Meat and bone meal for dogs: how to store and use it?

In order for a dog to grow and develop normally from an early age, it needs to introduce dietary supplements containing not only vitamins, but also organic substances into the diet. Such supplements are necessary and pregnant dogs. Eating them will not only ensure the proper formation of organs and systems in future puppies, but also help the female to maintain her health during pregnancy.

In addition, any adult dog needs throughout its life in supporting the musculoskeletal system in order to prevent age-related changes in the articular and bone structures, as well as tendons. To solve all these important tasks there is A special dietary supplement for dogs, called meat and bone meal.

Meat and bone meal for dogs is a powder produced from bone debris obtained during cutting of cattle carcasses. Fragments of meat and tendons remain on the bones - they are also processed in the process of preparing bone meal. In the manufacturing process, meat and bone raw materials are autoclaved, where, under the action of hot steam and high pressure, bacteria, helminth larvae and microorganisms die. Next, the raw material undergoes the process of drying and grinding.

Meat and bone meal used for dogs, has a fairly high caloric content - its nutritional value is 300 kilocalories per 100 grams of product.

The chemical composition of this bioactive product is as follows:

• protein components - 46%;
• animal fats - 15%;
• ash components - 33%;
• water - 6%.

The composition of meat and bone meal includes macronutrients, the main part of which is calcium in the amount of 35,000 mg per 100 grams of product and phosphorus - 16,000 mg. In addition, vitamin B11 (carnitine), adenosine triphosphate and glutamic acid, as well as traces of the hormones serotonin and thyroxin are present in insignificant amounts.

Meat and bone meal is rich in protein, calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is necessary for the dog to grow bones, and the ions of this macro are a conductor between the muscles and the nervous system, due to which muscle contractions are formed. Insufficient calcium in the body leads to osteoporosis of the bones of the animal, which subsequently leads to diseases of the musculoskeletal system and restriction of the mobility of the dog.

Phosphorus is a part of such vital components of the body as nucleotides and phospholipids, thanks to it, the body exchanges energy and maintains acid-base balance at the physiological level. Nucleic acids that contain phosphorus are involved in the formation of strong teeth and bones. Lack of phosphorus contributes to the development of rachitis and anemia in dogs.

Meat and bone meal refers to products that are divided into two categories of risk to the health of the animal - high and low.

A bioactive product with high risk categories is made from animal carcasses that were grown with the use of hormones, lived in the zone of active radiation or ecology, or died themselves or were killed as a result of epidemics. Animals could be slaughtered in a non-ecological way - with the help of poisonous substances or veterinary drugs.Meat and bone meal from such raw materials carries a threat not only to the dog, but also to the person, it is labeled as a product of class 1 or 2.

The highest quality meat and bone meal, marked by the 3rd class, is made from the skeleton of bovine animals that have been checked by veterinary services. A product of this level of quality is safe for both four-legged pets and humans. Veterinarians recommend supplementing the diet of dogs with only such meat and bone meal.

Veterinarians recommend administering a dietary supplement in the form of meat and bone meal to dogs from the moment their milk teeth are replaced with permanent ones. The benefits to the animal when using this product are as follows:

• prevents the development of puppies rachitis, anemia and dystrophy;
• meat and bone meal is an additional source of protein and minerals;
• when added to food supplement increases its nutritional value and caloric content;
• improves muscle tone and strengthens the bone skeleton of the animal;
• promotes the growth of strong and healthy teeth in puppies;
• strengthens the ligament-tendon and articular apparatus of the musculoskeletal system, which is especially important for dogs of large breeds;
• is a prophylactic against arthritis and arthritis in adult dogs with high weight;
• prevents the development of disorders of the central nervous system;
• helps the formation of sustainable immunity;
• helps a weakened animal to gain weight quickly during exhaustion and recuperate after childbirth or illness.

The positive properties of meat and bone meal are beneficial for a healthy dog but there are cases where the use of this product may be contraindicated for your pet.

