Dumb question Alert!

So...how long is raw actually raw?

Here is the scenario: I give the pugs a nice big meaty beef rib bone. They are outside with them, tearing them up to get the meat off and chew the bones. They can't actually consume the entire bone, because it is too big. About a week later, someone will drag in a bone, which has been sucked dry, and chew the bone on the couch or where ever. So....is the bone still raw? Does it still have bacteria on it?

I'm thinking it's okay....but, like I said....Dumb Question Alert.

The only thing I ever worry about with old raw bones is if anything is left on them that could have started to rot. Generally, between the dogs and the bugs, nothing is left. Mine have found old bones around and chewed them with no ill effects.

Ok, first Renee your question was'nt dumb I've wondered the same thing!! (lol) I bought some at a trade show. Gave them to mine in their crates of course the bones were way to big and no one finished getting the meat off so I put them in a bowl wrapped it and put them back in the fridge. Needless to say, the bones got wasted & tossed.

Now I've got another 7 or so left from that batch frozen and have no idea what to do with them because I don't want to waste them again!!

Generally dogs tolerate rotting stuff really well because the ph level in their stomach sits at 1-2 very acid and bacteria cant survive at such levels.Wheres the ph of our stomachs is about 4 or 5 still acid but not as low hence we get food poisoning etc.

Chances are, they'll be fine. Like Blanche said, I would be careful that they haven't started to rot or have any creepy crawlies on them.

That being said, I'm sort of a bacteria/germ freak in the sense that I've really started to be cautious about it all...and maybe overly cautious. In my mind, even if the pugs will be fine, I'd hate to have some bacteria still be on them and then introduced into the house where people could pick it up. Also, while dogs commonly can tolerate bacterias better than humans, they still can catch infections from things like e coli and salmonella.

ETA- I'm surprised you have bones left! I think our leftovers are usually snatched up by a passing raccoon or oppossum.

I have cleaned off marrow bones hanging around my house from 3+ years ago!

As long as the bones are cleaned off my the dogs, they're fine to have around.

Well I have bough Phoebe a pack of raw bones at the natural food store in our area. I think it was a pack of 9 or so. They are in the freezer and every few weeks I get a new one out to thaw and she has it. There are a bunch of bones around the house that she still chews on after the "gooey goodies" are already sucked dry from her. She has the little ones, they are about the diamater of a fifty cent piece or a little bigger.