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Can Dogs Eat Pork?

Can Dogs Eat Pork?

Updated on July 18, 2024
Reviewer Profile Photo
Reviewed by Petco’s Animal Care
Education and Compliance (ACE) Team
slices of pork

Yes, most dogs can eat pork—but there are some important things to consider before throwing them a juicy cutlet or slice of bacon. As always, please consult your veterinarian before adding any new food to your dog’s diet to ensure it’s an appropriate snack for your pet.

There’s a movement among many dog parents that encourages providing natural dog food. The thinking is that dogs are meat-eaters, and pork is meat. By that logic, you would think pork is a natural fit for dogs.

However, the truth is a little more complicated. First, while dogs can eat meat, they are omnivores, not carnivores; this means they eat both meat and vegetables, not just meat. Second, while the idea of providing natural food to your dog is enticing, feeding them pork isn’t necessarily the best way to provide the nutrients they would normally receive from commercially available, nutritionally balanced and complete dog food.

As long as dogs are on a base diet of high-quality dog food, they can have a nibble of pork from time to time, but there are important guidelines and precautions to follow, too.

Does pork have health benefits for dogs? 

Dogs are omnivores, but they traditionally get a lot of their nutrients from meat products. Because of this, you might assume that all pork products are safe ingredients for dog treats. This is not so. Common pork-containing foods, such as bacon and ham, do not always have the same ingredients.

The pork we make for ourselves is often prepared with other ingredients and flavors that are unhealthy for dogs. Dogs’ digestive tracts are different from ours and not always able to digest food the same way that we do. The primary ingredients to look out for in pork products designed for humans that might upset a dog’s gastrointestinal tract are garlic, onions and salt. These ingredients typically are not included in commercially available natural dog food that contains pork and aren’t considered among the safe ingredients for dog treats.

Garlic and onions are members of the Allium family, plants that are very unfriendly to canine digestion if dogs eat them. They can cause immediate gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.

Excess salt levels in food can cause increased thirst and urination in your dog and subsequent dehydration, lethargy and abnormal fluid accumulation in the stomach—a

condition commonly called bloat. A bloated dog stomach can put pressure on other organs, including the lungs, making it hard to breathe. Severe bloat can be life-threatening and requires surgical intervention to treat. Excessive salt consumption over a long period can also cause more severe consequences, such as kidney damage, seizures, coma, and even death. Raw pork from the store maybe brined or seasoned with salt, so before you bake a ham and offer a slice to your pup, be sure to check the ingredients.

While processed pork may contain ingredients that are unhealthy for dogs, small amounts of plain, fresh pork cooked by itself without other ingredients is typically fine for a dog of average health to eat. Lean meats are generally healthier for dogs than fatty cuts of pork. However, for a healthy dog at a healthy weight, the extra fat in low-salt, unseasoned pork isn’t likely to cause weight gain unless you offer it frequently.

Fat should make up about 15–20% of a healthy dog’s total daily calories. Overweight or older dogs who are more sedentary require less. High-quality, commercially available natural dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced to have the necessary fat to meet your dog’s needs. Too much fat in a dog’s diet can lead to gastrointestinal upset; the rich fattiness of pork makes it tasty but also difficult for your dog to digest.

How to feed your dog pork 

If you plan to feed your dog pork, there are important precautions to take when preparing it.

First, always be sure to cook the pork thoroughly. Raw pork and undercooked pork are not suitable for dogs as they may contain a pork parasite called trichinella. Trichinella can cause illness in both dogs and people if ingested in raw or undercooked meat. Dogs with trichinosis (gastrointestinal infection caused by trichinella) typically have an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, muscle inflammation, pain and stiffness. If you suspect your dog is sick with trichinosis, consult your veterinarian right away.

Second, when cooking pork for dogs, prepare it in a clean pan or dish with no other added ingredients—especially not onion, garlic, salt or additional butter or oils that could cause digestive upset and weight gain in your dog.

Third, before serving pork to your dog, cut off any excess fat or choose a chunk of pork for them that appears to have minimal fat on it.

Bacon and ham are among the least healthy cuts of pork for dogs. Salt, which makes both types of pork so tasty to humans, also makes these foods especially unhealthy for canines.

FAQs about feeding your dog pork  

Yes, dogs can eat cooked pork and shouldn’t consume undercooked or raw pork. With a potentially high fat content, cooked pork by itself isn’t the healthiest treat for your dog, but it should not cause any negative health effects when eaten in moderation and in small amounts.  

The most important consideration when cooking pork for dogs is what ingredients it is cooked with. Pork for dogs should not be cooked with oils, sauces or glazes. If you omit these ingredients, frying, baking, barbecuing or boiling pork and sharing a bite with your dog should be fine.

Like many people, your dog will likely love pork and want to eat as much of it as you give them. However, you should not provide pork for dogs often, and when you do, it should only be fed to them as a small treat. Treats should make up no more than 10% of your pup’s total daily caloric intake. Pork’s high fat content means that offering it every day—even in small amounts that make up less than 10% of your dog’s total calorie intake—may be too much.

Raw pork is not recommended for dogs, as it can be infected with the larvae of the parasite Trichinella spiralis, which can cause the disease known as trichinosis.

Some vendors sell packaged raw pork specifically for dogs that has been frozen to kill the parasites that cause trichinosis. Even though these precautions have been taken, you should consult your veterinarian before allowing your dog to eat these types of dog food.

Pork bones should not be offered to dogs. Pork bones are more brittle than other bones and can easily splinter, damaging the lining of your dog’s esophagus, stomach and intestines. Cooked pork bones are an even bigger problem because they’re more prone to fracturing and severely injuring your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Fractured pieces of bone can also easily lodge in your dog’s stomach or intestines, leading to a potentially life-threatening obstruction.

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