# Sticky  When you forget to thaw something ...



## Lauri & The Gang

What do you do??

I thought I'd make this a sticky so we could toss our ideas up here for everyone to see!


I always try to have a couple cans of Jack Mackerel on hand for the times we forget to defrost something.

If I'm out of that and there's nothing in the fridge to feed them then I make some instant oatmeal and they get that.

Yes, it's carbs but once in awhile won't kill them. Since Tazer has serious carb allergies he gets microwaved ground boneless meat. Yes, it will end up cooked a bit but that's also not going to hurt him.


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## CookieTN

I give some healthy scraps, or feed a few good treats to tide him over til the next meal.

Back when Cookie was still around, since she was fed partially kibble (full raw would have been *way* too expensive for a dog her size), I'd just give some of her kibble to Treader for the night.

ETA:
Hmmm...Jack Mackerel...why didn't I ever think of that?


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## onyx'girl

I know thawing in warm water is a no-no, but I may do that to speed up the softening of meat. I try to keep two days ahead on what I have thawed. Cooked scrambled egg w/ cheese is my fallback if I have nothing else to feed...protein and healthy


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## Chris Wild

We keep kibble on hand for when we forget to thaw something and tell all the dogs they're getting "cereal" for dinner.


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## Whiteshepherds

Chris Wild said:


> We keep kibble on hand for when we forget to thaw something and tell all the dogs they're getting "cereal" for dinner.


LOL!

To the OP, is there a reason you can't thaw the meat in the microwave?


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## Castlemaid

Keeta can't have grains or a lot of carbs, not even much cooked, but once in a while it's okay. So if I'm stuck, there is kibble for Gryff and Keeta gets something else. But I also throw things together for them like canned sardines, tuna, eggs. I always keep a few cans of cat food on hand too for emergency meals. I've sometimes cooked up some rice for them, drown it in real broth or chicken soup. Made up 'chef's surprise', just throwing a bit of everything that I have around to make up a meal. The Hallmark of a good raw diet is variety.  


And it won't hurt them if they get to skip a meal once in a while.


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## onyx'girl

Whiteshepherds said:


> LOL!
> 
> To the OP, is there a reason you can't thaw the meat in the microwave?


If the meat has bones, I wouldn't microwave.


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## Whiteshepherds

onyx'girl said:


> If the meat has bones, I wouldn't microwave.


I forgot about the bones.


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## Jax08

onyx'girl said:


> I know thawing in warm water is a no-no,



Why? I do this whenever I forget to thaw something out. I mostly keep 3-4 days ahead out.


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## Holmeshx2

Yeah I'd like to know why the warm water is bad too. 

Generally if I forget to thaw something I have small individual bags of lamb tongue, lamb heart, or bags of turkey hearts that thaw super quick in warm water. I love to keep lamb riblets because about 15 minutes on the counter and they are ready to be eaten however if I dont have any on hand then the meal is boneless because nothing else will thaw in time. So they get boneless meat and an egg or 2 for the calcium from the shell and thats about it. Of course a few hours in warm water will thaw most of my small bags of boneless so she just gets a late dinner.


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## Jax08

Got it.
The Big Thaw - Safe Defrosting Methods for Consumers


> Uh, oh! You're home and forgot to thaw something for dinner. You grab a package of meat or chicken and use hot water to thaw it fast. But is this safe? What if you remembered to take food out of the freezer, but forgot and left the package on the counter all day while you were at work?
> 
> Neither of these situations is considered safe, and these methods of thawing may lead to foodborne illness. Raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products, as any perishable foods, must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." They are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as they begin to thaw and become warmer than 40 °F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.
> 
> Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
> 
> Even though the center of the package may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food could be in the "Danger Zone," between 40 and 140 °F — temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.


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## Holmeshx2

I get this for people but really for dogs? I have seen dogs eat dead carcasses that have been outside dead for quite sometime and be perfectly fine.


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## Rott-n-GSDs

The reason why you don't thaw in warm water or in the microwave is that you don't in any way, shape, or form want the bones cooked. Cooked bones are hard and brittle and may splinter.

With that being said, I have thawed in warm water before... just enough so the dogs can gnaw on it. Not HOT water, just slightly lukewarm. I don't thaw in the microwave, however.

