# I got a llama - for the dogs



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

A friends 20 yr old llama died during the early morning. She called and asked if I wanted it for the dogs.

Tomorrow I plan to butcher it. Have never done anything this big before I figure it's just like a rabbit ... only bigger.

I also plan to save the hide and try tanning it. Never done that before either!


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Boo Hoo. I thought you got them one to be their friend - not to eat. LOL!


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Boo Hoo. I thought you got them one to be their friend - not to eat. LOL!


Thats what I thought! LOL


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

That's...um...I didn't realize....argh....that there would be someone's dead....pet....blech.

I thought it was going to be a cute stuffed animal picture. Gah....

Maybe some sort of warning would be nice.....


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

LOL! Waste not, want not.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Jealous!!! You are brave to butcher it yourself - I've never done anything like that.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Lilie said:


> That's...um...I didn't realize....argh....that there would be someone's dead....pet....blech.
> 
> I thought it was going to be a cute stuffed animal picture. Gah....
> 
> Maybe some sort of warning would be nice.....


yeaha....


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

Its in the raw section.. it's exactly what I figured it would be lol. Awesome score.... gotta admit rather jealous over here, been trying to get some other protein sources. How awesome you have a friend that put it to good use instead of burying it or something.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Lilie said:


> Maybe some sort of warning would be nice.....


Well, it IS in the raw feeding section.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Boo Hoo. I thought you got them one to be their friend - not to eat. LOL!


Me three! I understand how it will be useful but I thought they were going to herd it and i would see apic of the gang w/ illama,not illama in packs stomach.. Probably not a humane use to give one illama to a group of dogs.ok if given to dogs probably butchering is the way to go. Now two or three live illamas would be something.

I forgot its in raw. Good hunting Lauri


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## VomBlack (May 23, 2009)

Holmeshx2 said:


> Its in the raw section.. it's exactly what I figured it would be lol. Awesome score.... gotta admit rather jealous over here, been trying to get some other protein sources. How awesome you have a friend that put it to good use instead of burying it or something.


Haha, my thoughts exactly.


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

I kinda thought you'd gotten one as a pet for the GSDs too. 

Poor little fuzzy corpse. 

Jelpy


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Are you sure a llama that died of either old age or disease will be healthy meat for them to eat...?


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Lilie said:


> That's...um...I didn't realize....argh....that there would be someone's dead....pet....blech.
> 
> I thought it was going to be a cute stuffed animal picture. Gah....
> 
> Maybe some sort of warning would be nice.....


Oh my goodness. Me too. I didn't even notive what "section" it was in since I tend to hang out in Active Topics. Heck, I rarely notice the section.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Get ready for a few hours of work. I have assisted in deer butchering, and it takes a while. Great score on the free meat though! I never realized llamas lived so long.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

DharmasMom said:


> Oh my goodness. Me too. I didn't even notive what "section" it was in since *I tend to hang out in Active Topics. Heck, I rarely notice the section*.


Me Too! Y'all seriously overestimate my reading comprehension skills. LOL!


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## DanielleOttoMom (May 11, 2010)

Interesting.....
Someones pet yes. However if they don't want it... why not? Good source of meat and free . Good luck with butchering it. Do have any friends that are hunters and that could lend you a hand?


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

msvette2u said:


> Are you sure a llama that died of either old age or disease will be healthy meat for them to eat...?


My thoughts exactly! Are you sure it's safe!? I'm no meat/raw expert, but I find it gross that the dogs are eating something that's body could no longer function properly so it keiled over!  but like I said I'm no expert, lol!


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

PupperLove said:


> My thoughts exactly! Are you sure it's safe!? I'm no meat/raw expert, but I find it gross that the dogs are eating something that's body could no longer function properly so it keiled over!  but like I said I'm no expert, lol!


I wonder too what kind of vet care llamas require. I know NOTHING about them. So do they get shots or need to be dewormed? I know US horses often wind up going to slaughter for human consumption. Unfortunately, these horses are not raised to be food. I heard this was causing loss of pregnancies and birth defects. Are pet llamas chemical free?


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> I wonder too what kind of vet care llamas require. I know NOTHING about them. So do they get shots or need to be dewormed? I know US horses often wind up going to slaughter for human consumption. Unfortunately, these horses are not raised to be food. I heard this was causing loss of pregnancies and birth defects. Are pet llamas chemical free?


What!?! So you're saying we are eating horses?! They are/were possibly causing birth defects in humans? Please tell me I read something wrong here.....


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I was hoping to be wrong as I saw it in the raw section. It sounds 
Like someone's pet llama, 22 years. Even if the animal is dead, it feels strange butchering and eating them. Could not imagine the same with a dead dog.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Given that the poster is in WI, if the owner didn't want to cremate it, then burying it would be a difficult option given the frozen ground.

