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Can Dogs Eat Pork?

As a dog owner, you should always choose high quality dog food that will provide your dog with all necessary nutrients. Among many other things, you are also responsible for your dog’s diet. You can add certain human foods to your dog’s diet, but not all human foods are good for your dog.

Dogs are carnivores in nature and they would like to eat meat at any time. But, not all types of meat are safe for dogs. It is known that dogs can digest chicken, beef or turkey very easily.

But, what about pork? Have you ever feed your dog this meat? In this article we will talk about pork and its impact on the health of your dog. We will tell you if pork is safe for your dog and how much pork your dog can eat.

If you are a dog owner, you can find the answer in this article. Before we tell you is it good to feed your dog pork, you will find out something more about this meat. If you are a dog owner and if you would like to feed your dog pork, this article will be useful for you.

More about Pork

Pork is meat from domestic pig and it is used in cuisines all over the world, even though the religions of Islam and Judaism don’t approve the consumption of pork. Pork may be eaten cooked or preserved. Most common types of preserved pork are ham, bacon, sausage and smoked pork.

Pork is high in cholesterol and it is loaded with saturated fats, so it should be eaten in moderation. If eaten in large amounts, pork may cause cardiovascular and many other diseases.

But, did you ever feed your dog pork? It is known that most dog owners enjoy sharing food with their pets. Dogs will certainly devour pork if you give it to them, but is it safe for dogs? Read along this article and you will find out soon.

Is Pork Safe For Dogs?

It is not easy to answer to this question. We can say that pork is generally safe for dogs, but you should be careful. We recommend you to read this article before feeding your dog pork. There are some things you should know.

Pork is not on the list of the foods that are toxic to dogs. Sometimes pork may be beneficial for your dog because it is rich in dietary protein, so you can use it as a delicious treat for your dog.

The first thing you should do is to cook pork thoroughly. You should never feed your dog raw or undercooked pork because it usually contains trichinae. This parasite may cause trichinosis in your dog and many other health issues. Trichinosis is a disease that is caused by infected pork meat.

Your dog may experience pain in a whole body and muscle soreness. It is also possible that you notice swelling around your dog’s eyes. Other symptoms of trichinosis are fever, diarrhea and vomiting. As we have already said, it is important to kill any trichinae in pork before serving it to your dog.

It is important to cook pork long enough. Also, it is recommended to freeze pork before you cook it. This is one more way to kill the parasites. It is best to freeze it about two to three weeks, in order to kill all the parasites in pork.

You should know that trichinosis may have fatal consequences if it is not treated on time. If your dog has trichinosis, a veterinarian will probably prescribe him some antiparasitic drugs.

When feeding your dog pork, you should always choose lean cuts, because thicker pork cuts contain too much fat. It is known that fat can cause pancreatitis in dogs. As you can see, pork is harmless for dogs, but many dogs may have difficulties to digest it because of its high fatty content.

It is also important to feed your dog pork without any seasonings. It is especially important to avoid adding onions and garlic to your pork, because they can be poisonous to dogs.

Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Pork Bones?

Well, the answer to this question is also difficult because the opinions are divided. Many dog owners think that it is safe to feed your dog pork bones, while others think it may be harmful.

Most experts agree that you should never feed your dog pork bones. Pork bones, as well as pork chops, are dangerous for your dog regardless of whether they are raw or cooked. They can lead to choking and many injuries inside your dog’s body.

It is also possible that pork bones get stuck in the intestines of your dog. This way pork bones may cause constipation and other digestive problems. Also, raw bones may be a primary cause of salmonella and food poisoning.

But, there are many dog owners who claim that pork bones may be beneficial for dogs. Actually, these bones may help in cleaning the teeth of your dog. There’s no doubt that pork bones will clean the teeth of your dog, but you should have in mind all the risks that we have mentioned above. One more benefit of pork bones is that they can make dog’s feces to be less smelly.

Now when you know all the risks and the benefits of feeding your dog pork bones, you can decide what to do. Remember that you are responsible for your dog’s diet and for his overall health.

How Much Pork Should You Give To Your Dog?

If you decide to feed your dog pork, it is very important to limit the amount of pork that you will give to your dog. It is recommended to feed your dog pork in small amounts. As we have mentioned above, pork is rich in fats and it may be very difficult for dogs to digest it.

Large amounts of pork can lead to many gastrointestinal problems, such as bloating, constipation and many others. Too much pork may also cause pancreas inflammation in your dog, so you should never overdo the amount of pork that you are giving to your dog.

It is recommended to feed your dog pork once or twice a week. You should serve your dog a small amount of this meat and he will certainly like it.

Also, it is known that about 50% dogs are allergic to pork. Because of that you should feed your dog a small amount of pork first. Then you should watch carefully the reaction of your dog within 24 hours. This way you will discover if your dog is allergic to pork or not.

If you see that everything is okay, you can safely use pork as an occasional treat for your dog. But, if your dog starts to vomit or if your dog has stomach upset or some other digestive problem, you should stop feeding him pork. It means that your dog is probably allergic to this type of meat. In this case it is recommended to consult a veterinarian.

Summary

You have seen in this article what is the impact that pork has on a dog’s health. We can agree that pork is not the best choice for your dog but it is generally safe, if you use it in moderation. As long as you feed your dog reasonable amounts of pork, it can be a great treat. Too much pork can lead to digestive and other health problems in your dog.

As we have already said, you should always choose cooked pork because raw pork may contain parasites and lead to many health problems.

We hope you have liked this article and we are sure that you will take more care about your dog’s diet. You can include pork into your dog’s diet but you should keep in mind that pork can be only an addition to a regular dog’s food. You can also add fruits every now and then, like raspberries.