Sausages. They are a versatile food for many occasions and events.
Hosting a barbeque party? Grill some sausage. Want to eat something meaty in the morning with your eggs? Take a sausage out of your freezer.
Want to make some paella? Mix in some merguez.
However, as we eat, there may be someone beside us at our feet, drooling as we eat our links.
That someone I am referring to is your dog. It may be very tempting to share your plate with them. But before you do, it is best to know first if they are safe for dogs.
So a question this brings us to is, can dogs eat sausage?
In this article, we will tell you whether sausage is safe for dogs. We will tell you if this food has healthy benefits or if it has harmful effects to our dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Sausage?
The short answer is no. Dogs must absolutely not eat sausage. Sausage is a bad food choice for dogs.
There are many types of foods that are not good for dogs such as grapes, bones, and chocolate. You can definitely add sausage to that list of foods for dogs to avoid.
Sausage is bad food for our furry pooches. It is considered to be an unhealthy choice for them.
More Information on Sausage and Dogs
While it is true that meat is generally good for dogs, sausages are highly processed.
Since they are processed meat, they contain less protein and more fat compared to natural meat like beef jerky. Most sausage brands contain less than 50 percent pork.
Sausages are high in fat which can lead to a lot of health problems such as obesity. Breakfast sausage is about 50 percent fat.
And fats are not the only concern when it comes to sausages. Sausages are also high in sodium or salt. Salt is always bad for dogs. In extreme amounts, it can cause salt poisoning.
Additionally, some sausages may also have a lot of seasonings. This is often the case with flavored sausages.
We have mentioned before that seasonings can be bad and unhealthy, if not toxic to your dog. For example, some sausages may contain garlic powder or onion powder which are not good for dogs to ingest.
What Happens if your Dog Eats Sausage
If your dog ate a little too much sausage, watch out for these symptoms:
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
Are Any Sausages Safe for my Dog?
However, not every type of sausage is unhealthy of toxic for dogs. And, if your dog gets a piece of sausage every now and then, there’s probably not much to worry about.
Sausages can be given to dogs once in a blue moon, and it can be given in only very small amounts.
If you are also out of foods rich in protein, a small amount of sausage for just a day is also not too risky. Protein is an essential nutrient that can contribute to muscle development and tissue repair.
Learn More About What Human Foods Are Healthy or Harmful for Dogs
This article is part of our special series of articles about “What Human Foods Can Dogs Eat?”
Can dogs eat a healthier food like seaweed? Find out in the next article in this series, Can Dogs Eat Seaweed?