That said, I personally wouldn't be able to feed my deceased pet to other animals, but some people, especially if it's an old farm family, feel differently.

Regarding the pic, it's in the barf section. What'd y'all expect?! lol


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My dogs have enough to eat that I wouldn't want to feed someone's 22yr old pet. 
I guess it is because good friends of mine breed and raise them. She would be beside herself to lose an old one, and feeding it to dogs would just be too much. I wonder if old Llama's even have much meat? Would it be tough $ chewy...rip Llama


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Nope. It's true. Slaughter houses have been shut down in the US, but horses are auctioned off every day. They are shipped out of the country to worse slaughter houses. The meat winds up on tables in Europe - Horses that were not raised for food. Many horses auctioned off, because they are older and no longer of use - so how many shots have say a 20 year old horse had? 20 rabies shots alone. West Nile, Influenza, Potomac fever, Rhinopneumonitis - just to name a few. Deworming every 12 weeks or so (for life) depending on where the horse is kept. Talk about antibiotics in chicken? Have you ever seen the amount or antibiotics a horse gets? Last time my horse was on a "precautionary" antibiotic, the dose was 13 tablets twice a day. 800mg/160mg. Not something people should eat.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I would feed it. 

Laurie, I would imagine it would be like butchering a deer. I have gutted & skinned a deer before. Took about an hour or two to cut chunks of meat, etc for the dogs. I got 60 lbs of meat from it.

There is an Alpaca farm near me with thousands of alpaca that I want to try to hook up with sometime. Never know how they cull the herd or what they do with them.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Nope. It's true. Slaughter houses have been shut down in the US, but horses are auctioned off every day. They are shipped out of the country to worse slaughter houses. The meat winds up on tables in Europe - Horses that were not raised for food. Many horses auctioned off, because they are older and no longer of use - so how many shots have say a 20 year old horse had? 20 rabies shots alone. West Nile, Influenza, Potomac fever, Rhinopneumonitis - just to name a few. Deworming every 12 weeks or so (for life) depending on where the horse is kept. Talk about antibiotics in chicken? Have you ever seen the amount or antibiotics a horse gets? Last time my horse was on a "precautionary" antibiotic, the dose was 13 tablets twice a day. 800mg/160mg. Not something people should eat.


HOLY $^*+ !!!! That's scary. You hear so much talk about scientists trying to come up with cures for all of these diseases, yet things like this happen? Really makes me wonder!


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Just did a quick look up of llama medical care. They can get a 7 or 8 way shot. Vaccines include West Nile, Leptosporosis, Rabies, Equine Herpes Virus, and BVD. Plus some stuff I never heard of before. LOL! Deworming is recommended monthly or seasonally, depending on the size of the herd.

Something to think about. I do have to say that I agree with others. I would not want to feed someones' family pet to my dogs. Heaven knows I wouldn't offer someone my 20 year old horse, or my rabbits, either. To each his own.


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## VonKromeHaus (Jun 17, 2009)

I guess it's a good thing that no one but Lauri is feeding it! what an awesome score! I frequently score goats and calves here!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The shots a Llama gets is nothing different than what our dogs get...and that is always according to location.
Zizzo, you should check into that alpaca farm! I can't imagine them reducing their herd thru culling though...unless starvation is a result of having too many.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

My dog doesn't get any bovine or equine vaccines. Our dogs are already over vaccinate IMO. I don't think they need to eat more. It could be perfectly harmless. I truly have no idea. As I said before, I know nothing about llamas.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

You have a point about withdrawal for sure.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I didn't read your list, just the phrase 7 way and the first ones listed. I personally don't even give my dogs the ones listed(other than required rabies) Does a 22 yr old Llama need all those? Maybe the owner was more conservative.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

onyx'girl said:


> I didn't read your list, just the phrase 7 way and the first ones listed. I personally don't even give my dogs the ones listed(other than required rabies) Does a 22 yr old Llama need all those? Maybe the owner was more conservative.


That's true. I would ask the owner. I can't be more conservative with my horse, because she is boarded. My horse gets vaccinated for strangles. Who knows? She is a rescue horse and will be 21 in April. I'm sure she has been exposed to strangles. May have even had them, in which case she would be immune. But - the vet comes out and vaccinates ALL the horses and mine gets what everybody else gets. If I had my own farm, you can bet my horse wouldn't be getting so many vaccines.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Depending on the owners situation, it is possible for livestock to be minimally vaccinated or not at all.

Just because certain vaccines may be recommended for that area, doesn't mean they are given. None of my horses get vaccines. I have a closed herd and none of them travel. My stallion is 10yo and has NEVER had any vaccines and has NEVER been sick a day in his life. (I've had him since he was foaled as I am also his breeder.) My mares and foals also don't get sick. When I get a new mare, she is kept seperated from the rest of the horses for at least 30 days to make sure she is healthy before she is added to the herd.

