Wild hog and Rabbits

[spritemk3]

Since researching RAW, and all the advice here, I've been looking into feeding feral hog and rabbit as 2 of my proteins. Yesterday, I looked at 5 -6 different websites/articles that said NEVER feed feral hog/wild rabbit because freezing doesn't kill all of the parasites. I'm totally confused now. Does anyone here feed wild hog or rabbit? Obviously, checking the meat as it's being cleaned is top priority, but is a month at -10F enough to make it safe for the dog? I really hate to lose great available proteins if I don't have to. It was also said if you do feed hog to cook it first. Isn't that defeating the purpose? So much conflicting info out there. I thought with the wealth of info y'all have, I might get some more definitive answers. Thanks. Sorry to be such a pain.

 

[angelbears]

Could you provide a couple of links that claim that feral hog and rabbit are unsafe even if it frozen. It would be interesting to see what there agenda is. I don't have the opportunity to feed "wild" proteins, so I never paid much attention to the "ins and outs" of it.

I do know that dogs who don't even eat raw catch rabbits and eat them all the time without ill consequences. Years ago we had a Irish Setter, who frequently caught wild backyard birds and never got sick and they are loaded with parasites.

 

[spritemk3]

This is some of what I found.... Now that I'm completely confused.


Internet Center for Wildlife and Disease Management
Trichinosis

Trichinosis may result in diahrrea, sudden edema of the upper eyelids, photophobia, muscle soreness and pain, skin lesions, thirst, sweating, chills, and weakness. Other respiratory and neurological symptoms may appear if treatment is delayed.
Trichinosis is contracted by eating infected meat which contains the encysted parasites. The parasites may remain infectious in meat which is raw or poorly cooked.
Trichinosis is caused by a nematode parasite which produces the disease in humans and domestic and wild animals. Evidence indicates that nearly all mammals are susceptible to infections with this parasite, which encysts in the muscle of the host and is then transmitted through consumption of infected flesh. As would be expected, the disease is most common in wild carnivores and scavengers.
As with other wildlife diseases, trichinosis is difficult to control in nature. However, certain steps can be taken to decrease the problem. Carcasses of carnivores and other meat-eating species should not be discarded in the fields or woods, but should be made unavailable by burying or other means. These carcasses also should not be fed to swine, dogs, or other domestic animals. Open garbage dumps should be replaced by the landfill type or other methods of disposal where wildlife will not have access to meat scraps. If open garbage dumps cannot be eliminated, rodent control programs should be initiated and the areas fenced to prevent scavenging by larger animals such as foxes. These steps would markedly reduce the problem of trichinosis in wildlife in the United States.
If carnivorous or omnivorous wildlife such as bears, bobcats, opossums, raccoons, or feral pigs are consumed by humans, the meat should be properly prepared by cooking, freezing, or curing to destroy any viable trichinae. Cooking to an internal temperature of 137[SUP]o[/SUP]F is deemed sufficient for pork, while freezing at 5[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 20 days, -10[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 10 days, or 20[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 6 days will kill trichinae. Curing should follow approved government regulations.


Tularemia

Tularemia is caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis and is characterized by sudden onset of high fever and chills, joint and muscle pain, and prostration. Slow-healing sores or lesions develop at the site of entry of the bacteria (or arthropod bite). Inflammation and swelling of nearby lymph nodes follow.
Tularemia is endemic throughout North America (Fig. 6). Most of the 100 to 300 cases reported each year are from the area between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River (especially Arkansas and Missouri). Most cases are acquired during the summer months from vector transmission; however, a second peak of cases occurs during the winter and is probably associated with rabbit hunting and carnivore trapping.
The bacteria is maintained in rabbits, hares, rodents, and birds by tick transmission. The natural reservoir for the bacteria includes infected ticks and animal species that are less susceptible and thus survive acute infections. Hard ticks, primarily D. andersoni, D. variabilis, and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and some flies, especially the deerfly (Chrysops discalis), can subsequently transmit the disease to humans. Tularemia can also be transmitted directly to humans. Transmission routes include drinking contaminated water; eating contaminated food or improperly cooked game meat; inhaling aerosols contaminated with rodent urine, feces, or dust; cuts from contaminated knives or other instruments; and scratches or bites from infected animals. Use personal protection measures against ticks and practice good sanitation procedures when handling wild animals, especially rabbits. Promptly seek medical care and treatment if symptoms develop.


Taken from the CDC website: Trichinella

Freezing wild game meats, unlike freezing pork products, may not effectively kill all worms because some worm species that infect wild game animals are freeze-resistant.

 

[ruthcatrin]

If you're dressing the rabbit meat yourself, or if its done by a professional, Tularemia is fairly easy to spot as it changes teh look of the liver in a very noticable fashion. Also if the rabbit was acting normally before it was killed chances are very good it wasn't sick. Also, this isn't a parasite, its a disease, freezing rabbit meat kills the PARASITES. It usually affects bacteria too, but there are some resistant strains, I can't find anything that says one way or the other on Tularemia.

Quoting from your own post on Trichinosis:

while freezing at 5[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 20 days, -10[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 10 days, or -20[SUP]o[/SUP]F for 6 days will kill trichinae.

So basically freeze it solid, for an extended period of time....


For this:

Taken from the CDC website: Trichinella

Freezing wild game meats, unlike freezing pork products, may not effectively kill all worms because some worm species that infect wild game animals are freeze-resistant.

First off "trichinella" is the same thing as Trichinosis, its just another name for it. Also I wish they'd specify WHAT parasite this is that isn't affected by freezing, cause every time I look at individual parasites there is indeed a freezing schedule that kills them. If there's some super parasite out there that can withstand freezing solid for 3weeks or longer I've not been able to find it!

 

[spritemk3]

Gotcha. Will check the livers of the rabbits. I'm guessing not feeding their organs and completely eviscerating them is the best way to go. As far as pork, I can set my freezer to -10F and hopefully that will take care of everything I'm worried about. Would I be better off not using their organs either, or just freezing the heck out of them. Was just curious if anyone had been feeding feral hog or wild rabbit. Thanks for the insight.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I don't have access to wild pig, but I'd have no problem feeding their organs if I did (appropriatly frozen).

For wild bunnies. I don't FEED them to the dogs, but Apollo has caught them....IF the rabbit has tularmia its not safe to feed period is my understanding. But an infected liver is easy to spot according to everything I can find.