# Can your dog eat pork?



## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Can your dogs eat pork? Cooked or raw both applies. 

I knew from a long time ago that Nia can't eat pork. I just found out a few days ago Truffles and Popcorn can't eat pork either. And they can seriously eat anything. They eat all sorts of different food from various brands of dog food, sometimes cat food (they steal it at a friend's house), table scraps, garbage, restaurant scraps and diary without any diarrhea at all.

They eat raw and cooked and kibble of all kinds switching all the time with no problems. Never diarrhea or any kind of stomach upset.

But they were fed 2 bites of pork thigh meat a few days ago and the next day both dogs were having explosive diarrhea just like Nia does.

Funny they can eat bacon and ham though...but plain boiled pork makes them sick, raw pork made them sick too.

The symptom for our dogs eating pork are diarrhea, vomiting, pooping mucus, loss of appetite.


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## DobManiac (Aug 12, 2007)

I'll of my dogs eat pork without a problem. I actually use pork as my stable since I feel it is more nutritionally dense than chicken. Plus it has more fat on it. And I can get pork for reasonably cheap.


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## Dreadog (Jun 12, 2009)

Hoku can't manage pork or beef, so only chicken for her .


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## MoonStr80 (Oct 9, 2006)

This is what I read about pork. I was told never feed dogs pork because of the high fat, I would not being giving it to your dogs IMO 

*Pork Meal*
http://www.naturapet.com/tools/ingre...tr=Pork&id=144

Pork meal is the dry rendered (cooked down) product from a combination of clean flesh and skin (with or without accompanying bone), derived from the parts of whole carcasses of pigs or a combination thereof -- exclusive of head, feet or entrails.

In general, pork is an approved ingredient but there are palatability issues with pork as compared to other meats. It is difficult to make a highly palatable pet food using pork without adding flavor enhancers. Another problem is that there is an inadequate supply of pork meal that is free from by-products.

One word of caution: You should know that problems could arise when cured pork is fed regularly (e.g. bacon). It is high in salt, sugar and sodium nitrite (which has been linked to stomach cancer). All of these substances in high concentrations are unhealthy, and dogs are particularly sensitive to nitrites, which can cause severe reactions in susceptible dogs.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Pork fat is used in prescription kibbles as it is so tasty. Yuck. Rice, corn gluten meal and pork fat are specially designed to improve your sick dog's health. Yeah right.

Perhaps the pork is 'enhanced'? I must be lucky as I haven't found any enhanced pork yet. If there is a nutrient label the sodium content should be less than 100 mg per servings if unenhanced. Of course the ham and bacon are VERY enhanced so there goes that.

Some cuts of pork are fatty but it is easy to cut off surface fat. Fat doesn't bother my dog. It bothers ME because it replaces protein grams.

I never got the dogs situated on turkey last year as I rushed it. I know my dogs do fine if a new to them food is a snack not a meal. Why that matters is beyond me. Perhaps I give them less if it is a snack?

I would be sorry to cross pork off the dogs' menu. It is cheap, tasty and nutritious. A very good source of thiamine and taurine for starters.


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## sassykzt (Oct 25, 2009)

I avoid giving my dogs pork -- can't find a good source locally for it. They are more into fish & game.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

MoonStr80 said:


> This is what I read about pork. I was told never feed dogs pork because of the high fat, I would not being giving it to your dogs IMO


Lean cuts of pork are perfectly fine. 


As for the OP's question, my dogs can eat pork just fine, but in the beginning it did take some getting used to.


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## DogPaw (Jan 11, 2009)

Other dogs that I have had could not eat pork. The pup I have now can eat pork without any issues. He doesn't do well with beef but the other dogs did just fine. I buy neck bones and cut most of the meat and fat off and give him one a couple times a week. He loves them.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

My pup does just fine on the pork rib bones.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

I'm with DobManiac on this one. All of mine, including fosters, get lots of pork. Pork brisket is usually fairly inexpensive and pork roasts are often on sale from .68 to $1.00lb. As a matter of fact I just picked up several roasts last night. (luuuuv them sales! ) I like it better than chicken. 
Every once in awhile I'll get a foster that might have a bit of diarrhea the first pork meal but other than that I don't have any problems with it.