That said, I wouldn't think feeding that Llama would be any different than feeding your average beef as far as vaccines go. Most cattle are vaccinated.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

It was gutted today wasn't it?


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Nope. It's true. Slaughter houses have been shut down in the US, but horses are auctioned off every day. They are shipped out of the country to worse slaughter houses. The meat winds up on tables in Europe - Horses that were not raised for food. Many horses auctioned off, because they are older and no longer of use - so how many shots have say a 20 year old horse had? 20 rabies shots alone. West Nile, Influenza, Potomac fever, Rhinopneumonitis - just to name a few. Deworming every 12 weeks or so (for life) depending on where the horse is kept. Talk about antibiotics in chicken? Have you ever seen the amount or antibiotics a horse gets? Last time my horse was on a "precautionary" antibiotic, the dose was 13 tablets twice a day. 800mg/160mg. Not something people should eat.



Not to hijack but the law change just before Thanksgiving. Horse slaughter houses will be opening back up and horses will be slaughtered for human consumption once again in this country.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

human or dog consumption? When I was young, horses were a part of the dog food industry...BC.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

BlackGSD said:


> Depending on the owners situation, it is possible for livestock to be minimally vaccinated or not at all.
> 
> Just because certain vaccines may be recommended for that area, doesn't mean they are given. None of my horses get vaccines. I have a closed herd and none of them travel. My stallion is 10yo and has NEVER had any vaccines and has NEVER been sick a day in his life. (I've had him since he was foaled as I am also his breeder.) My mares and foals also don't get sick. When I get a new mare, she is kept seperated from the rest of the horses for at least 30 days to make sure she is healthy before she is added to the herd.
> 
> That said, I wouldn't think feeding that Llama would be any different than feeding your average beef as far as vaccines go. Most cattle are vaccinated.


What about bute and antibiotics? No wounds or pain ever? Bute is supposed to be toxic to humans according to some reports I have read. No idea about dogs. Do you use dewormers - especially Ivermectin? I don't know how long any of these things are retained in the body of the animal, but if I had a dog who could not tolerate Ivermetin, I would be concerned.


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

DharmasMom said:


> Not to hijack but the law change just before Thanksgiving. Horse slaughter houses will be opening back up and horses will be slaughtered for human consumption once again in this country.


 
This may get me a bad name amongst the horsie people, but as horse owner, think the slaughter houses are ok AS LONG AS IT IS DONE HUMANELY. The idea behind outlawing the horse factories in the US is a noble one and I understand the feeling behind it, the problem is that some horses are sick, old, lame etc and some people are just too cheap to want to have them euthanized by a vet etc. After they closed down the factorys, we started having a slew of horses that were simply being turned loose by owners to make it on their own. Two years ago I bought a horse for $30 from a horse auction that was in terrible shape. The folks that haul horses to mexico for slaughter refused to take her because she looked so bad, and the auction's response was 'fine, she can just sit in the pasture until she drops dead.'

I know abuses occur and I hate it; and I don't like the idea of horse slaughter factories any more than the next one, but theywere closed down with the cheery assumption that unwanted horses would be taken in by other people. Sadly, unwanted horses were often just allowed to starve and die horribly. 

Jelpy


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

DharmasMom said:


> Not to hijack but the law change just before Thanksgiving. Horse slaughter houses will be opening back up and horses will be slaughtered for human consumption once again in this country.


I had heard slaughter houses might reopen, but didn't realize it was a done deal. Since no laws were enacted to prevent the horses being shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter, closing down the US slaughter houses did nothing to protect them.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Jelpy said:


> This may get me a bad name amongst the horsie people, but as horse owner, think the slaughter houses are ok AS LONG AS IT IS DONE HUMANELY. The idea behind outlawing the horse factories in the US is a noble one and I understand the feeling behind it, the problem is that some horses are sick, old, lame etc and some people are just too cheap to want to have them euthanized by a vet etc. After they closed down the factorys, we started having a slew of horses that were simply being turned loose by owners to make it on their own. Two years ago I bought a horse for $30 from a horse auction that was in terrible shape. The folks that haul horses to mexico for slaughter refused to take her because she looked so bad, and the auction's response was 'fine, she can just sit in the pasture until she drops dead.'
> 
> I know abuses occur and I hate it; and I don't like the idea of horse slaughter factories any more than the next one, but theywere closed down with the cheery assumption that unwanted horses would be taken in by other people. Sadly, unwanted horses were often just allowed to starve and die horribly.
> 
> Jelpy


I agree Jelpy. And the cost of hay has skyrocketed/ drought...the poor horses suffer on.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jelpy said:


