Dogs are natural carnivores, and a common assumption is that any type of meat will be a healthy and safe addition to their diet. However, this isn’t always the case. While sharing our meals with our beloved canine companions is a natural inclination, understanding what meat can’t dogs eat is crucial for their well-being. Certain meats can pose significant health risks, ranging from mild digestive upset and allergic reactions to potentially severe, life-threatening conditions. In most situations, an occasional small bite of an unsuitable food might not cause immediate harm, especially if your dog has no underlying allergies. Nevertheless, similar to humans, regular consumption of foods that are not beneficial can have long-term negative impacts on a dog’s overall health and vitality. Whether you’re considering sharing a small treat or preparing their daily meals, being informed about which meats to avoid is an essential part of responsible dog ownership. This guide will delve into the types of meat that should never make it into your dog’s bowl and will also highlight safer meat options, along with precautions for their preparation.
Meats to Strictly Avoid Feeding Your Dog
When it comes to your dog’s diet, some meats are simply off-limits due to their inherent risks. These common human foods can contain ingredients or properties that are harmful, even toxic, to dogs.
Bacon
Bacon, a beloved salty and fatty cured meat for humans, should be strictly avoided for dogs. Sharing a piece of your breakfast bacon with your furry friend might seem harmless, but it’s one meat that dogs should not consume for several critical reasons. A primary concern with bacon is its exceptionally high salt content. Excessive salt intake in dogs can lead to a range of adverse health effects, from digestive system disturbances to, in extreme and rare cases, fatal outcomes.
Salt impacts dogs in multiple ways. Firstly, it can cause extreme thirst, potentially leading to bloat if they drink excessive amounts of water quickly. Bloat is a medical emergency that can be deadly. Secondly, high sodium levels can induce vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, elevated body temperatures, and even seizures. It’s also important to note that certain types of salt can lead to sodium ion poisoning, with more than 1.5 grams per pound of body weight being lethal for a dog. While there’s no need for panic if your dog accidentally snatches a tiny piece, frequent or large consumption of salty foods could gravely endanger your best friend.
Another significant reason to avoid giving bacon to your dog is its notoriously high-fat content. Fats pose two main dangers to dogs. Firstly, they are difficult for dogs to digest, often resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. Secondly, a diet rich in fat can trigger pancreatitis, a severe condition where the dog’s pancreas becomes inflamed and swollen. Mild pancreatitis can manifest as vomiting, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite. In more severe cases, the inflamed pancreas can release digestive enzymes into the abdominal cavity, causing damage to vital organs such as the liver, gallbladder, and intestines. For these reasons, it’s best to keep the bacon for human consumption only.
Ham
Similar to bacon, ham should be avoided by dogs for analogous reasons. Ham, particularly commercially processed varieties, contains substantial amounts of sodium. As previously discussed, high levels of sodium are incredibly dangerous for dogs and can lead to salt poisoning and potentially deadly bloat. Store-bought hams also frequently contain preservatives like nitrates and nitrites, which are sodium-based compounds that further elevate the risk of sodium-ion poisoning.
Additionally, much like bacon, hams are high in fat content. While this characteristic makes them delicious to humans, it also renders them dangerous for dogs. An excessive amount of fat in a dog’s diet can lead to pancreatitis, a condition that can be fatal. Another crucial risk associated with ham’s high-fat content is weight gain. Obesity in dogs is a significant contributor to a multitude of health problems, including joint issues, diabetes, and heart disease. Understanding what meat to not feed dogs helps ensure they remain healthy and vibrant.
Processed Meats
Processed meats, including popular items like deli meats and hot dogs, present numerous reasons why they should never be fed to your dog. These reasons include their additive content, high salt levels, potential as a choking hazard, and significant fat content. Hot dogs, for instance, are often packed with various additives such as seasonings, sweeteners, and preservatives, none of which are healthy for dogs.
- Seasonings: When processed meats are manufactured, they are frequently seasoned with garlic and onion powders. Both garlic and onions are highly toxic to dogs and can cause red blood cell damage, leading to anemia.
- Additives: Many processed meats contain additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has been linked to health concerns in humans and is best avoided for pets. Most preservatives, including sodium-based nitrates and nitrites, significantly increase the risk of sodium-ion poisoning in dogs.
- Sugars or Artificial Sweeteners: Processed meats often include artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol, Erythritol, Stevia, Aspartame, Saccharin, and Sucralose. Among these, Xylitol is exceptionally toxic to dogs and can cause a rapid and severe drop in blood sugar, liver failure, and even death. Other sweeteners can lead to minor gastrointestinal problems or more serious health issues.
