Many a dog owner will tell you that there is something about the smell of pork cooking away in the kitchen that gets their dog licking their lips and more desperate to be slipped a treat than any other meat. Whether you’re frying up some smoked bacon, roasting some pork belly, or baking up a toad in the hole, pork can excite dogs like perhaps no other meat. But is it safe to feed your dog pork? That’s what we’re going to answer for you here.
A moment on the lips
Pork can be a fatty meat, especially in the form of sausages or bacon. It’s important to keep track of your dog’s daily intake of calories – when it comes to sausages, bacon, and other fattier cuts of pork, it can really add up.
Stick to leaner cuts of pork (like loin) that aren’t so fattening, and make sure you trim off any fat.
So it’s ok?
Pork is okay for dogs – just make sure it’s cooked! Just as it is for humans, uncooked pork can be very bad for dogs indeed. It can contain a rather nasty parasite larvae called Trichinella Spiralis and this is what makes us, and dogs, sick, should we consume it. It can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and loss of energy.
It’s also worth saying that you shouldn’t feed your dog any pork that has been prepared in a sauce, as you may not be 100% sure what ingredients went into that sauce. Mushrooms, onions, garlic and more could have been used to make the sauce and all of these can be harmful to your dog.
