Though dogs can eat almost all sorts of things, is raw bacon comes on the list? Can dogs eat raw bacon? What are the potential consequences of eating raw bacon?
Raw bacon is high in fat, salt, and grease as well as a parasitic worm, making it unhealthy for the dog. Though eating moderately won’t hurt the dog, a strip of bacon can cause pancreatitis, gastrointestinal upset, and other diseases.
Read on to learn briefly about the potential risks of feeding raw bacon to the dog and further steps to recover as well as some worthwhile alternatives.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Bacon?
First of all, bacon isn’t raw; it’s cured meat and is used as a tempting and tasty treat. Since it’s not toxic to a dog, you can feed any form of bacon to your dog as a dog sneaks.
However, bacon is very fatty, salty, and processed meat, resulting in risk for dogs. Hence many bets don’t recommend feeding bacon top dogs. The fat contained in bacon can increase the risk of pancreatitis which can prevent your dog’s pancreas from functioning properly.
Other risks involve due to eating raw bacons are parasitic disease and trichinosis. The growth of the roundworm parasite inside the stomach causes the parasitic disease and the symptoms of this disease are vomiting and Gastrointestinal upset.
Though eating one strip of bacon won’t hurt your dog, quite a bit can put your pet at health risk. It means if your pooch can tolerate bacon without showing any symptoms of gastrointestinal upset or other diseases, you can feed him a small amount.
So how much bacon is safe for your dog? It varies depending on your pet’s weight. In general, you can feed 1/8 to 1/4 strips of bacon to your dog with less than 20 pounds of weight.
For a medium-sized dog with 21 to 55 pounds, you can feed half of a strip while 3/4 to 1 strip is safe for a large dog with over 55 pounds. Overall, raw bacon can be used as a good treat instead of an everyday meal for a dog.
Why Raw Bacon is Risky for Dogs?
As mentioned a small amount of bacon is safe for your dog. However, the ingredients included in bacon can start playing their role in dog health if consumed excessively. Following the potential consequences of bacon’s ingredients on dog’s health:
- Bacon contains large amounts of fat that can cause pancreatitis in the dog.
- Bacon is rich in salt which causes your pooch inflammation and bloating. Excessive bloating can twist the intestines of a dog which can end in death if not treated immediately.
- The grease in bacon is risky for the dog’s heart.
The effect of these ingredients largely depends on how much amount the dog intake. That’s why a pet parent should feed bacon to his pet moderately to avoid health risks.
Symptoms to Look for If Dog Ate Raw Bacon
You shouldn’t worry if your dog ate some bacon as it isn’t deadly. Instead, monitor your dog carefully to notice any symptoms of diseases and call a vet for further assistance if find any. Following are some symptoms to watch out for:
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle inflammation
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
What to Do If a Dog Ate Raw Bacon
If you don’t want to wait for symptoms and are extremely worried about your canine, there are some actions you can take immediately. The type of action to take depends on plenty of factors including the amount of bacon your dog ate, the size of the dog, and the pancreatitis predisposition.
So first determine the amount of bacon your dog ate by checking the leftover or the amount you ordered. If your healthy dog ate a little amount and isn’t tend to have pancreatitis, you should wait for symptoms and consult with the vet to avoid unnecessarily hurting your pooch.
But if you find quite a bit of bacon is missing, apply these procedures:
Induce Vomiting
You can introduce vomiting to your dog within two hours of eating bacon. To do this, use 3% hydrogen peroxide and provide a fizz pouring in a sink. If the system isn’t comfortable for you, let the vet do the job using apomorphine.
Feed a Bland Diet
Typically bland diet contains cooked white rice, bread, and cooked potatoes that are free of salt, skins, or butter. This will let your dog recover avoiding the side effects of eating bacon.
Give Pepcid
Lastly, you can apply the antiacid Pepcid AC to relieve your dog with tummy upset. However, you must talk to a vet for knowing the proper dosage for your dog.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Cookie Dough?
Safe Alternatives of Raw Bacon
Many pet supply brands start manufacturing specially designed bacon for the dog. these treats help prevent the possibility of diseases spreading.
Though homemade bacon doesn’t cause parasites, fried bacon isn’t healthy for your dog as it contains oil. Instead, make your dog’s meal following some simple beef or chicken recipe.
You can also collect homemade dog treats from some entrepreneurs online and they make dog food following traditional recipes.
Despite this, many raw feeders suggest feeding muscle meat like chicken, hamburger, or turkey to the dog instead of bacon. You can also feed organ meat like liver, heart, or kidneys to your dog. The other alternative to raw bacon is raw meaty bones and whole fish.
Also Read: Can Chicken and Rice Make a Dog Constipated
FAQs
1. What can happen if you feed your dog a piece of bacon?
Eating a piece of bacon is good enough for a dog to suffer from pancreatitis. Even your dog can also cause gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, gas, constipation, and abdominal pain.
2. Can dogs eat cooked bacon?
No matter if it is raw or cooked bacon, moderation is the key. So likewise raw bacon, giving a little amount of cooked bacon to a dog won’t hurt him. Though bacon isn’t fatal to the dog, it shouldn’t be their everyday meal.
3. What are the symbols of pancreatitis in a dog?
Pancreatitis is the most potential disease of eating raw bacon. The potential signs of pancreatitis are fever, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Froot Loops?
Final Words
Every pet parent loves their dog and does their best to keep them happy and healthy. And a dog’s life is worth more than their momentary happiness or enjoying the taste of happiness. This is where knowing whether can dogs eat raw bacon or not plays its role.
If you can’t refuse your dog, share a little amount of meat and don’t include it in their food list. While there are huge types of tasty and healthy dog food and treats available, why put them at risk?