Sausages!!! A favorite snack that everyone loves, including our beloved fur babies, isn’t it??? But have you ever stopped and wondered if these harmless looking meat forms are actually harmful to the canine digestive system??? If not, here are some things you need to know.
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Can Dogs Eat Raw Sausages?
NO!!! While eating raw sausages doesn’t really affect the pooch’s system instantly, it sure leaves drastic long term impacts on their bodies. Raw sausages often have high fat and salt concentrations and also run a higher chance of containing other components that could harm the pup’s health. This includes deadly bacteria, parasites, and virus which when ingested results in a variety of diseases.
Are all raw sausages bad for a dog’s health?
To answer this question properly, let’s first understand how sausages are formed.
Typically cylindrical, raw sausages are a form of meat derived predominantly from pork and beef. These minced parts then undergo several processes where they are dipped in saturated fats or are overheated to provide them with a longer shelf life.
Afterwards, the meat pieces are either sold as it is or blended with other components to give it a better and smoother form. The concentration varies from one manufacturer to another and therefore, not all raw sausages available in your local store are 100 percent meat.
So, now that we know the secret behind the making of raw sausages, here is why they are bad for canines.
Exposure to Toxic Ingredients
Like discussed earlier, not all raw sausages come consisting only of meat and therefore offering your dog even the tiniest of sausage pieces may actually be exposing them to toxic ingredients.
Nutmeg, a commonly used ingredient in sausages, along with leeks and garlic are known to act as slow poison for dogs. These elements although don’t cause harm when taken occasionally, unmonitored or regular consumption can be quite fatal. The dog becomes severely lethargic, tires out quickly and may even show signs of extreme anemia.
Heightened Salt Intake
Another reason making raw sausages a risky deal is their salt concentration. Unlike us, dogs don’t require daily salt intake and hence exposing them to ridiculous amounts of salt as present in sausages can be quite catastrophic to their health.
On an average, most sausages have around 400 milligrams of salt present in them, which is more than the normally acceptable amount. Thus, on ingestion it could slowly but surely lead to high blood pressure, kidney, heart, and liver diseases, thereby decreasing the overall health standard of the pooch.
Presence of Carcinogens
According to numerous studies, frequent consumption of raw sausages increases risks of cancer by several folds in both humans and canines. The heightened amount of processed unsaturated and saturated fats increases the vulnerability of the meat to numerous carcinogens. This in result, contaminates the meat, which when consumed by an individual or an animal leads to an abnormal spike in the carcinogen multiplication within their bodies.
No Nutritional Enrichment & Lots of Calories
Apart from consisting of controversial amounts of meat, there is no nutritional importance of raw sausages for your dogs. They are only attracted to the smell, and nothing more. Therefore, by letting them have a piece or two of sausages regularly, you aren’t actually doing anything good.
Rather, the practice usually results in irrelevant, over consumption of calories which finally leads to obesity or an incurable eating disorder. Just like their human counterparts, the pup will also start showing an abnormal inclination towards all food items, requiring professional aid at the earliest for a successful recovery.
Risk of Contamination
In addition to this, you never know for how long the raw meat has been sitting on the aisle shelf, increasing the risk of contamination. So, not only is there no nutritional benefit of letting your dog consume raw sausages of any kind but there is also added vulnerability to food poisoning and other fatal microbial infections.
How do I know if my dog has consumed contaminated raw sausages?
The signs and symptoms include:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Runny, smelly diarrhea
- Ceaseless vomiting
- Extreme lethargy
- Stomach bloating
- Labored breathing
- Reduce appetite
- Unexplainable weight gain or loss
- Anemia
- Obesity
- Dark-colored urine
- Pale or bluish gums
- Inflamed muscles, etc.
When a dog consumes contaminated raw sausages, the symptoms may either be sudden or appear slow, based upon the canine’s existing health conditions.
For instance, if the pup is already down with something severe or in the recovering phase, the symptoms could be more instant and brutal. This is because their system is not able to deal with the sudden increased load, resulting in further degradation of their health.
The same also goes for woofers that have had a recent surgery or are undergoing powerful medications and treatments. Their overworked immune system might not be able to process the food easily, thereby creating a bunch of painful and uncomfortable health issues.
Even more, ignoring the subtle signs and continuing with the feeding could even lead to emergency vet visits and a lot more fatal risk to the little fur bundle. Hence, if you suspect your dog to have gobbled down a huge amount of raw sausages, taking them to the vet for a detailed inspection is hands-down the best choice.
Is Flavored/Cured Sausage Good for Dogs?
No. Just like raw sausages, flavored/cured/cooked sausages are no different for a canine’s body. Apart from serving no nutritional enrichment, the processed food will only impose heightened amounts of fat, spices and calories into their bodies which can make the dog obese or really sick.
Can I let my Dogs have Raw Sausages Occasionally?
Although, an occasional treat with raw sausages is nothing to be worried of, why risk the consequences at all. Rather pet parents can invest in better, canine-safe treats or make their own set of homemade food that they could offer the dog every now and then. This way not only the dog will be thankful to the change in taste but also be absolutely healthy and happy.
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Reference:
- rover.com/blog/can-my-dog-eat-raw-sausages/#:~:text=Sausage%20is%20high%20in%20fat,raw%20sausage%20is%20not%20recommended.
- pippaandmax.com/blogs/guides/can-dogs-eat-raw-sausages
- petdogowner.com/what-happens-if-my-dog-eats-sausages-cooked-or-raw/
- vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/anorexia-in-dogs
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