What I usually do if I forget to thaw (in no particular order):
1) Feed it frozen.
2) Thaw slightly in lukewarm water
3) Defrost BONELESS meat in the microwave
4) Feed canned sardines
5) Feed kibble

(I have always defrosted hamburger/meat for human consumption by taking it out in the morning and leaving it on the counter to defrost until I get home from work. I'm not dead yet...)


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## Rott-n-GSDs

Holmeshx2 said:


> I get this for people but really for dogs? I have seen dogs eat dead carcasses that have been outside dead for quite sometime and be perfectly fine.


Correct... I feed my dogs the meat that's gone bad... if it's questionable or even downright rotten, the dogs get it. Waste not, want not!


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## Jax08

Holmeshx2 said:


> I get this for people but really for dogs? I have seen dogs eat dead carcasses that have been outside dead for quite sometime and be perfectly fine.


I know. That was my thought also. I'm not going to get to worried about it.


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## elisabeth_00117

If I forget to thaw I will throw together whatever is in my fridge.. lol.. 

Brown rice is always on hand, with some tuna and egg.. maybe some cheese for a surprise, etc.. lol.

I have de-thawed in luke warm water before as well..


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## onyx'girl

As far as thawing in water, I don't do it for my family, thats why I posted my comment. I try to use the same common sense approach when feeding the dogs. But yeah, I do thaw in warm water anyway!
I don't think bones would cook or get splintery if the were thawed in hot water, not unless they were boiled in it.


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## Jax08

Jane - when I do it, it's never completely thawed out because it's in the sink just long enough for me to pry it apart before I have to go to work. I don't see how the bones could cook, or even become brittle, just in hot water either.


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## elisabeth_00117

Jax08 said:


> Jane - when I do it, it's never completely thawed out because it's in the sink just long enough for me to pry it apart before I have to go to work. I don't see how the bones could cook, or even become brittle, just in hot water either.


Same here. It's usually just enough so I can pry them apart!


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## onyx'girl

I do it that way too. My reply was from RottNGSD's post.


> The reason why you don't thaw in warm water or in the microwave is that you don't in any way, shape, or form want the bones cooked. Cooked bones are hard and brittle and may splinter.


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## Jax08

I know, Jane. LOL I was just agreeing with you.


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## Rott-n-GSDs

onyx'girl said:


> I do it that way too. My reply was from RottNGSD's post.


Yes, but under that I also said:



Rott-n-GSDs said:


> With that being said, I have thawed in warm water before... just enough so the dogs can gnaw on it.


But again, I don't thaw in the microwave because I believe there is more of a risk of the bones actually getting slightly cooked.


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## Kettle

Just give it to them frozen? Probably not ideal in cooler climates, but here in the tropics it defrosts pretty quickly while he's chomping on it.


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## Miss Molly May

We run to McDonald's and get her a cheese burger with nothing on it!


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## Freestep

If I forget to thaw meat, I either feed frozen, or thaw in warm water just enough to pry large pieces apart.

Eggs are always a good standby.

If you're lucky enough to have a consistent supply of goat's milk, and your dog can handle it, soaking rice or oatmeal in it makes a good supplementary meal. If the milk is raw, let it coddle naturally, or add a bit of vinegar to sour it; let the curd set and the whey separate. It's more digestible that way. Or make a bunch of yogurt and keep that on hand.


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## Verivus

I just feed frozen. Nothing wrong with that. Though Kaiser refuses it, so I will defrost his in warm water. I defrost my own stuff in cold water if I forget to pull it the night before. Never had a problem.


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## Kaity

Just defrost for an hour or so, takes her longer to eat the frozen and I don't think it does any harm?


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## marshies

I don't feed raw, but feed raw chew bones with a bit of flesh. I've always fed them frozen and it's always been fun for her.


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## Holmeshx2

Kaity said:


> Just defrost for an hour or so, takes her longer to eat the frozen and I don't think it does any harm?


defrost how? if it's in the microwave you REALLY don't want to do it... if you mean feeding frozen doesn't hurt them then no you are right. Sometimes it can be a little painful if they swallow a big piece that is still frozen but not a real big deal


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## Zisso

I thaw for the dogs in warm water all the time and they are no worse for the wear so to speak. Maybe not for humans, but for the dogs...I also feed meat that is about to go bad. I took out their food to thaw every evening, leaving it in a pan or bowl to thaw while I was at work and fed later that eve. None of the above have ever caused my dogs problems.


