You’ve probably experienced one of those mornings where you wake up late for work, racing against time, you hastily clean and dress up, and just when you are about to step out of the house. There comes your four-legged furry buddy, wagging and worrying about what to eat.
You rushed back in to fill up its food bowl and uh oh! You had forgotten to take the raw dog food out of the freezer for it to defrost. At this point where you’re racing against time, all you can think about are the proven ways how to defrost raw dog food easily and fast.
You start asking yourself questions like, should I put the raw dog food in a microwave? Should I leave it out on the countertop to defrost? Should I feed the frozen raw food to the dog directly? If I leave it out, how long will it take for it to defrost? Is it safe to leave raw dog food to thaw at room temperature? Phewwww! If this happens, just breathe and relax.
In this article, we will answer all the questions that would pop into your mind in such a situation, and also explain to you the best methods on how to thaw or defrost raw dog food easily and fast.
Key Points
- The best method to defrost raw dog food is to place it in the refrigerator overnight. It takes about 24 hours per 5 pounds of frozen food to fully thaw in the fridge.
- A faster method is using a cold water bath, changing the water every 20-30 minutes. Raw dog food can thaw in 30-60 minutes for smaller portions or 3-5 hours for larger sizes with this approach.
- Once thawed, raw dog food lasts 3 days maximum when properly stored in the fridge before it is no longer safe and should be discarded.
- Never use the microwave to thaw raw dog food due to risks of uneven heating, killing beneficial bacteria, hardening bones until they splinter, and loss of nutritional value.
- Feeding dogs frozen raw food is okay occasionally but not ideal. Let your dog’s chewing and swallowing behavior guide whether thawed or frozen food is preferable to avoid harm from hard bones or meat chunks.
What are the Best Methods to Defrost Raw Dog Food?
1. Defrosting raw dog food in the fridge
When it comes to defrosting raw dog food, the easiest and most recommended method is to put it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
To defrost raw dog food in the fridge, first of all, get a leak-proof container that is large enough to hold the entire portion of the raw dog food. Put the raw dog food in the container and place it at any partition of the fridge, preferably the bottom shelf of the fridge. Leave it overnight.
The role of the container is to prevent the water from the defrosted raw dog food from leaking into other contents of the fridge which can cause cross-contamination. It also prevents the water from dripping onto the floor to mess it up.
How long does it take raw dog food to thaw in the fridge?
Depending on the brand and size of the raw dog food, it may take between 10 – 24 hours for the raw dog food to completely defrost in a refrigerator.
Generally, when it comes to thawing frozen food in a refrigerator, it is often estimated that it takes 24 hours for every 5 pounds of weight of the frozen food to thaw.
Hence, raw dog foods weighing 7 to 18 ounces should thaw easily if kept overnight.
2. Defrosting raw dog food in a cold water bath
If you are looking for a safe and faster way to defrost raw dog food, then you should consider thawing it in a cold water bath.
To defrost raw dog food in a cold water bath, first of all, ensure that the package of the food is not damaged. This is because the whole raw dog food will be submerged in a water bath, and any leakage will allow water to penetrate the food.
After this, get a container that is large enough to contain the raw dog food and also leave space for some water to surround it.
When you get the bowl, pour in cold water from the tap, and then submerge the leak-proof bag of raw dog food in it. Remember to change the water in the water bath every 20 to 30 minutes so that the raw dog food will continue to thaw.
How long does it take raw dog food to thaw in a cold water bath?
Thawing is generally faster in a cold water bath compared to a refrigerator. It will take raw dog food weighing between 7 to 18 ounces about 30 to 60 minutes to thaw completely.
For raw dog foods that weigh up to 70 ounces and above, it may take about 3 to 5 hours for complete defrosting to occur.
How long can you keep defrosted raw dog food?
Once you’ve thawed your frozen raw dog food, it can only remain safe for dog consumption if stored in the fridge for 3 days. After 3 days of storage, you should discard it properly.
It is recommended that you properly seal the raw dog food as leaving it open will create room for bacteria in the air to enter and cause spoilage.
The 3 days storage period will allow the raw dog food to stay safe for your dog’s consumption and to also retain its original fresh taste and flavor.
Note that feeding your dog spoilt food can cause food poisoning in the dog, which can manifest as vomiting, diarrhea, high body temperature, and most times, seizures. If this happens, you should take your dog to the vet.
Can I refreeze raw dog food after thawing?
Yes, you can refreeze raw dog food after defrosting, but only if you thaw the raw dog food inside a refrigerator.
If you take out a large package of raw dog food and then place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. You can refreeze the remaining portion of the raw dog food if you realize it’s way too much for your dog to consume within a short period.
All you need to do is package it properly and place it in the freezer.
Raw dog foods that were thawed in a cold water bath cannot be refrozen. Hence, ensure that you only thaw a portion of the raw dog food that you will be feeding to the dog within the day, to avoid wastage.
Can I defrost raw dog food in the microwave?
No, you should never try to defrost raw dog food in a microwave. Instead of that, we recommend that you thaw the raw dog food in the fridge. If you want to defrost the raw dog food quickly, you can consider the alternative faster method of thawing it in a cold water bath.
As tempting as it might be, you should get the idea of putting raw dog food in a microwave completely out of your head.
This is because it brings the risk of raw dog food getting cooked, which can throw the doors wide open for bacteria to come in and cause spoilage. This can cause illness in your dog.
Apart from that, raw dog food contains soft and chewy bones. The softness is a result of the water that is still present in the cells.
Microwaving raw dog food will cause a loss of water content, which will harden and may even splinter the bones. The sharp bone fragments can damage your dog’s mouth and throat during chewing and swallowing respectively.
There are also concerns that microwave causes a loss of nutritional value in food, which will defeat the whole aim of feeding your dog raw food in the first place.
Can I defrost raw dog food by leaving it out at room temperature?
No, you should not try defrosting raw dog food by leaving it on the countertop at room temperature. Instead of leaving raw dog food out to thaw, we recommend that you leave it in a fridge or cold water bath to thaw.
This is because, room temperature is a warmer temperature compared with that of the frozen raw dog food, and exposing the food to it, will cause the outside portions of the food to defrost while the inner portions remain frozen.
This lack of uniform or complete thawing of the frozen raw food will encourage the growth of bacteria on the defrosted outer portion. This will result in raw dog food spoilage, and if you feed the dog with such food, it may fall sick.
What if I forget to take raw dog food out the night before?
If you forgot to take raw dog food out of the freezer the night before, we recommend that you thaw it in a cold water bath. This method is faster, and it will ensure that your dog does not go through the day without food.
If you have some dry dog food left, you can feed it to your dog directly, or soften it, while you put the raw dog food in the fridge to thaw.
Can I give my dog frozen raw dog food?
Yes, you can give your dog frozen dog food. You don’t always have to defrost raw dog food before feeding them to your dog, as most dogs can eat food that is still frozen. However, we recommend that you defrost raw dog food before feeding it to your dog.
But in situations where thawing is unattainable, you can feed the raw dog food directly to your four-legged furry friend.
Some raw dog foods are smelly and dog owners struggle with dealing with the smell, in this situation, it would be wise to feed the frozen food to the dog without thawing.
Also, frozen raw dog food slows down a dog’s chewing rate, since it takes more time to chew. This can be beneficial in exercising your dog’s jaw muscles.
However, If you notice that your dog is swallowing frozen bones or raw meat, you should stop and consider thawing them out.