- Choking Hazard: Hot dogs, especially for larger dog breeds, can pose a serious choking hazard. Large dogs may attempt to swallow them whole without proper chewing, leading to airway obstruction.
- Salt Contents: An average hot dog contains over 500 mg of sodium, and deli meats also typically have very high salt levels per serving. High salt intake can result in bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, high temperatures, and even seizures, alongside the potential for sodium-ion poisoning.
- Fat Contents: Hot dogs often incorporate scraps, trimmings, and fatty parts leftover from meat processing. Some deli meats, particularly certain hams, are also high in fat. These high-fat contents are unhealthy for your dog and can lead to serious health conditions like pancreatitis.
- Listeria Risk: Deli meats carry a risk of Listeria contamination, a bacterium most commonly found in deli meats derived from cattle and poultry. While Listeria is often present in small amounts and usually doesn’t affect humans with healthy immune systems, it can be a serious issue for dogs. The Listeria found in deli meats can cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness in dogs. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Listeria can also accumulate in a dog’s mouth and potentially be transmitted to humans through their saliva. This highlights what meat dogs should not eat to prevent both immediate and long-term health issues.
Chicken with Bones
While cooked chicken meat itself is generally safe for dogs and is a primary protein source in many commercial dog foods, chicken with bones presents a significant danger. The biggest risk of chicken consumption for dogs occurs when bones are present, especially cooked bones, which become brittle and splinter easily. When swallowed, these small, sharp, fragmented pieces of chicken bone can effortlessly puncture the esophagus, stomach, or intestines, leading to internal injuries and potentially life-threatening infections.
Even larger chicken bones can cause choking by becoming lodged in your dog’s throat. Another equally frightening consequence of dogs eating chicken bones is the development of painful and dangerous blockages in the intestines. If your dog exhibits symptoms such as coughing, sputtering sounds, difficulty breathing, repeated vomiting, or persistent diarrhea after consuming bones, it is imperative to contact your veterinarian immediately. It is crucial to remember that just because your dog may have eaten chicken bones in the past without apparent issues, it does not guarantee safety for future instances. The risks remain high with every exposure. When feeding your dog chicken, always ensure you provide only boneless, skinless breast meat to eliminate these hazards.
Meats to Proceed with Caution (and How to Prepare Them Safely)
While the previously mentioned meats are definite no-gos, some other meat types can be safe for dogs, provided they are prepared correctly and offered with caution. The following three meats — pork, fish, and boneless chicken — are generally considered safe in most situations, but specific precautions must be taken before feeding them to your dog. As with introducing any new food into your dog’s diet, always start with small quantities. This approach allows you to monitor for any potential food allergies, adverse reactions, or gastrointestinal sensitivities that could upset their stomach. I must also reiterate the critical importance of avoiding seasonings when preparing meats and other foods for your dogs, as many commonly used seasonings are toxic to them.
Boneless Chicken Meat
As mentioned earlier, plain chicken is safe for your dog and is a frequent primary ingredient in commercially manufactured dog foods. Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and contains beneficial omega-6 fatty acids, which contribute to healthy skin and coat.
Despite its common use, chicken is surprisingly the fifth most common dog food allergy. This allergy is often misdiagnosed or overlooked but is frequently the underlying cause of various skin and gastrointestinal conditions. Chicken allergies commonly manifest as “hotspots” or intensely itchy areas on the skin. Recognizing what meat is not good for dogs is key, even if it seems benign.
Signs of a chicken allergy in dogs include:
- Severe itching and scratching, particularly around the face, ears, and mouth.
- Obsessive licking and biting of the paws or other body areas.
- Hair loss, bald patches, skin irritation, and even bleeding or wounds resulting from frequent scratching and licking.
- Rashes, skin inflammation, and infections caused by persistent itching and scratching.
- Paw-licking or pawing at the face to relieve itchiness.
- Hives, coughing, and wheezing.
- Gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. If left untreated, a chronic chicken allergy can lead to inflammatory bowel diseases.
If your dog is diagnosed with a chicken allergy, the most effective treatment is to eliminate all chicken products from their diet and transition to chicken-free dog food. Always meticulously check ingredient labels to ensure no chicken or chicken by-products are present.
When preparing chicken for your dog, it is paramount to use only clean, lean cuts of meat. We strongly recommend sticking to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You should explicitly avoid any cuts of chicken that are high in fat or include the skin, as chicken fats can cause digestive issues and, critically, can trigger the dreaded pancreatitis.
