Who’s ready to learn about raw trachea for dogs?
For example, did you know that:
- Beef tracheas are also known as moo tubes
- The consistency of trachea is similar to gullets, but they’re different
- The most commonly available raw tracheas for dogs are from cows, goats and lambs
Beyond that, in this blog post I’ll talk about why raw trachea is good for dogs, how to feed it and where to buy it.
On that note, you’ll get to look at a few of my raw meals I’ve fed over the years that feature trachea one way or another.
Ready? Let’s go!
Raw Trachea For Dogs
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Why Is Raw Trachea Good For Dogs?
Raw trachea is the windpipe from animals such as cows, goats and lamb.
That said, you can probably guess that it’s hollow on the inside and that it consists mostly of cartilage, which is naturally rich in:
- Collagen
- Glucosamine
That’s why trachea is great to help support healthy joints and hips, especially in growing puppies and arthritic senior dogs.
When it’s fed whole, it also makes a great dog chew for teething puppies and moderate chewers.
Of course it’s still going to be beneficial for the joints of power chewers as well, it just won’t last very long because it’s nothing but soft cartilage.
Raw Trachea Can Benefit Dogs With A Collapsed Trachea
Following the concept of “like supports like”, dogs with a collapsed trachea can benefit from eating trachea.
If you don’t know what a collapsed trachea entails, it’s when the rings of cartilage in the trachea become weak and cause breathing difficulties.
Some small dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, and Toy Poodles, are more prone to developing a collapsed trachea.
That said, collapsed trachea is most commonly seen in middle-aged to older dogs. As dogs age, the cartilage in their trachea can become weaker and more susceptible to collapsing.
But trauma or injury to the neck area can damage the trachea as well and lead to a collapsed trachea. This can occur from incidents such as being pulled forcefully on a leash or from other forms of physical trauma.
Also, chronic irritation of the trachea, such as from repeated bouts of respiratory infections or exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke, can contribute to the weakening of the cartilage.
Last but not least, excessive weight or obesity can put extra pressure on the trachea of your pup, making it more prone to collapse.
The Difference Between Tracheas And Gullets
While trachea and gullets look similar, they have different functions in the body.
The trachea in animals like cows, goats, and lambs is like a sturdy breathing tube that allows air to flow in and out, just like a straw.
That said, the trachea is located in their necks and connects their throats to their lungs.
It has rings of cartilage that keep it open and prevent it from collapsing, similar to the bones of a flexible straw.
You can see these rings really well in the picture below:
On the other hand, the gullet (=esophagus) is like a soft tube that helps them eat and digest food. It’s responsible for carrying food from their mouths to their stomachs, just like a food pipe.
The gullet doesn’t have the rings of cartilage like the trachea; instead, it’s made of muscles that squeeze and push the food along, similar to the way we squeeze a toothpaste tube to get the toothpaste out.
So in a nutshell, the trachea ensures the animals can breathe properly, while the gullet allows them to swallow and digest their food effectively.
Here’s a picture of a raw meal that features a (dried) beef gullet (stuffed) with complete ground rabbit, homemade frozen broccoli/cauliflower in the shape of a heart, and pumpkin purée.
As you can see, it’s pretty smooth and unlike trachea, it doesn’t have any rings:
How To Prepare Raw Trachea For Dogs
First things first, trachea is fed as part of the muscle meat bucket in raw feeding.
For anyone brand new to raw feeding, the different components of raw dog food are muscle meat (70-80%), raw meaty bones (10%), secreting organs (10%) and optional plant matter (10%).
Check out my blog post What does balanced raw dog food consist of for more details.
But back to raw trachea – you can feed about 20% worth of trachea of your dog’s muscle meat allowance.
As such, you can either feed it:
- Ground
- Whole
- Cut up into smaller pieces
Since trachea is hollow on the inside, you can also stuff it with other food.
One raw dog food ingredient that’s often used as a trachea stuffer is green tripe, but of course you can fill it with anything that fits!
You can also freeze the stuffed trachea and then offer it partially frozen as a longer lasting, refreshing summer snack.
Since trachea consists of nothing but soft cartilage, it’s easy to cut, especially if you use a bread knife.
