# Freezing meat



## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

Does anyone know how long you need to freeze meat to kill any bacteria...like campylobacter? And if it has to be lower than zero degrees to do it?


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## SuperPug (Mar 5, 2013)

I've heard times ranging from a few weeks to a coupla months.


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## dog (Feb 23, 2013)

It's my understanding that freezing is only reliable at killing parasites. Enzymes are not destroyed and bacteria is not reliably killed at typical temperature found in typical consumer freezers. I did find this study that shows some campylobacter is killed at -20 celcius, but not all of it. 
Survival of Campylobacter spp. in poult - PubMed Mobile


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

a dog who is raw fed has the gut flora to handle pretty much anhthing that comes down the pike......and the longer the dog is on raw, the stronger the immune system and gut flora becomes 

i still freeze many things.....


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

Thanks for the help guys...he has campylobacter...so his gut hasn't "handled" it yet...hopefully once his immune system get stronger he will tolerate things better...our freezer isn't a typical consumer one...so we can make it pretty cold...thanks for the info "dog" )


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

is he on antibiotics for this?

he has it or his stool tested positive for it?


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

His stool was positive for it. Campylobacter jejuni. He had all the symptoms.
And yup, he's on antibiotics...


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Freezing doesn't kill most bacteria. Freezing is in fact how scientists store bacteria for use later. It only works on parasites.


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

FBarnes said:


> Freezing doesn't kill most bacteria. Freezing is in fact how scientists store bacteria for use later. It only works on parasites.


So how am I supposed to get rid of it?


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## SuperPug (Mar 5, 2013)

Dobelover said:


> So how am I supposed to get rid of it?


You don't. Your dog uses it or gets rid of it him(or her)self.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

The way to kill bacteria is to cook it. Are you sure it came from the meat? This thing says it comes from contaminated water and feces.

"There are several known causes of the disease, but the most common is from kennels which allow animals to come into direct contact with contaminated feces. Ingestion of contaminated food or water is another mode of transmission. Younger animals are at a greater risk for contracting the disease because of their underdeveloped immune systems."

Bacterial Infection (Campylobacteriosis) in Dogs | petMD


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## BeagleCountry (Jan 20, 2012)

Don't try this at home.

"On June 29, 2011, the Wyoming Department of Health was notified of two laboratory-confirmed cases of C. jejuni in two persons working at a local sheep ranch who had castrated and docked the tails of lambs with their teeth. Fecal-oral contamination was later verified by the CDC, which confirmed the bacteria from the infected lambs at the ranch had PFGE patterns indistinguishable from those from the men."

Campylobacter jejuni - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm pretty sure it's the meat, although he has been to some dog parks. But no creeks, lakes etc. and no water at the dog parks (not to say he didn't step in some contaminated feces though). It incubates for 2-5 days...and that would be perfect timing for when we started him on pork (I know chicken is the main source but he was on that for awhile already and had not a new batch of chicken yet).
He's 10 1/2 months now, not a kennel contamination, that I can guarantee. I hope it's not the meat or he will just get reinfected...we have a baby so if it's the meat we might not be able to continue with raw. I can't risk my baby getting sick.


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

FBarnes said:


> The way to kill bacteria is to cook it. Are you sure it came from the meat? This thing says it comes from contaminated water and feces.
> 
> "There are several known causes of the disease, but the most common is from kennels which allow animals to come into direct contact with contaminated feces. Ingestion of contaminated food or water is another mode of transmission. Younger animals are at a greater risk for contracting the disease because of their underdeveloped immune systems."
> 
> Bacterial Infection (Campylobacteriosis) in Dogs | petMD


If the meat is not handled properly during preparation or in this case slaughtered then fecal matter can contaminate the meat. It's highly likely it's the meat.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Ranchers casterating lambs with their teeth? What? 

Anyways, maybe just stay away from pork?


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Ranchers casterating lambs with their teeth? What?
> 
> Anyways, maybe just stay away from pork?


It's a Basque thing I have never heard of anyone doing the tail so I think the article is wrong but they cut off the tip of the bag then pull the testicles out with there teeth. And no I'm not Basque nor have I or any of my family done this. But there are allot of Basque people around here and I have seen it allot.

I wonder where in Wyoming that those cases were. Probably town kids just trying it out. I wouldn't put it past the Basque's to be immune to it, there a tough lot.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Well, my dogs got giardia and it is passed from contaminated water. I still have no idea how they got it, as we weren't around any contaminated water. just saying... I hope you don't assume it's something it may not be and quit raw because of an assumption. But, you gotta do what you feel comfortable doing, and you do need to know that bacteria probably isn't going to die when frozen.


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

Thanks..we are definitely not giving up. We love the raw diet and so does Jax. I'm hoping that his immune system gets stronger and that he will be able to handle things better in the future. Hoping it was just "fluke" that he got it. We won't feed the pork for a bit....but my mother in law told me about Olive Leaf Extract...it's supposed to be very beneficial in dealing with bacteria and parasites...we may start him on that to help in out! I still need to do some more reading on it but from what I've read and heard about it, it seems really good.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

you may want to put him on a probiotic to help his gut flora along.

we use a human version called primal defense ultra....i took bubba to the park and within a week, he had papilloma warts on his mouth. 
i think it's one of the reasons i don't care for parks. 

generally, these 'things' don't come from the meat...and you mentioned that he'd been to the park..my money's on the park.

but, having said that, it is what it is....he's got it....keep feeding raw...his system will adapt....and build....


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

Actually, the main way to contract campylobacter is from raw/undercooked meat. Because he's fed raw, it highly likely it's the meat. I'm hoping not, but we will never know. We don't go to many parks (I know it only takes one) and they are not leash free parks ( hate them also) and he's always leashed playing ball (still young so never off leash).

He already receives a probiotic but we are going to add in olive leaf extract to help him out as well. 
Yup, he's got it, so we will just deal with it and hopefully as he gets older his immune system will get stronger 

animal health care veterinary: Campylobacteriosis in dogs 
Just one of MANY articles...chicken is the main source but it can come from other sources...if it's the meat, I've narrowed it down to the pork. It incubates for 2-5 days and the timing is perfect for that meat source.


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