Jihad
and the pound puppy crew.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

MoonStr80 said:


> One word of caution: You should know that problems could arise when cured pork is fed regularly (e.g. bacon). It is high in salt, sugar and sodium nitrite (which has been linked to stomach cancer). All of these substances in high concentrations are unhealthy, and dogs are particularly sensitive to nitrites, which can cause severe reactions in susceptible dogs.


Yup I know that. I don't ever feed it. Our other two dogs live with my aunt and they seriously eat everything. I tell them all the time not to feed those sorts of things but they don't listen at all.

They eat bacon, cured ham, salami, all sorts of extremely high sodium foods all the time. Nothing I can really do about it. I've just about told them a thousand times but they say they are depriving the dog when it wants something that we're eating. No wonder those 2 are so badly trained, jump on the dinner table to steal food, etc. etc. 

*sigh* Some people are so stubborn...


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## MoonStr80 (Oct 9, 2006)

Michiyo-Fir said:


> Yup I know that. I don't ever feed it. Our other two dogs live with my aunt and they seriously eat everything. I tell them all the time not to feed those sorts of things but they don't listen at all.
> 
> They eat bacon, cured ham, salami, all sorts of extremely high sodium foods all the time. Nothing I can really do about it. I've just about told them a thousand times but they say they are depriving the dog when it wants something that we're eating. No wonder those 2 are so badly trained, jump on the dinner table to steal food, etc. etc.
> 
> *sigh* Some people are so stubborn...


Some dogs just grow muse to it their body system used to the high fat sodium food they must have iron stomachs. I guess give up trying to convince them it's not going anyone expect one ear out of the other lol 

Someday the dogs will become fat then they wonder why?


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

MoonStr80 said:


> Some dogs just grow muse to it their body system used to the high fat sodium food they must have iron stomachs. I guess give up trying to convince them it's not going anyone expect one ear out of the other lol
> 
> Someday the dogs will become fat then they wonder why?


Truffles is already fat. She's starting to become overweight so now they're at least attempting (even slightly) to cut down on food.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

So deli ham is bad for dogs?

Wally's never shown any problems with it. He's hardly fat either.


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

KBLover said:


> So deli ham is bad for dogs?
> 
> Wally's never shown any problems with it. He's hardly fat either.


I wouldn't say it's bad for a treat here and there...but given as a staple the whole diet might be a problem.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

BoxMeIn21 said:


> I wouldn't say it's bad for a treat here and there...but given as a staple the whole diet might be a problem.



Okay. Good - that's how I use it. Half the tricks he knows is because deli ham was the prize he was trying to win.


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## DobManiac (Aug 12, 2007)

KBLover said:


> Okay. Good - that's how I use it. Half the tricks he knows is because deli ham was the prize he was trying to win.



It's all about moderation. I use a lot of leftovers for my dogs, bedtime treats. Last night the has leftover barbeque brisket, and tonight they will most likely have some braised leg of lamb. But i've been known to give fried catfish, bacon, or even the chicken and skin off of hooter's wings. If I get junk food on occasion then so do they. And it saves me a little money on treats.


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## wolfsnaps (Apr 27, 2007)

My dogs get deli ham that is a little too old for us to eat after sitting in the fridge too long. No problems. They also get raw pork neck bones for recreational chewing. They are very cheap at walmart. 

When it comes to pork, my dogs get it as a treat. They do not have it as a staple diet. I think it is higher in fat content. Maybe for a dog with a lot of activity, it would ok on a more regular basis. Most of us have house dogs that are just pets/family. SO I would think as a treat and on occassion, its ok...if your dog can handle it. I have been fortunate in that my dogs have iron guts and can handle almost anything.


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## Jordan S (Nov 21, 2009)

Chocolate gets big fat raw pork necks twice a week. I freeze it for a week though.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

It's the fat that is the issue when feeding pork..leaner cuts are better. I have seen dogs get very sick with pancreatitis from eating too much/too much fatty cuts.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

Other than the very first time, we've had no issues with pork. It did cause some really terrible gas the first night. I thought the sewer line broke!


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Is pork thigh and pork shoulder too fat?


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

If you take all the fat off shoulder and loin is 37% fat calories so isn't too fatty. A skinless chicken drumstick is 26% and with skin is 49% and we have no trouble feeding those with skin on. Dogs need fat. I try to reduce it as Max needs the protein due to eating only about 1.5% his body weight per day. If your dog is getting 2% or more you don't have to worry about the fat content so much. Remember you are reducing the diet to protein and fat only when feeding raw!


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