Can Dogs Eat Pork? Understanding the Do's and Don'ts of Pork in Your Dog's Diet

With so many foods that can provide the protein our dogs require, it can be difficult to choose what is the best solution for our pet. And while pork could potentially be a high-quality protein source for dogs… in this article you’ll learn while you may want to avoid it.

Pork is a common meat in human diets, but it's important to evaluate whether it is safe and nutritious for canine consumption. The safety of pork for dogs hinges on various factors including the cut of pork, its preparation, and the dog’s individual health concerns.

Pork, generally high in protein, can be a part of your dog's diet if served properly. It’s essential to ensure that pork is cooked thoroughly to prevent a very dangerous foodborne illnesses: trichinosis. Unseasoned, cooked pork without added fats or spices can be an occasional treat for your dog. However, be wary of processed pork products like bacon or sausage, as they contain high levels of sodium and potentially harmful spices for dogs.

Key Takeaways

• Pork is safe for dogs if properly cooked and served unseasoned. Dogs should never be fed raw pork.
• Avoid giving dogs processed pork products due to high sodium and spices.
• Consult with a vet to accommodate individual health concerns when adding pork to a dog's diet.

Basic Info on Pork

When considering pork as part of your dog's diet, it's important to assess its nutritional benefits and safety. Pork can be a source of protein for dogs, but like any food, it must be fed in appropriate quantities and prepared safely.

Can Pork Be Good for Dogs?

Pork contains nutrients that can be beneficial to your dog's health. It's a rich source of protein, providing all essential amino acids for dogs, which constitute the building blocks for your dog's muscle maintenance and growth. Additionally, pork has fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that can contribute to a well-rounded diet.

• Nutrients in Pork:
• Protein: Essential for muscle maintenance and growth.
• Amino Acids: The building blocks of proteins, important for health.
• Vitamins & Minerals: Such as B vitamins and phosphorus.

Preparation is Key: To ensure pork is safe for your dog, it must be:

• Cooked thoroughly to eliminate harmful pathogens.
• Free from added spices or seasonings, which can cause adverse reactions and gastrointestinal upset in dogs.

Among all the types of meat, pork is the one most important to cook well when used to feed dogs. This is because pork can contain a very specific parasite that is not present in other types of meat: trichinella. More specifically, the larvae of this parasite can be found in the muscle of swines, and the only way to eliminate the risk of a parasitic infestation is to cook the meat. If a dog were to eat raw pork contaminated with trichinella, they would suffer from the parasitic disease. Usually the first symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, and then the severity of the disease will depend on how many larvae migrate through the dog’s body and which muscles they will infiltrate. When heart muscle infiltration happens, the dog can experience cardiac symptoms. Extreme tiredness, weakness and pain are other common symptoms. When untreated, death can happen starting from around a month after the initial infection. Trichinosis is not a mild disease to deal with, so if you are feeding your dog pork, make sure to cook it well!

Pork as a treat: how much to feed? 

You could occasionally feed your dog pork as treat - albeit make sure to read this post until the end to discover the very important reason why you may want to never feed your dog pork in their entire life!

The amount of pork your dog can safely consume depends on several factors, such as their size, age, and overall health. Overfeeding pork can lead to obesity or other health issues. As a general guide:

• Serving Size:
  

Frequency: Pork should only be a small part of your dog's diet, offered occasionally as a treat, not as a staple.

Should I Let My Dog Chew a Pork Bone?

Chewing on pork bones can be dangerous for dogs. Bones can splinter and cause choking or serious digestive tract injuries.

Safe Alternatives: If your dog enjoys chewing, consider these safer options:

• Dog-safe chew toys
• Dental chews designed for dogs

Bone Safety: Never give your dog:

• Cooked bones of any kind.
• Bones small enough to be swallowed or inhaled.

Can pork be the main source of protein in my dog diet?

Yes, lean pork meat can constitute the main source of protein in a dog diet. However, you should seriously consider not only to avoid to use pork as main source of protein, but also to avoid feeding pork to your dog at all.

The reason why is… what vets call “elimination diets”.  

When a dog develops food-related symptoms and there is a suspicion of a food allergy, a common practice is to put that dog on an “elimination diet” for a couple of months, which basically means feeding the dog completely new ingredients for them - foods they never ate before in their life. In this way, their immune system will not react against those new foods - and when after 8 weeks the old food suspected to be an allergen is reintroduced into the diet, the dog will either react against it or they will tolerate it, allowing therefore to make a final diagnosis.

The problem is, this tactic only works when the dog is fed a completely new ingredient for them during the elimination diet. And since most dogs are weaned with chicken, beef or fish, while pork tends to be less used in pet food… if you never feed your dog pork, you will have the option of using it as a protein source in case an elimination diet will ever be necessary for your furry friend. And since you never know when an elimination diet may be needed… is good to have the option!

For other protein sources, you could instead look at what is used in Marleybones Meals.