The yummy and convenient food, corned beef, is a quick fix when you’re in a hurry.
Its aroma will leave your dog drooling and begging to have a bite.
Before you share some with your furry friend, you may be wondering, can dogs eat corned beef?
No, dogs shouldn’t eat corned beef.
It contains too much sodium and fat which can compromise your dog’s health.
Excessive consumption leads to too much thirst, dehydration, fever, and digestive issues.
This article answers all your questions regarding dogs eating corned beef.
Read on to find out the health effects of feeding dogs corned beef and what you can do in case of such an incident.
Why can’t dogs eat corned beef?
Corned beef is unhealthy for dog consumption.
Below are reasons why dogs can’t eat corned beef.
High sodium content
Corned beef contains high sodium concentrations, which exceed the required daily intake for dogs.
Three ounces of corned beef contain 827 mg of sodium.
Always note that a 33- pound dog requires not more than 100mg daily salt intake.
In other words:
- A 10-pound chihuahua needs about 30mg daily salt intake.
- A 75-pound dog shouldn’t take more than 227mg of sodium in a day.
HIgh-fat content
Corned beef contains too much fat.
There’s 19g of fat in every 100g of corned beef, and a 30- pound dog needs 14g of fat in a day.
Although dogs need to consume healthy fats in their diet, consuming excess fatty foods such as corned beef comes with harmful consequences.
These fats will make your dog overweight and cause obesity-related issues like diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and cancer.
Toxic ingredients
Corned beef is marinated using ingredients like sugar and spices like onions and garlic, which are toxic and cause health issues to dogs.
Depending on the dog’s size, these health issues can result from eating a bite or an entire bowl.
If the beef is too spicy, it can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal pains.
Can corned beef make dogs sick?
Excessive consumption of corned beef can cause illnesses in dogs.
These include:
Acute salt poisoning
Corn beef contains a high sodium content.
Although sodium is vital for some bodily functions in dogs, only a small concentration is enough.
When a dog takes enormous amounts of corned beef, excessive sodium gets into its body leading to acute sodium poisoning.
Digestive issues
Corned beef is processed food.
Consumption of processed foods like beef can cause food poisoning, pancreatitis, and gastroenteritis.
Food poisoning
Food poisoning can result from spices used to season the beef.
It can also result from bacteria in case the preparation and storage of the beef aren’t safe.
Pancreatitis
This condition comes from the consumption of high-fat content in corned beef.
Gastroenteritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the gut.
In this case, the high sodium content can irritate the gut, leading to inflammation.
What are the symptoms a dog can exhibit after eating corned beef?
When a dog consumes corned beef, the severity of the symptoms will depend on the amount of corned beef consumed and the dog’s size.
A small dog will have more reactions from consuming a small portion of the meal than a bigger dog who’s eaten the same amount.
For acute salt poisoning, the common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.
In the case of severe cases, vomiting will occur immediately after consumption.
Other symptoms include increased thirst, lethargy, rapid heart rate, weak muscles, seizures, high blood pressure, and coma.
Gastroenteritis also causes vomiting and diarrhea.
This is followed by stomach pain and dehydration.
A dog will lay the front legs and head on the ground and leave the hind legs standing.
In case of food poisoning, a dog will show symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and inappetence.
What should you do when your dog eats corned beef?
When your dog eats corned beef, you’ll want to take measures to ensure its health is restored.
Below are the steps to take.
- Evaluate the amount eaten
- Find out how long it’s been since the consumption
- Monitor for any symptoms
- Contact a veterinarian with all the information
If your dog takes a small portion and is significant, the effects may be minimised.
However, if the amounts taken are excessive or there are notable symptoms, you should visit a veterinarian immediately.
The veterinarian will induce vomiting, but your dog will receive medications like anti vomit, pain relief, and gastric-protectant drugs if it’s too late for that.
Severe cases will require blood and urine tests.
After recovery, stick to feeding your dog healthier alternatives to corned beef that can provide animal protein without the side effects.
These include chicken, ground beef, and turkey.
Will your dog be okay after eating corned beef?
It’s essential to seek veterinary help immediately when you realise that your dog has consumed corned beef.
When treatment begins before the symptoms become severe, the outcome is favourable.
If your dog consumes excess amounts of corned beef without receiving immediate treatment, this can lead to death.
Conclusion
It may be tempting to give in to your dog’s plea and share this meal like you do all the others.
Although beef is a healthy addition to your dog’s diet, it becomes an unhealthy choice when it’s corned.
If it consumes this meal, seek immediate medical help to avoid extreme symptoms like coma, seizures, and even death.
It’s dangerous to a dog’s digestive system due to high levels of sodium and fat.
The beef also contains sugar and spices, which are toxic to dogs.
Next time you let your dog bite a piece of corned beef, consider healthy alternatives.
There are several dog treats to choose from that are healthy, safe, and friendly to their digestive tracts.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
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