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Are you uncertain about feeding your dog fat?
Whether it’s good or bad idea really depends.
Meat offcuts are obviously very different from feeding the type of fat that’s in processed junk foods.
Be sure to stick to natural, meat-based fats. And even then go easy!
Though dogs can generally handle more animal fat than humans can, you can still overdo it. Kidney failure, liver damage or pancreatic problems are possible.
Your Dog Can Eat Some Fat
Even moderate consumption of pure lard can be beneficial. However, meat protein is more important for canines compared to fat trimmings.
If you do share, do not go overboard. Fat is difficult to digest for some dogs.
And too much could eventually cause pancreatitis to develop.
Of course, always avoid trans fats.
You don’t have to worry about saturated fat too much. Unlike humans, dogs aren’t nearly as susceptible to heart disease, high cholesterol and other coronary risks.
Natural vs Processed
Most fats are okay for dogs.
A small amount of steak fat and beef fat are suitable examples.
Even a bit of grease and tallow from rendered fat won’t be harmful if it’s a modest amount and only occasionally given.
This doesn’t mean that fat makes a meal. Lean meat is better than lots of fat.
Controlled amounts are fine and you may even notice a healthier coat and skin.
Always avoid junk food fats. In fact, forget feeding your dog processed products.
Fat in a Canine Diet
Some fat is necessary for a balanced diet. It doesn’t have to be bad for your dog. Just strike the right balance.
Be selective about what fats are eaten, especially if human snacks or leftovers are shared.
Premium dog food is the easiest way to consistently provide the right nutrients.
A healthy diet with fat can include quality kibble, wet dog food and fish a few times a week.
Salmon and tuna are great due to the Omega-3 fatty acids.
What We Recommend
Feed fresh foods because fat becomes rancid rather quickly.
Look into a raw diet. Muscle, fat, raw bones and meat are all natural for dogs to eat.
Don’t be too concerned with monounsaturated versus polyunsaturated, etc. Focus, instead, on a balance of plant-based and meat-based fat.
DHA and EPA are the best Omega-3 fats. You can get a quality dog-formulated supplement to accomplish this.
Fido Feasting on Fat
Suppose your dog has wolfed down a block of lard or a lot of pure fat. How dangerous it is?
It’s hard to say, but symptoms can be revealing.
Digestive trouble is more likely than a serious medical problem. A single occurrence probably (hopefully) won’t damage the dog’s liver or kidneys.
You may want to call the vet and discuss the situation just to be on the safe side.
The Bottom Line
Feed your dog fat in moderation and it will be healthy for them.
Meat’s benefits come from protein first, and fat secondarily.
Serious problems can result from excessive consumption with pancreatitis being a top concern for dogs.
No fat from processed foods!
I cook all of my pups food and add raw meats except pork or chicken as doing so can cause illness if not handled right. For example, my girl gets sick from chicken so I use turkey minced and mix it with minced pork.
My 10+ year old Multipoo hates dog food, especially kibble. I can get her to eat soft canned food easily, but it’s getting so expensive. I feed her, for a couple of years, a special tailored human food diet for a couple of years in which she did well on. Then I put her back on dog food for a couple of years. For the first few months she took back to dog food pretty well, but then she began going for several feedings, sometimes two or more days without eating unless I put something special in it.
But then if I didn’t change up the something special–well, it was hard to know what to feed her to get her to eat. Also, there’s the case of my ex-husband, when we were still together, he would pass her scraps from his plate, and it would undermine what little progress I made in getting her to eat dog food. Now I’m not with him anymore and I still can’t get her to eat dog food.
Anyway, I got tired of trying to figure out what would prompt her to eat dog food, so I put her back on the human food diet, in which she previously did so well on. However, the last couple of days she has been experiencing diarrhea. I’m wondering if I may have made her food with too much fat in it. She loves beef, but it’s so expensive these days, so I have been giving her hamburger meat, with a bit of brown rice for consistency, and a bit of vegies, like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash or pumpkin. Maybe I didn’t drain enough of the fat off the meat.
I should also mention that she is a rescue animal, and I got her when she was around 3 years old. Due to my ex-husband’s medaling with her diet, she has become very finnicky and spoiled.
I need to reduce the percentage of carbs for my tiny dog. She has developed yeast issues. One food I have found has 58 grams of protein and 45 grams of fat but zero carbs. Would this be safe for a 4 pound dog?
I feed my dog cooked grease from fatback meat to season his food and make it tastier. He loves it but I noticed him moaning and groaning like he has some kind of stomach discomfort. I told my pet doctor and she suggested Pepcid as an antacid, but so far it’s not working. He has been examined before and no diagnosis was found.
Please stop feeding your dog cooked grease.
My little dog loves lamb. I gave him cooked lamb chop two nights in a row, but now he is vomiting bile. I didn’t know that lamb chops are fatty.
You should give it to him raw, not cooked. Cooked, greasy fats are really harmful. I learned the hard way. My little one almost died from cooked fat on meats, and I didn’t give them regularly (only as special treats). I stay mostly raw. It was a miracle that she pulled through.
My dog has a heart condition. What can I give him to help release built-up fluid? Can he can go on some sort of fluid tablets?
Can I give my Dobermanns raw prime rib beef fat in small amounts? They eat a high quality dog food on a regular basis. Thank you.