All dogs are different, as are all samples of raw meat. Your pup may crunch up a raw chicken wing and remain in perfect health, or he may contract a terrible – potentially lethal – disease.
Raw meat absolutely presents more risk than cooked meat does (regardless of whether the cooked meat take the form of commercial kibble or a home-prepared meal).
There is nothing controversial about this; cooking kills many of the germs and pathogens present in raw meat.
Raw meat just isn’t reliably safe for your dog. Read on to learn why, and what you should do if your dog already ate some raw meat.
What Happens if My Dog Eats Raw Hamburgers?
We’ve established that your pet dog eating a raw hamburger patty is not a good thing. The salmonella in the raw beef can wreak havoc on your dog’s body.
What exactly will happen if your dog eats a raw burger patty that has been tainted with salmonella? Your dog will go through a bout of food poisoning if that happens. The symptoms of food poisoning caused by salmonella are detailed below.
Vomiting is one of the most common symptoms of food poisoning in dogs. Your pet may start to throw up the contents of their stomach not long after eating.
Their bout of vomiting can also be short or extended depending on how the bacteria are affecting them.
Diarrhea is yet another symptom that will present itself in dogs who have eaten raw beef. Similar to vomiting, dogs may keep defecating for a while if they are suffering from food poisoning.
Most pet parents are aware of just how unpleasant it is to clean up after a pet with diarrhea. Avoid that experience by keeping raw burgers out of your dog’s diet.
Your dog can lose a lot of their liquids quickly if they are vomiting and defecating consistently. The risk of your dog getting dehydrated is very high during that time. Watch out for that because dehydration can also cause some serious issues.
A bout of food poisoning can really take a toll on your dog. They may become lethargic as a result of what happened. Your once energetic friend may just lie down all the time because of the tainted beef.
No matter how much your dog likes to eat, they may not be able to overcome the effects of food poisoning. They may only take a few bites of their food or turn it down altogether because they feel sick.
Dogs that are suffering from a severe case of food poisoning may also start to experience seizures. Take action right away if your dog is already exhibiting those symptoms of food poisoning.
What to Do if My Dog Eats Raw Hamburgers?
No pet parent wants to see their furry friend exhibiting the symptoms of a serious illness. If your dog has food poisoning, you need to care for them right away.
One way to treat your sick dog is to fast them. For the next 24 hours, you should only give your pet water. Don’t give them any food during that time so the bacteria can clear out of their system.
Hopefully, your dog will not vomit or defecate while they are fasting. Your dog is probably on the road to recovery if they are able to pass through the fasting period without any issues.
Taking more immediate action will be necessary if your dog continues vomiting or defecating while fasting. At that point, you need to take them to the veterinarian so they can be examined and treated by an expert.
Heed the advice given by the veterinarian so your dog can recover quickly.
Feed your dog homemade cooked food instead of raw.
Chances are, your dog will never get sick from eating raw meat.
However, if you are concerned about the potential bacteria, then maybe a raw diet is not the way to go for your dog.
It’s not worth it if you are going to be worried all the time. Instead of feeding him raw, feed him cooked meat or a higher-quality dry dog food.
FAQ
What happens if dog eats raw hamburger meat?
Can a dog eat a raw burger?
How much raw hamburger can a dog eat?
Raw steak or hamburger patties can contain bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to dogs, as well as people. Keep a careful eye on the meat as you prepare the grill because the aroma will definitely get your dog’s attention, and he may try to sneak a tasty morsel of the uncooked meat.