks

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I put them into the toaster oven, (I buy them frozen) for about 7-10 minutes just to take the chill off and feed them raw. I only give a couple times a month with the marrow inside. But once cleaned out I wash them and fill with other yummy things like dogfood and kibble frozen inside. You want the bone to stay raw so that it doesn't chip pieces off. If you are a homecooker or raw feeder there should not be any problems. I you are not a homecooker or raw feeded, they can cause a little runny poops for a day or so. Bacteria is not an issue unless the marrow sits out in the warm weather. But around here...the marrow doesn't last too long inside the bone.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I usually microwave the bones for a minute or two to sterilize them. Jack has an immune system disease and I have to err on the side of caution. But sometimes I cook them long enough to get the marrow out , because he leaves the bones lying around without getting all the marrow out, and raw marrow will become rancid if left lying around at room temperature. Adding the cooked marrow to his food bowl is a really nutritious way of enticing my picky eater to eat his food, lol.
I think if you have a healthy dog who is used to raw foods, and you are absolutely sure of the source of the bones, there is no problem giving them as is.
Back in the olden days, before raw feeding became popular, marrow bones were the only kind of bones it was considered safe to give dogs, because you could cook them forever and they still stayed hard enough that you didn't have to worry about them splintering. They can chip bits off of the inside near the opening, especially when they really get working at the marrow, but teeny particles shouldn't cause any problems.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Okay, so at first Murphy just sniffed the bone and then walked away, so I read Lynnes post again and warmed up the bone and BINGO...that did the trick. So here we are 1 1/2 hours later, still chewing and licking and doing all sorts of positions to get at the marrow.....
I do trust my source (groc store I've used for years) and Murphy is very used to raw foods so this shouldn't be a problem for his tummy. But I'll keep you posted if it is. He is getting pumpkin this week anyway for soft stools earlier in the week so it may take care of any problem before it starts. Thanks Karen and Lynne. You're the best!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks for this photo! so cute, and Murph is such a good boy for keeping the messy bone on his rug!!!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Wanna guess how many times we had to redirect him back to the rug????

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Just a heads up..not saying this will or wont or can't happen..lol My brother always gave marrow bones to his Shepherds, one day while at work my sister in law had to call him home...the dog got the marrow bone wedged between its two bottom fangs, we tried to put oil on the bone and loosen it...didn't work, finally my brother had to saw the bone out of the dogs mouth...his wife and I both held this dog for him to do this..was the most scariest time ever. Had she not been home the dog would of died till they got home. So just to be on the safe side with your dogs...for those of you who do give Marrow bones...

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh my, that's scary. I follow the rule of never leaving him alone with chewy's of any type. But then again, he;s hardly ever alone.....