A Peek Into My Pups’ Raw Dog Food Bowls Featuring Trachea
Just as a heads up, the raw meals below all feature raw trachea, but not necessarily all of the components that make up balanced raw dog food.
I achieve balance over the course of a week, which is an approach you can take with adult dogs. That means that some daily meals are balanced, and others are balanced over the course of 2 or more days.
For example, sometimes I’ll only feed muscle meat in one meal, and then I’ll feed secreting organs and raw meaty bone in the next meal.
However, be advised that this approach does NOT work for puppies as they need all of their daily nutrients while they’re in their growth phase!
Bowl 1
Buzz’s raw meal below features raw trachea stuffed with green tripe, as well as:
- Beef heart
- Ground beef lung
- Chicken wing
- Beef Liver
- Homemade turmeric paste
- Homemade puréed veggies
- Fish oil
Note: It only features one secreting organ (liver).
Bowl 2
Missy’s raw meal below features beef trachea as well as:
- Complete ground duck
- Chia seeds
- Kelp powder
Bowl 3
Wally’s bowl below features raw beef gullet as well as:
- Thread herring
- Duck wing
- Deer heart
- Beef green tripe
- Deer liver
- Paradigm veggie/herb mix from Dr. Harvey’s
Note: It only featured one secreting organ (deer liver). Wally had a huge beef eye the day before which covered his second secreting organ allowance for 3 days.
Bowl 4
And here’s the bowl that had the beef eyeball (and also raw beef trachea), as well as:
- Beef green tripe
- Thread herring
- Deer heart
- Deer liver
- Frog legs
- Kelp powder
- Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm
What’s The Best Raw Trachea For Dogs?
In terms of best raw trachea for dogs, the “best” kind is always going to be from pastured animals.
For example, beef trachea, goat trachea and lamb trachea from cows, goats and lamb that get to eat a variety of grasses, seeds, herbs, roots, bugs, snails, etc.
Essentially anything that’s available for them on their pastured grounds.
Where To Buy Raw Trachea For Dogs USA
Below, you’ll find a list of US raw dog food retailers that carry raw trachea for dogs.
Raw Feeding Miami
My Pet Carnivore
Shepherd Song Farm
Dried Trachea Alternatives
If you’re not a fan of raw trachea or you also want to have some trachea treat options handy, you can also get them dried:
- Dehydrated beef trachea from Cali Raw
- Dehydrated beef trachea from Raw Feeding Miami
- Dehydrated beef trachea treat from My Pet Carnivore
- Dehydrated grass-fed beef trachea from White Oak Pastures
- Dehydrated green tripe filled beef trachea from BJ’s Raw Pet Food
Where To Buy Dried Trachea For Dogs USA Amazon
If you’re more of an Amazon kinda guy or gal, listed below are brands that sell dried trachea for dogs on Amazon:
- Natural Farm Odor-Free Beef Trachea
- Best Bully Sticks Beef Trachea
- Amazing Dog Treats Lamb Trachea
- Dog Chits Bison Trachea For Dogs
Raw Trachea For Dogs: Bottom Line
Raw trachea is fed as muscle meat in raw feeding, and you can feed roughly up to 20% of it in your dog’s daily raw meals.
But remember that it’s fine to balance your adult dog’s raw meals over the course of a week.
So you could totally feed a breakfast that only consist of stuffed raw trachea with a few secreting organs, and then feed a raw meaty bone (and optional plant matter if you follow the BARF raw feeding approach) for dinner.
Keeping that in mind, trachea is a hollow cut of meat that consists of cartilage and connects the throat to the animal’s lungs.
As such, it’s naturally rich in glucosamine and chondroitin, which are essential for joint and hip health in dogs, and can also help dogs diagnosed with a collapsed trachea.
That makes it a great natural “supplement” for growing puppies, arthritic senior pups and dogs who suffer from breathing problems due to trachea injuries.
Do you feed your dog raw trachea, do you ever stuff it, and do you have a favorite supplier? Let me know in the comment section below this blog post!
Related Reading:
- What does balanced raw dog food consist of
- Gizzards for dogs: How much to feed & more
- How to feed raw beef eyeballs for dogs
- How to feed frog legs for dogs
- Raw green tripe for dogs
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