Dogs are chicken lovers, and they always want to eat what’s there on their master’s plate. They have a sense of smell, and they can smell the chicken, no matter it is in which form or is it safe or not. But as a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to know what is your pet is eating. You must know what is good and what is bad for them. One of those is knowing what they can eat? Can dogs eat raw bacon? The answer is no, and your dog should not eat raw bacon because it contains bacteria and parasites like tapeworm and roundworm, which can be harmful to dogs. This can lead to severe threats in the distant future.
Why Is Raw Bacon Bad for Pet Dogs?
Although your dog can have bacon at once, that should be cooked. Raw bacon contains bacteria and parasites which can create harmful diseases mentioned below:
1. TRICHINOSIS: Raw bacon can put your dog at risk of contracting trichinosis. It is an infection that happens on eating raw meat. It can affect both dogs and humans, and it is hard to detect in dogs and even harder to treat because once it is ingested, it continues to live in the body of dogs. Therefore, it’s better to avoid raw bacon as you must have heard,” Prevention is better than cure”.
2. PANCREATITIS: It is another disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed and is unable to function properly and break the fat. If your dog develops this disease, then he has to go through surgery that could be fatal. Even if the surgery gets successful, he may come with side effects over time that will stay with him the whole life.
3. OBESITY: Raw bacon is rich in fat that could lead to weight gain and obesity over time. You must take care that your dog doesn’t consume such type of food, which can make him obese. Obesity encourages other diseases such as heart disease, kidney failure, cholesterol, etc. If you are concerned about the severity, then make sure that your dog stays away from fatty food, and their diet should contain nutrients because only this can keep your dog healthy.
What are the signs to watch for if your dog ate raw bacon?
If accidentally, your dog happened to eat raw bacon in your absence, then there is no need to get worried. You simply have to look for the following signs:
• Vomiting: It is the most obvious sign that happens when something that has gone into the stomach is not right. If your dog’s body is unable to digest the raw bacon, then it will simply expel the food out of the stomach. Try giving him some water because, after vomiting, his body would require some water. If vomiting does not stop, immediately call your vet.
• Abdominal Pain: Another thing that you can do is to observe him closely, touch his belly and find out if he whines while you touch his belly. If it is so, then he must be suffering from abdominal pain. Look and try making him walk and note his way of walking. Is he walking in a strange way? Call your vet, and he will tell you the further process of relieving your dog.
• Lethargy: After eating raw bacon, if your dog does not take an interest in playing or his favorite activities and sleeps a lot, then consult your vet because it might be due to fever or muscle pain.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea generally happens when something wrong goes into the stomach. So, you should check the stools and see if he managed to throw it out properly. This is the symptom that appears for at least two days, so don’t get panic. Still, if you don’t find him comfortable, consulting your vet would be a good idea.
These are the symptoms that you have to look for. It’s recommended that if you see any of these symptoms, then do not wait for something worse to happen. Immediately consult your vet.
Conclusion
Raw bacon is something that can be very harmful to dogs. It contains parasites and bacteria, which starts to live in the body of the dogs and damages the skeleton. If you are tempted to give your pet bacon, then go for a cooked one. If accidentally, your dog has ingested the raw bacon, then look for the symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, muscle pain, etc. Don’t panic, and contact your vet, and he will instruct you on the process of further treatment. Don’t wait for something big to happen and if you are really worried for your pet, then keep him away from such types of foods, especially raw food. Try feeding your pet with only cooked food and avoid raw food. You can also include other non veg foods in your dog’s diet.