Can Dogs Be Fed Pork?
View Biography
I was always under the impression that pork was bad for dogs yet I see vets buying sausage biscuits for their dog. So is bacon, sausage etc... Bad for your dog? (Margaret Batting - Georgia)
Pork in itself is as harmless to dogs as chicken, beef or any other meat. However, there is a slight risk of your dog being infected with trichinosis by eating pork. Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a worldwide, food borne disease caused by an intestinal roundworm, uncommon in the United States. Both humans and pets who eat raw or undercooked meat of infected animals can develop the disease. Undercooked or raw meat of infected animals contains the roundworm. The disease can lead to muscle soreness and pain together with swelling of the upper eyelids in mild cases but can lead to more severe symptoms.
If you would like to feed pork but want to take all necessary precautions, it is recommended that the pork be frozen for 3 weeks to kill the parasite. The most important precaution is to make sure that all fresh pork and pork products are properly cooked. Other raw and undercooked meat should also be avoided, especially meat from wild animals.
Our dogs and cats are all raw fed. They eat pork, chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, deer, duck, elk, goat and any other standard "prey" animal. I don't feed anything to them that had pointy teeth!
They eat all sorts of parts, Meat (meat with bones) organs. The goal for the week is Meats 80%, Bones 10% and Organs 10%, for the week...not necessarily every single meal. Chicken legs, thighs, breasts, tonight they had Pig lung with Trachea, the dogs LOVE Trachea..lol The Cats are fond of lung. Green tripe is another "odd" favorite of the dogs, but the cats don't eat that, and the dogs only eat it outside!
Raw chicken bones go crunch crunch..digest properly and keep the stools from becoming "cannon butt" in addition to adding nutritional values. But Cooked Bones of any type are dangerous because they become brittle and can splinter. No heavy weight-baring leg bones either. Those (cow, deer, other large animals) are too dense and can break teeth!
My dogs and cats have eaten Species Appropriate for over a year now. They hardly shed, their teeth are sparkling (gnawing whole meats more than the bones), their training focus is up, and they all go potty less, because the food is USED by their bodies, less waste! Almost half of our chest freezer is for the animals food!
And let's not forget, dogs are not people. They have a much stronger stomach acid and digest food differently than humans. Something that would make you sick wouldn't phase your dog in the slightest.
There are those who swear by a raw food diet. Some pet stores sell frozen raw foods specially formulated for dogs. What is not "really" recommended is raw food from your butcher. But that's another story entirely.
I'm surprised as well. Thank you for this important information.
- Poll: Do You Have Pet Health Insurance?
- Prepare Your Dog for Holiday Boarding
- Special Forces Dog Found After 14 Months in Afghan Wilderness
- FDA Issues Pig Ear and Beef Hoof Health Warning
- Selecting the Best Kibble for Your Dog
- Kennel Cough Treatment and Prevention
- Dog Rescued From Fighting Becomes Therapy Dog
- Visit The Dog Homepage
- Sign Up For Our Weekly Email Newsletter
- Questions to Ask a Dog Breeder
- Can Dogs Be Fed Carrots?
- Can Dogs Be Fed Pork?
- How Much Will That Dog Really Cost?
- Can Dogs Watch TV?
- Why Is My Dog Foaming At The Mouth?
- Do Dogs Get Hiccups?
- Ear Wax Build Up In Dogs
- Excessive Grass Eating In Dogs
- How To Resolve Constipation In Dogs
- More: Articles | Advice | News | Pictures
I had a sick cat (found in a developement) and after some tests the vet decided that, either I invest around $2000 to find out what was wrong or I could just leave it be. I left it be but started feeding him B.A.R.F. and guess what - he got better in a hurry and lived another 8 years (he was old when I found him!).
If you know where the meat came from (not supermarket) then there is nothing wrong with feeding raw., You might want to look into adding some veggies etc. And I think most of us freeze what we don't use immediatly - which kills the parasites.