Just to be sure I've got this bone info right...

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

There is a LOT of info on here about dogs and bones.
I think I got it figured out but correct me if I'm wrong. I was at a friends house yesterday, she
Gave Yogi his first bone. I asked her of course if it was a femur bone, it was and it was raw.
Eating raw is okay, it's just messy, correct?
Am I correct in thinking that I can give him raw only occasionally, keeping in mind the high fat content?

So now it's day two, the marrow is partly gone (he's not too aggressive when eating it). I put it in the refrigerator last night. I'll give it back today. Once he's done with it today, is it a good idea to microwave or boil to get rid off any marrow left so it doesn't go rancid?

Is the marrow good for him, or just a treat I should give sparingly?

I like the idea of keeping them around for stuffing, that sounds fun. How long of a bone should I buy? As I mentioned he's not an aggressive chewer, 30#.

Thanks

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The woman was either misinformed or mistaken. UTIs are caused by bacteria. 

[Gail and Bailey]

Is it possible that an imbalance in the acidity/alkalinity of the urine could be caused by a certain food and would just make a dog more susceptible to the bacteria overgrowth that would cause a UTI?  It seems like that is the basic reason (in reverse) for taking cranberry supplements to prevent a UTI.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The reason that cranberries may help prevent urinary tract infections has nothing to do with the acidity/alkalinity of the urine; it has to do with certain properties in cranberries that affect bacteria.

Here is one explanation:

Cranberries: The Science Behind Urinary Tract Protection

Scientists used to believe that cranberries protected against UTIs by making the urine more acidic and, therefore. inhospitable to bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli) that cause urinary tract infections. Now the thinking has shifted.

Researchers now believe that cranberries contain substances that prevent infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls. There are a couple of different theories about how exactly cranberries do this. Some studies show that certain antioxidants in cranberries change the bacteria so that they can't stick to the urinary tract. Another idea is that cranberries create a Teflon-like slippery coating on the urinary tract walls that prevents E. coli from getting a good grip.

And here is a link to one study about this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721152005.htm

[Susan and Sochi]

karen here is what she said about uti's and food 

Permalink Reply by denise rumbaugh yesterday

in some breeds the food they eat causes their body's PH to rise in turn causing a bladder infection and in some cases like jace started to crystallize. I had him on blue diamond thinking this is a high quality food. it did not agree with his system and raised his ph. I went from that to Red Bandana which he tolerated very well. we finished the last round of antibiotics and have not had any issues since. jace really doesn't like that food so I switched him to canine cavier holistic of which he likes even less. lol but it is made to keep the ph balance in check. when i am switching his food I mix his old in with his new to try and avoid stomach upset. I also add some cooked rice or pumpkin. this helps with diarrhea and stomach upset esp while on antibiotics. I ran into a gentleman that trains dogs for security and behavioral issues who told me these breeds of dogs seem to have higher risks for bladder infections. apparently they play hard and get dehydrated quicker than most breeds. which can also start uti's. he suggested in the summer or times when he has played hard outside to put some pedialyte brand or generic, in his water to flush his system out if his urine is dark. to put half water, half pedialyte. works like a charm!! a couple of times and it's gone. also he said to add some warn water to their kibble so they get water that way also and to give wet food on occasion in their dry for added water. too many antibiotics can cause stomach issues later. I certainly didn't want to deal with that. jace can get very gassy from his food so I give him a doggie probiotic now and then. I know some if this may sound extreme, but it isn't expensive and the preventive maintenance is well with the hundreds on vet bills. I hope this helps.

Read more here: http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/potty-training-a-puppy-wit...

[Malenie Piscetelli]

Susan,
Either good or bad food doesn't cause uti.

[Deborah Brown]

That is one cute puppy!  I'm sorry she is going through this.  I'm not an expert.  It is my adult daughter whose dog had the UTI problems.  I believe cranberry supplements can help prevent UTIs so might be a good idea down the road if your dog is prone to them.

For now, I hope the antibiotics do the trick this time.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Good info here. I'm thinking I will be safe giving Yogi the femur bone, at least for now. He is definitely not an aggressive chewer so I don't think he will get a splinter from the bone, but I will keep an eye on him as things can change.
It's funny the vet poster seems to approve some things I thought were no no's like rawhide. I was uncomfortable giving him one of those. He did okay, but I don't plan on letting him have another.

He sure seems to enjoy this femur bone. Carries it around and just mouths it a lot, then some chewing. I think we got a winner!

Thanks

[Shari Becker]

I am jumping into this very late. I just wanted to say that I have given Lexi raw marrow bones from the pet store. We've not had any cracked teeth that I can see, but generally she loses interest after about the first hour. The pet store (which specializes in raw) told me you need to take the bone away after an hour and refrigerate to avoid it going bad.

I would say, though, that in my experience, marrow and bullies can cause upset stomachs. My new trainer said they are both very high in fat and in her experience sometimes cause mucus in the stool. I am going to experiment with a femur bone ... if I can find one.

Lexi did once finish a marrow bone that was raw. I ran it through the dishwasher, and I now stuff it like a kong. She loves it, and it's clean, and I can leave it out for days...

My advice is that if you decide to experiment with raw bones of any kind that you do it in a contained space, like in the dog's crate or in your kitchen with gates or outside. Raw feeding is more dangerous for the humans who touch the raw food than for the dog...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Most marrow bones that are sold for dogs are femur bones, lol. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, marrow/femur bones are not high in fat at all; the marrow is what's high in fat. :) 

And since marrow/femur bones are not consumed but rather used as recreational chew objects, they really don't count as "food", raw or otherwise. 

The issue with having to contain the dog's area with a raw bone is one reason why it's a good idea to cook them. Then, as you found with the one you ran through the dishwasher, it's clean and you can leave it out for days. :) 

[Shari Becker]

So, do you just buy raw marrow bones from the pet store and cook them? Do you boil them? (did you answer this already somewhere. I feel like you did...)

[Deborah Brown]

I buy them at the grocery store.  I assume a butcher shop would have them too.  Sometimes they are labelled as "soup bones".  They should be fairly inexpensive.