There's no question that offal is crucial for dogs. In addition to BARFing, dried chews offer an alternative way to pamper your four-legged friend. But which parts are available and which of them are particularly recommended?
Contents: offal for dogs
- Tasty and essential for furry friends
- The two detoxification organs
- Stomach and rumen
- More innards
- Conclusion: offal for dogs
Tasty and essential for furry friends
Sitting in front of two dog bowls , your dog is enjoying offal, which is much more than just unappetizing pieces of meat. These edible internal organs of slaughtered animals are rich in vitamins and minerals and are essential for a balanced dog diet. To replace the immense nutritional wealth of a small portion of offal, you would have to provide your four-legged friend with huge amounts of muscle meat - a task that even the hungriest four-legged friend couldn't handle. Wild dogs and wolves instinctively know that offal is essential to them: when they kill prey, they not only use the muscle meat, but also greedily devour the offal and bones . So it is clear that these parts make up a natural diet.
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Balance is everything
Despite their positive properties, offal should not lead to the replacement of entire portions of meat. Although the organs of slaughtered animals are literally full of nutrients, an incorrect dosage can quickly lead to an overdose, which can have negative health consequences. Therefore, offal for dogs should be viewed more as a dietary supplement. They should make up around twelve percent of the total amount of food and be on the menu two to three times throughout the week.
The two detoxification organs
The liver occupies an important place in offal for dogs. It is responsible for the breakdown and excretion of metabolic products and toxins in the body. By feeding liver or parts thereof, your four-legged friend receives a variety of nutrients in concentrated form, including iron, copper, zinc, selenium, vitamins A, D, biotin and almost all other B vitamins.
Despite these benefits, liver also contains a significant amount of glycogen (animal starch), which is difficult to break down. Excessive consumption of this carbohydrate can lead to organ and tissue damage, which is why it is important to feed liver in moderate amounts and not too frequently. Excessive feeding can also have a laxative effect.
In all mammals, the kidneys play an important role in detoxifying the body. Similar to liver, they are rich in protein and relatively low in fat. It is advisable to feed them just as occasionally and in small portions to avoid potential damage. However, many dog owners may report that their dogs don't particularly like eating kidneys.
stomach and rumen
Offal such as stomachs and tripe are a popular delicacy for dogs. The tripe in particular, as the largest stomach of the cow, is very popular and is often made into chewing snacks. These ruminant forestomaches contain a variety of nutrients and provide a good source of high-quality muscle meat as well as important vitamins and minerals. Green tripe, which still contains vegetable feed residues that have already been pre-digested, also offers a certain amount of fiber and more B vitamins. Despite their health benefits, it is important to feed the stomach and rumen in moderate amounts as excessive consumption can cause bloating.
More innards
Similar to the stomach, the heart is not considered a “classic” offal for dogs due to its high muscle mass. Nevertheless, the organ provides high-quality, lean muscle meat as well as important amino acids, vitamins B, C and E, as well as iron, selenium and potassium. It is suitable as a low-fat chewing snack.
For dogs that need to watch their line, Lunge can be a good alternative. The respiratory organ has a low fat content and few calories, but a significant amount of vital proteins. However, excessive amounts can cause flatulence or have a laxative effect.
The spleen provides a lot of iron, but its protein quality is moderate and the connective tissue content is high, making it difficult to digest. It is advisable to incorporate iron differently and limit feeding of spleen, although they can occasionally be used as tasty snacks .
Bubbles are low in fat and high in minerals. Dried calf bladders are softer and make useful chews for puppies , while bovine bladders are harder and provide a long-lasting chew.
Conclusion: offal for dogs
Organ meats are a valuable addition to your dog's diet as they are rich in vitamins and minerals. However, they should be fed carefully to ensure a balanced diet and minimize potential risks of overdose. By feeding the different types of organ meats in moderation and variety, you can ensure that your dog benefits from the many health benefits that these tasty and nutritious parts provide.
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