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## Tankin

I just feed it to him frozen, he'll just sit there and lick it until he can get a chunk off.


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## Anitsisqua

I am in this exact predicament right now. I remembered to take out breakfast, but not dinner.

However, Gabe's dinner meal is boneless (he eats his bones with breakfast). Is there any reason I shouldn't defrost it in warm water or in the microwave?


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## DianaM

Canned mackerel
Canned chicken breast
Canned tuna
Eggs
Steamed or boiled veggies, fresh or frozen
Rice
Oatmeal
Safe leftovers

Or nothing if it can be a fast day. I thaw in all the bad ways. Dogs eat roadkill and poop. Most would consider extra bacteria as the house au jus/spice rub.


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## jae

Take the baggie in, drop it in warmer/hotter water for about a half hour-hour. Change the water if it gets cold, and voila, de-thawed, barely cooked food.

If I don't have an hour to spare, kibble it is.


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## volcano

Isnt that common sense? I put her first leg in the microwave but the bone got hot at the knuckle. Ive been thawing in hot water since. Im convinced the usda is garbage too because its thawed in less than a half hour. yet they say thats a no no for humans? How much bacteria grows in a half hour? The usda crap suggestions are presuming a restaraunt that may thaw aand then a day or 5 later serve it. Quick thaw is fine for poultry, Il get back to you if I get sick from it.


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## JackandMattie

Frozen is fine.

I soak in hot tap water in the sink for a little while and hand it to my pack half frozen. Nobody has ever complained 

Frozen or partially frozen is actually a solution for dogs who won't take enough time to chew their bones.

I wouldn't microwave because I'd be afraid of making the bones brittle and dangerous...no expert on that idea, tho.


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## Valerae

We feed everything frozen. They eat more slowly and it's convenient, especially when traveling.


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## Galathiel

Our digestive tract is different than an obligate carnivore's (like dogs and cats). We have to be a lot more careful! They are not plagued by bacteria like we are because their food (fed raw) is in their system a lot shorter period of time. I would not worry about thawing food a little in lukewarm/warm water for a short period of time.


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## billsharp

Microwave. She'll get two portions of boneless meat microwave-thawed that day, then two portions of meaty bones naturally defrosted the next day. It all works out evenly.


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## jourdan

I just toss it in some hot tap water once it cools I refresh and typically an hour / hour and a half later it's mostly defrosted. Avery takes forever to eat anyways so by the time he finishes the frozen bits are defrosted. He is also used to random fasting days partially from when I forget, to let his stomach rest and because whenever we move he will be fasted for 12 hours prior to our 9 hour flight across the pond. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## stealle

elisabeth_00117 said:


> If I forget to thaw I will throw together whatever is in my fridge.. lol..
> 
> Brown rice is always on hand, with some tuna and egg.. maybe some cheese for a surprise, etc.. lol.
> 
> I have *de-thawed* in luke warm water before as well..





jae said:


> Take the baggie in, drop it in warmer/hotter water for about a half hour-hour. Change the water if it gets cold, and voila, *de-thawed*, barely cooked food.
> 
> If I don't have an hour to spare, kibble it is.


OK. I know it's a dog forum and not a grammar forum, but I can't help but crack up when I see the word "de-thawed" or "unthaw." I admit, years ago I use to say "unthaw" until someone corrected me. If you think about it, "de-thaw" means "to freeze"; or, the opposite of thaw. Same with unthaw. You just "thaw" the food, you don't "de-thaw" the food. It has become proper slanglish, lol, but can be confusing. Just sayin'.


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## onyx'girl

stealle said:


> OK. I know it's a dog forum and not a grammar forum, but I can't help but crack up when I see the word "de-thawed" or "unthaw." I admit, years ago I use to say "unthaw" until someone corrected me. If you think about it, "de-thaw" means "to freeze"; or, the opposite of thaw. Same with unthaw. You just "thaw" the food, you don't "de-thaw" the food. It has become proper slanglish, lol, but can be confusing. Just sayin'.


defrost is the word you are looking for lol


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## Elleanee

You defeat the purpose of raw food when you microwave it. Microwaving not only destroys the nutrients in raw food, but it rearranges the genetic code and the food becomes frankenfood. Not what nature intended. If you forget to thaw out your raw meat, cut it into small chunks. The dog will love his meat-cicles!


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