Fatty Acids in Ground Beef for Dogs
Ground beef contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and a few long-chain fatty acids, including arachidonic acid. If you want to make sure your dog is getting the proper amount of fatty acids in their diet, consider Native Pets Omega Oil, which is packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help promote healthy skin and fur.
The fat content of ground beef varies by product and is sold as 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% fat. The fat percentage of the ground beef also means the content of fatty acids will vary based on the specific percentage you choose to feed your dog. Ground beef is known in the human food world as high in saturated fat content, but that depends on the fat percentage you are consuming. The higher the fat percentage of the ground beef, the more saturated fat. However, the way saturated fat affects humans is not the same as dogs. Healthy dogs do not get heart disease from saturated fat as humans do.
Choosing the correct fat percentage of ground beef to feed your puppy depends on a few factors and the individual dog. Below are a few scenarios:
What is the goal of feeding the ground beef?
- For example, for a healthy young athletic dog, if feeding ground beef as an additional energy source on top of the dog’s diet of kibble or freeze-dried dog food, then a higher fat ground beef might be the best choice as long as the dog can tolerate more fat.
Does your dog have an intolerance to fat pancreatitis, or is your dog overweight or in the obese range?
- If your dog has any of these conditions, you’ll want to stick to ground beef that is 5% fat, 10% at the most.
Is your dog having an upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting? Do you want to use ground beef as part of a temporary bland diet?
- For stomach issues and using ground beef, it’s best to choose 5-10% fat ground beef and always cook it. The lower the fat for digestive problems, the better.
Ground Beef – Good Source of Omega 3 for Dogs
Ground beef also contains multiple fatty acids that benefit overall skin health and the immune system. Your dog needs essential fatty acids from both omega-6 and omega-3 sources, and ground beef does provide both but not necessarily in the amount to meet the minimum fatty acid nutrient requirement most dogs require. However, ground beef can contribute to the overall requirements for omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids by adding additional sources of both fatty acids to meet fatty acid nutrient requirements and balance between both fatty acids.
Do dogs like raw or cooked meat?
Most dogs would prefer raw meat to cooked meat, based on personal observation of their behaviour.
Healthy Food For Dogs – Ground Beef and Garlic
Dogs evolved to eat mostly meat. They can consume fruits and veggies as well, but their diet needs to be made up of mostly meat. As you might imagine, meat contains tons of protein and fat – which is precisely what canines need to thrive.
Ground beef is used to make everything from burgers to tacos. It is also relatively inexpensive, which is mostly why it is used so widely by humans today. While ground beef is absolutely meat, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should share your ground beef with your canine.
Generally speaking, plain ground beef is safe for most pets. However, there is a lot you can do to ground beef that can make it unsafe. We’ll discuss these situations below.