Furthermore, you should never feed your dog raw store-bought chicken due to the significant risk of bacterial infections from Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria. These bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal illness in dogs and can also be transmitted to humans. Therefore, chicken should always be fully cooked before being offered to your dog. When cooking, it is vital to remember never to season the chicken with onions, garlic, or any other spices. Safe cooking methods include roasting, poaching, baking, and grilling, ensuring the meat is thoroughly cooked throughout without any added ingredients.
Pork Meat
Pork meats are generally safe for your dogs to eat, but there are several crucial precautions that must be observed. Firstly, never feed your dog raw pork. Raw pork is a common host for a parasite called Trichinella spiralis larvae, which can cause the parasitic infection known as trichinosis. While trichinosis more commonly affects humans, dogs with weaker immune systems—such as puppies, older dogs, or dogs currently battling an illness—are more susceptible to becoming infected. Always ensure pork is thoroughly cooked to kill any potential parasites.
As briefly mentioned before, it is equally important never to feed your dog pork that has been seasoned. Common seasonings used in human food, such as salt, onion powder, garlic, nutmeg, and various sugars, are all dangerous and potentially toxic to dogs. These ingredients can lead to a range of health issues, from digestive upset to severe poisoning. Additionally, be sure to avoid feeding your dog any pork that has come into contact with sauces, as these almost invariably contain high levels of salt and other harmful seasonings. Plain, thoroughly cooked, unseasoned pork in moderation can be a safe treat, but proper preparation is key.
Fish
Fish offers several nutritional benefits for your dog’s diet, including healthy proteins and omega-3 fatty acids, which are excellent for brain health, joint support, and a shiny coat. Additionally, fish can serve as a fantastic protein source for dogs that may suffer from a chicken meat allergy, as discussed in the previous section. However, there are several important considerations before incorporating fish into your dog’s regular diet.
Firstly, never feed your dog raw fish. Raw fish carries a high risk of bacterial contamination, notably from Salmonella and Listeria. These bacteria can not only infect your dog and cause severe illness but can also be passed to humans through a dog’s saliva, posing a public health risk. It is always critical to properly prepare and thoroughly cook your fish before offering it to your dog, ensuring it reaches an internal temperature sufficient to kill all harmful bacteria.
Secondly, similar to chicken bones, fish bones can be a significant health hazard. Fish bones are typically small, brittle, and can be exceedingly dangerous if swallowed. These tiny bones can easily lodge themselves in, and even perforate, your dog’s mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines, leading to pain, choking, internal damage, or infections. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to remove all bones from any fish you intend to feed your dog.
Thirdly, you should avoid feeding your dog tuna and other long-lived fish species. These types of fish are known to accumulate higher levels of heavy metals, most notably mercury, over their lifespan. Too much mercury in a dog’s system can lead to serious health problems, damaging the cardiovascular system, nervous system, kidneys, and digestive tract.
The best types of fish to give to your dog are short-lived species, which naturally have lower mercury levels. Excellent choices include salmon, ocean whitefish, lake whitefish, herring, walleye, flounder, and Arctic char. In addition to avoiding seasonings, you should also consider limiting the use of additional oils when cooking fish for your dog. A diet for dogs that is overly heavy in fatty oils can contribute to weight gain and lead to other health problems down the line. Plain, cooked, boneless, and low-mercury fish in moderation can be a wonderful, healthy addition to your dog’s meals, making it one of what is the one meat not to feed dogs considerations you need to be aware of.
An illustration depicting various types of meat with a warning symbol, highlighting foods unsuitable for dogs.
Conclusion
Given that dogs are natural carnivores, they will instinctively show interest in almost all meats, especially when they observe their owners consuming various types of meat. They will often be eager to “help” finish whatever their owner is eating. This natural inclination is precisely why it is paramount for every dog owner to be educated on the different meats that are safe for a dog to consume and, more importantly, those that they should strictly avoid.
In the unfortunate event that your dog does accidentally consume a small amount of meat from the “to-avoid” list, there is generally no need for immediate panic. As long as the amount is not large and it’s not a highly toxic substance, they should likely be fine. However, if you have any health concerns whatsoever, or if your dog exhibits any unusual symptoms after eating something they shouldn’t, please do not hesitate to discuss the situation with your veterinarian immediately. They can provide professional guidance and ensure your dog’s health and safety. We sincerely hope that the information provided in this article has been educational and will assist you in keeping your dogs in their best possible health.
