# Whole Deer



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

I just acquired an entire deer carcass - completely intact (hit by car this morning). We're going to butcher it today and our main purpose for the deer is to feed the dogs.

I've been given parts of deer before with no bones, but this is our first whole carcass. Question: which bones are suitable for the dogs to eat. Which ones can they completely ingest and which ones should I just toss?

Thanks for any info.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

If your dogs are really aggressive with bones the long bones of the legs can be a bit too splintery - I let them have them and they chew off allthe hair and meat but monitor them and remove when they crack them into pieces. Legs are great for young pups as they aren't able to crack them and they keep them busy for quite a while - nature's "nylabone" :wink: Other than that they will probably eat everything else all up. The dogs really like the head and they dissappear suprisingly fast. Lucky dogs- vension for supper!


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

What about the ribs?

Thanks, Lynn!


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Mine mow thru the ribs pretty easy - they usually have some meat attached to the ribs and chew them up like that - if you are worried they are too sharp you can leave the hide on over the ribs and that slows them from gorfing them down.


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## Pauline Michels (Sep 1, 2006)

From what I've read about digestion in wild carnivores, the hair and some hide can wrap around bone pieces and prevent perforation of the intestines as they pass through.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks for the input!


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Photo not for the faint of heart...


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Now that's a happy looking dog!


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

you can see he's just about ready to lie down for a good gnaw!


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

No worries about chronic wasting disease?


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

We don't have CWD in our state yet. In free ranging herds, it has only been detected as far east as Illinois/Wisconsin. In captive herds, it has been found as far east as New York. There also is no evidence that CWD can be spread to non-cervids through ingestion of the brains of affected animals (or even by co-habitation with infected cervids), although it has been artificially induced in labratory animals through injection directly into the brains of mice, ferrets, mink, goats, squirrel monkeys and calves.

http://www.avma.org/communications/cwd/cwd_bgnd.asp


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Gotcha.  I was thinking there WAS a risk if the brains/spine of an infected animal were eaten.


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