Can Dogs Eat Pig Skin

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There are so many tasty foods out there that many of us want to share with our furry friends. But, not all of them are going to be well-received by your dog, including pork rinds. Below, here’s everything you need to know about pork rinds and the potential dangers they pose for your furry friend!

Dogs should never eat pork rinds. The pork itself is fine for dogs, but pork rinds — whether they go by the name of chicharrones, scratchings, crackling, or pork skin — are not good dog treats. They are fried and loaded with all sorts of bad ingredients, such as non-nutritional fat, salt, and other seasonings. This may cause sickness to your dog which eventually can lead to an expensive vet bill for you!

Still, tempted to share your salty treat? Get familiar with what goes in pork rinds, how they’re dangerous for your dog, and what you can do instead that they’ll love even more!

No, dogs cannot eat pork rinds. Pork rinds—also known as pork cracklings, chicharrones, pork skins, or pork scratchings—are high in fats, salts, and oil, which can cause health issues for your pet.

Can dogs eat raw Pork rind?

No, dogs should not eat raw Pork rind. It is advised that you should never feed your pooch raw or undercooked Pork as it may be contaminated or could contain a harmful parasite called trichinella spiralis larvae.

Once your pup ingests a raw Pork rind that has this parasite, he may have trichinosis, a parasitic infection.

Merck Manual of Veterinary Manual states that:

So we recommend that you do not give your pup any raw Pork rinds.

What are Pork rinds?

They are a snack that is meant to satisfy the human palate or taste buds for the savory, oily and salty flavor as well as crunchy taste. Some people love to deep fry the Pork rinds while others prefer to lightly fry them in a grill or pan.

Whichever way you prefer, we can all agree that Pork rinds are made from the pigs’ skin that has been deep-fried.

While we consider Pork rinds as snacks, they are actually a staple food found in many areas around the globe. For instance, Pork rinds are known as chicharrones in Mexico. You’ll also find people in the Southern United States enjoying this popular snack.

Can Dogs Eat Pig Skin

Garlic and onion (Harmful)

Both onion and garlic belong to the allium family, which means they contain thiosulfate. Thiosulfate can damage your pup’s red blood cells and cause hemolytic anemia, which is why both onion and garlic are extremely toxic to dogs.

Canines with hemolytic anemia will display the following symptoms:

  • Fast breathing.
  • Muscle weakness.
  • Lethargy.
  • Pale or white mucous membranes.
  • Dark-colored urine.
  • Jaundice.

    • It’s best to keep the garlic away from your pup so he can’t reach it. If he consumes a good amount of garlic, he may experience garlic toxicity and have the following symptoms:

  • Diarrhea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Dehydration.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Depression.

    • Hint: Since onion and garlic are both toxic to dogs, it’s best to avoid feeding our canines food such as Lasagna that contains these two ingredients.

    FAQ

    Is pork skin digestible for dogs?

    When dogs were fed one pork skin chew per day along with their normal diet, the overall digestibility of the diet increased. This corroborates the in vitro results and supports the conclusion that the pork skin chews were highly digestible.

    Can dogs eat pig skin from a ham?

    Pork rinds, made from pig skin and often deep-fried to be even more fatty, aren’t toxic, but they’re not good for dogs. If your dog eats a piece of ham, a slice of bacon, a bit of sausage, or a pork rind of two, they’ll probably be fine.