One of the ways dog owners defrost their dog’s food is by leaving it out on the counter overnight. Is frozen raw dog food left out overnight safe for your dog? Find out below.
Frozen Raw Dog Food Left Out Overnight
Frozen raw dog food left out overnight is not safe for a dog. Dogs can suffer from food poisoning just like humans can when eating raw meat that hasn’t been defrosted correctly.
How Long Can Raw Dog Food Be Left Out
It is not recommended to leave frozen raw dog food out for an extended period of time. According to the FDA, perishable items like raw pet food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours .
What Happens to Raw Dog Food When Left Out Overnight
When raw dog food sits outside of the fridge for a long time, it begins to grow bacteria. Meat becomes bacteria-prone when it reaches 40 plus degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer the meat becomes, the more rapidly bacteria increases.
Meat doesn’t thaw evenly, either. This means that even though the center may still be frozen, the outside of it may have started to collect dangerous bacteria.
Raw meat should never be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
What Happens to a Pet That Eats Raw Meat Left Out Overnight
While it can be more difficult for a dog to become ill from bacteria-riddled meat due to high acidity levels, it’s still possible. Dogs who suffer from food poisoning may suffer from:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of Appetite
- Excessive Drooling
- Dehydration
- Shivering
- Aggression
- Seizures
You will know your dog is sick. The cause of it will be obvious if you’ve left frozen raw food out of the fridge for any prolonged length of time.
How to Treat Food Poisoning in Dogs
If you believe your dog is suffering from food poisoning, the first step is to call your veterinarian for advice. Your vet will likely tell you to not feed your dog any food for the next 24 hours. Watch your dog closely to ensure he/she is consuming enough water and doesn’t become dehydrated.
After about a day, your pup should feel better and be able to eat a bland diet. Start with boiled rice and chicken breast to see how your pup responds to it before going back to a regular raw food diet.
How Do You Prepare Frozen Raw Dog Food?
Here is a detailed process on how to prepare frozen raw dog food:
- Store the frozen raw dog food in the freezer until you are ready to use it.
- When you are ready to feed your dog, remove the desired amount of food from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator. Thawing the food in the refrigerator is the safest method as it avoids the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Once the frozen raw dog food has thawed, serve it to your dog. It is recommended to treat your pet’s food just like your own (except that it’s raw).
- If you have any leftover thawed raw dog food, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Always wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water after handling raw pet food to avoid the spread of harmful bacteria.
By following these steps, you can safely prepare frozen raw dog food for your furry friend.
How to Defrost Raw Dog Food
Knowing how to defrost raw dog food will save you and your pup a lot of discomforts.
Best Method: Refridgerator
The best method to defrost frozen food for your pet is to place it in the fridge. After about a day, the frozen food should be defrosted.
Defrosted dog food can remain in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.
Defrosting Meat in the Microwave
Using the defrosting setting on your microwave is safe for your dog’s meals. Simply place your dog’s meal inside of the microwave, select the defrost setting, and choose the amount of food to be defrosted.
Once your pet’s food is defrosted, it can be placed in the refrigerator until it is ready to be cleaned.
Safe Handling of Raw Food Diets
Always remember that raw food diets need to be handled with care just like human food. After using your hands to pick up your pet’s food, wash them with hot soapy water. The hot soapy water will remove any bacteria that has transferred from the raw meat to your hands.
Easy Ways to Feed a Raw Food Diet
Raw feeding doesn’t have to be difficult. While it can take some time to create raw recipes for your pup, there are easier ways for pet owners to feed their pup a raw diet.
Fresh Raw Dog Food Delivery Services
With the increase in pet parents feeding their pups a raw diet, many companies have emerged. These companies deliver fresh raw dog food to people’s homes.
Dog Ownership Guide recommends the following fresh raw dog food delivery services:
Only Natural Pet: Only Natural Pet raw recipes were created by veterinarians to ensure they contain the nutritional value necessary for dogs. The raw recipes contain all-natural ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and raw meat freeze-dried. Pet owners simply add water to the meals for raw feeding. You can learn more about Only Natural Pet products on their website.
Learn More: Only Natural Pet Product Reviews
Happy Dog Food: Many pet parents purchase Happy Dog Food for their pet’s diet. The difference between Happy Dog Food and Only Natural Pet is that Happy Dog Food recipes do not contain meat. They do include all natural ingredients such as fruits and vegetables. Dog owners need to add meat to their pet’s diet when they purchase from Happy Dog Food. This gives pet owners more freedom in the protein source they choose to feed their pup (like organ meat). Click here to learn more about Happy Dog Food’s products on their website.
Learn More: Happy Dog Dog Food
Ollie: This well-known fresh dog food delivery service has raw recipes that are frozen upon delivery. Pet owners should follow the above safe defrosting methods when feeding their pet Ollie’s raw recipes. Learn more about Ollie’s products on their website.
Learn More: Pros and Cons of Ollie Dog Food
Can Dogs Eat Meat Left Out Overnight?
Many dog owners ask: can dogs eat meat left out overnight? The answer is simple: no. Meat left out overnight most likely has bacteria on it that can be harmful to your dog – just like it would be to humans.
People may argue that dogs in the wild would likely eat raw meat that’s been in warm temperatures for a long time. Yes, that’s true, but those dogs probably also become severely sick or die from it. As dog owners, we help our dogs stay away from risks like that so they can live much longer and healthier lives than they would in the wild.
Frozen Raw Dog Food Left Out Overnight
Never feed your dog frozen raw dog food left out overnight. Fresh raw dog food is just like human food. It will grow bacteria when left out at room temperature. The bacteria can cause food poisoning in dogs, which wreaks havoc on their bodies.
Defrost frozen raw dog food in the fridge or in the microwave. Defrosted raw meat can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Learn More:
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