> This may get me a bad name amongst the horsie people, but as horse owner, think the slaughter houses are ok AS LONG AS IT IS DONE HUMANELY. The idea behind outlawing the horse factories in the US is a noble one and I understand the feeling behind it, the problem is that some horses are sick, old, lame etc and some people are just too cheap to want to have them euthanized by a vet etc. After they closed down the factorys, we started having a slew of horses that were simply being turned loose by owners to make it on their own. Two years ago I bought a horse for $30 from a horse auction that was in terrible shape. The folks that haul horses to mexico for slaughter refused to take her because she looked so bad, and the auction's response was 'fine, she can just sit in the pasture until she drops dead.'
> 
> I know abuses occur and I hate it; and I don't like the idea of horse slaughter factories any more than the next one, but theywere closed down with the cheery assumption that unwanted horses would be taken in by other people. Sadly, unwanted horses were often just allowed to starve and die horribly.
> 
> Jelpy


As a horse owner, I agree. It makes me sick but I agree. 



Stevenzachsmom said:


> I had heard slaughter houses might reopen, but didn't realize it was a done deal. Since no laws were enacted to prevent the horses being shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter, closing down the US slaughter houses did nothing to protect them.


There don't seem to be any regulations on humanely slaughtering them here. I've heard horror stories about New Holland PA. But these horses were put in trucks and sent out of the country arriving with broken legs and in pain. At least their trip of misery will be a bit shorter.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> human or dog consumption? When I was young, horses were a part of the dog food industry...BC.



Human consumption. 


Obama Legalizes Horse Slaughter for Human Consumption - Technorati Lifestyle


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

The llama has never been vaxed or wormed as the owner raised her llamas just like her dogs - naturally.

SHE didn't want to feed it to HER dogs but had no problem with it going to mine and others.

FYI - it's illegal to bury a large animal on your property in parts of WI due to the high water table.

If I hadn't taken it she would have had to pay someone from Madison to come and remove it. That runs about $500+. Madison is the only place in SE WI that picks up deceased farm animals anymore. She had to do that for one of her other llamas that died in the summer.

My dogs eat all sorts of 'off' meats so I see no problem in feeding them an animal that died of old age.


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## Snickelfritz (Feb 21, 2007)

I have to agree  I didn't want to see a dea Llama. 



Lilie said:


> That's...um...I didn't realize....argh....that there would be someone's dead....pet....blech.
> 
> I thought it was going to be a cute stuffed animal picture. Gah....
> 
> Maybe some sort of warning would be nice.....


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I had to shear the fleece from a euthanized llama once - hours of work! Spiral fracture of a front leg, not fesible to repair...owner wanted fleece - but was ticked at bill to shear (2 people, 3 hours, 4 sets of clippers and 8 sets of #10 blades!!) 

I hope the carcass was prepared for butchering promptly, and not left intact as THAT would cause me to be wary of using the meat.

Lee


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Interesting. I don't know much about livestock, only deer since that's almost exclusively the only red meat I eat (being free and all). I know with deer they are gutted (dressed) in the field as soon as they are shot. Was the llama gutted? Again maybe it's different but we wouldn't use a deer (for humans or dogs) that wasn't gutted and then stored properly before butchering. My dad butchers his deer so I'm not leery of eating meat that wasn't professionally process/butchered, only meat that wasn't prepared or kept properly between the death and going into the freezer.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

wolfstraum said:


> I hope the carcass was prepared for butchering promptly, and not left intact as THAT would cause me to be wary of using the meat.


Why? In the wild canids will come across animals that died of natural (or non) causes and they don't care if it's fresh or not.

I just gutted the llama a couple hours ago so it sat for about 30 hours intact.

The Crested puppies are now chewing on a shoulder blade and I had heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and a few pounds of meat in the freezer. I only got through half the animal today (my back gave out). I'll finish it up tomorrow.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I would feed it. In the wild the wolves prey upon the old and sick animals. The healthy ones are fit enough to avoid the wolves.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Wanted to add - I probably would not feed it to a compromised dog - one with serious health problems.


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

I have a buddy who slaughters his own pigs, cows, and chickens and he leaves all the remains on the ground for his GSD's to feed on for weeks! He never had any problems


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

not to side track but are lungs considered MM?


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

Holmeshx2 said:


> not to side track but are lungs considered MM?


OM I think!!!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

I think, based on nutritional content, they are considered organ meats.

But - not many of my guys like to actually eat them.  They have the texture of a sponge and are very 'squishy'.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> The shots a Llama gets is nothing different than what our dogs get...and that is always according to location.
> Zizzo, you should check into that alpaca farm! I can't imagine them reducing their herd thru culling though...unless starvation is a result of having too many.


Maybe culling isn't the word I wanted...but to thin the herd. They have thousands of them so who knows...I am going to be checking into it soon!


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