• If you are excessively addicted to this product, an excessive level of protein may appear in the dog's body. This situation leads to the development of amyloidosis, when protein components accumulate in the tissues. The disease is dangerous because it leads to atrophy of tissues and even organs.
• An excess of protein can provoke in an animal the development or aggravation of already existing gout, which is characterized by the fact that mineral salt crystals are deposited in the joints, causing pain during movement and accompanied by an inflammatory process.
• If your pet has a digestive tract disease, for example, gastritis or an ulcer of the mucous membrane of the stomach or intestines, then the bone and bone meal in this case cannot be given to the dog, since it can significantly aggravate the course of the disease.
• An animal protein in dogs often produces an allergic reaction or food intolerance. This can manifest in the form of diarrhea, hair loss, severe itching of the skin of the animal.
• With excessive addition of meat and bone meal to the dog’s food, she can develop intestinal atony and constipation.
• Meat and bone meal can cause liver or pancreatic diseases if you give a dog a product that contains a high concentration of animal fat.

The nutritional value of meat and bone meal is also not a reason to replace the natural meat products necessary for the dog. The benefits of the product will be palpable for the dog's body only if you use this dietary supplement correctly.

Meat and bone meal contains in its composition easily oxidized fats and proteins, and if you ignore the rules of storage of this food additive, it will very quickly become unusable.

Store meat and bone meal as follows:

• the storage room should have fresh air with good circulation and low humidity;
• the product should not be exposed to direct ultraviolet rays of sunlight, so the packaging with meat and bone meal should always be tightly closed;
• The optimum air temperature for storing bioadditives should be in the range of +20 to +28 degrees Celsius, and if it is exceeded, oxidation of the product begins;
• meat and bone meal during storage must be protected from exposure to impurities and odors, as the product has the ability to quickly absorb them.

If for any reason these norms were not respected, then the meat and bone meal is subject to deterioration and oxidation. In the process of oxidation and decomposition, fats and proteins are transformed into toxic products that will harm the pet's body. When purchasing a bioactive supplement at a pet store, pay attention to Does it contain antioxidants, and if they are absent, it means that there is a risk to buy low-quality goods that have already undergone oxidative reactions. Also check on the packaging for meat and bone meal. date of its development - usually the shelf life of the finished product does not exceed 1 year.

High-quality meat and bone meal has the appearance of a uniform, fine brown-red powder; as a part of the product, you can detect blotches of whitish-yellow hue — this is how crushed bone tissues look after heat treatment. The smell of this supplement should be pleasant and not annoying smell, quality product smells like grilled meat. The consistency of meat and bone meal of good quality will always be homogeneous and crumbly, without packed lumps and the presence of mold lesions.

Dosage when using meat and bone meal is very important. In order to properly apply this product, dog owners should be aware that small-sized individuals are allowed to be given no more than 6-7% of meat-and-bone meal from the total amount of food, medium-sized pets are added up to 14-15% of flour to the diet, and large dogs give up to 19-20% of this dietary supplement relative to the total amount of daily food.

Meat and bone meal is injected right before you give the bowl of food to your dog. It is impossible to cook food with flour, as in this case, this bioactive product will lose almost all of its useful properties.

In the diet of the dog enter this dietary supplement should gradually, the whole period of training the animal to this product should stretch for 2 weeks. Only with such a phased and fractional introduction in food, meat and bone meal will not cause digestive disorders in the body of your pet.

With the introduction of meat and bone meal into the diet of puppies, veterinarians advise you to adhere to the following scheme, designed for 5 kilograms of baby weight:

• for miniature breeds - 1/2 teaspoon flour;
• for breeds of medium size - 1 teaspoon of product;
• for large species of dogs - 1/2 tablespoon meat and bone food supplement.

In order to support the organism of a pregnant dog, in the second half of its pregnancy, the dose of this biological product is doubled.

It must be remembered that The maximum dosage of the product per day, safe for the health of the animal, should not exceed 100 grams for any breed of dogs. Before you begin to give the dog meat and bone meal, examine the animal at the vet to identify contraindications and determine the optimal doses of the product.

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