# Lamb shanks



## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

So, I convinced my cousin to at least give his dog RMB's. He won't do raw, don't ask me why *shrug*. He has already started with chix leg quarters about twice a week. My question is, are lamb shanks ok?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

What kind of dog does he have?


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

danemama08 said:


> What kind of dog does he have?


100 lb. male Akita


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Yeah lamb shanks should be great for the dog!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I agree! Lamb shanks should be just fine to feed...my dogs will all be jealous. Lamb is a bit expensive for us to feed regularly!


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## mike487 (Mar 30, 2010)

How about goat shank or other cuts of goat? Also aren't theses weight bearing bones and is that a concern?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Goat shanks or any other cut of goat are great food for our dogs. Yes the shanks are weight bearing. Cows weigh around 1,000 lbs. Their bones support A LOT of weight. Goats are what? 20 to 30 lbs? Their bones don't support hardly any weight. No worry about goat shanks.


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## olivehill (Mar 30, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> Goat shanks or any other cut of goat are great food for our dogs. Yes the shanks are weight bearing. Cows weigh around 1,000 lbs. Their bones support A LOT of weight. *Goats are what? 20 to 30 lbs?* Their bones don't support hardly any weight. No worry about goat shanks.


Lambs, for obvious reasons, are very light at slaughter (not THAT light, but light -- 100ish lbs live, 45-60 hanging, usually) but meat goats can easily weigh well above 200 lbs and a mature Boer boar can weigh into the 300lb range. At what point is a weight bearing bone _too_ weight bearing to be considered safe?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

There is no official measure. Most things I read refer to cows, buffalo, moose, maybe elk and in some cases deer. Animals of that size. IMO, if it's a chew toy it is too dense. By chew toy, I mean something the dog chews on for days and it's still there.


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## olivehill (Mar 30, 2010)

Thanks, RawFedDogs, we raise our own meat and hunt for what we don't raise so I guess that's something I'll have to feel out as we go along. 

Size is such a relative concept in animals. I have a 16 inch tall Guinea Hog boar who weighs almost as much as my Lab who stands hip high to my 5'6'' frame. A mature meat goat can outweigh just about any deer we take in the fall, live weight, but at the same time will stand shorter in comparison. And at maturity on a 20" frame that hog I mentioned will outweigh them all. 

The Type-A, number crunching side of me says there must be a weight bearing load to bone density ratio out there somewhere, but then husbandry and genetics will play a role too.


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## Jordan S. (Feb 2, 2010)

malluver1005 said:


> So, I convinced my cousin to at least give his dog RMB's. He won't do raw, don't ask me why *shrug*. He has already started with chix leg quarters about twice a week. My question is, are lamb shanks ok?


Yes. Chocolate got one for thanksgiving dinner.


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## theyan (Apr 11, 2010)

I heard raw feeding before but haven't try it to my dogs. Do I need to consult a vet before raw feeding? My dogs ate home made dog food and kibble. Will it affect them if I give them raw food.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

so if my dogs ever get past transition, they could have lamb shanks as recreational bones?

they are smaller dogs....one is a pug...who is ferocious...the other is a corgi mix but has red heeler and lab in her jaws....


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

magicre said:


> so if my dogs ever get past transition, they could have lamb shanks as recreational bones?
> 
> they are smaller dogs....one is a pug...who is ferocious...the other is a corgi mix but has red heeler and lab in her jaws....


I don't see a reason why not! Usually little dogs don't have the jaw power to chomp down on bones and damage their teeth. When dogs come in with broken teeth from chewing on bones they are large dogs that got a cow knuckle bone.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

theyan said:


> Will it affect them if I give them raw food.


Yes, they'll be healthier :biggrin:


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

If they were a wee bit cheaper, I'd buy lamb shanks every week for my dog. She's a heeler cross. On the rare occasion she gets them they'll last 20-30 mins or so and she ends up eating most, but not all of the bone.


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