Liver is one of the most nutritious foods. Dogs also benefit from this soft innard. You can find out here what health benefits it brings your dog and what you should pay attention to when feeding it.
In a nutshell: Can dogs eat liver?
Yes, your dog can eat liver. She is very healthy. This delicious and inexpensive treat offers your four-legged friend many health benefits when dosed correctly.
However, you should always feed them in moderation, as overdosing usually results in diarrhea. In addition, excessive amounts can lead to vitamin A poisoning in the long term.
Why liver is healthy for your dog
For dogs, liver is a delicious treat. Liver is a good source of protein while being low in fat. Like other offal, it is very nutritious. In addition to vitamins A and B, it contains minerals such as iron, copper, phosphorus and zinc. Accordingly, it offers many advantages for your dog.
iron
Iron is essential for dogs. The mineral is responsible for the formation of hemoglobin and the transport of oxygen in the body.
A deficiency can lead to constant fatigue and anemia. Further consequences can be anemia, which manifests itself in the form of breathing problems.
By the way, the liver is the ideal offal to cover your dog’s iron requirements.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is responsible for visual function and a good immune system. It also supports bone metabolism during growth and plays an essential role in fertility. This vitamin also has an important function for the mucous membranes.
glycogen
Glycogen is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels and body temperature. However, glycogen can have a laxative effect. You should therefore not feed the liver in large quantities at once to sensitive dogs.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids
The liver is a good source of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 in particular is known as a natural anti-inflammatory. It ensures a good immune system and contributes to good skin and a shiny coat. Dull fur and itching can be resolved by feeding liver.
Reading tip: You want to know if dogs can eat chicken hearts? Then you should definitely read our article on “Can dogs eat chicken hearts?”! Here you will find all the important information and helpful tips. Stop by and find out now!
How to feed your dog liver
You can feed the liver to your dog raw, boiled, or fried, as you like. While raw liver is said to be the most nutritious, many dogs dislike the smell and spurn it.
Your dog can eat this delicacy in many different ways:
- Raw
- cooked
- fried
- dried
- liquid in the form of cod liver oil
- homemade dog biscuits or treats
Tip:
Unfortunately, many dogs are picky about raw liver. If your dog doesn’t like liver, you can mix some cooked liver into their food. I can tell you from personal experience that this trick works. Ever since I boiled or fried my dog’s liver, she’s been eating it like crazy.
As a dried version, they are also ideal as an energy-rich snack for on the go and are loved by dogs.
You can get dried liver online and at pet stores. You can also dry fresh liver yourself in a food dehydrator.
To make dog biscuits with liver, simply puree all the ingredients into a dough and put it in a suitable form. Baking mats, for example, are suitable for this. The advantage is that you can regularly feed your dog liver without him noticing.
Why You Shouldn’t Feed Your Dog Too Much Liver (Danger)
Too much liver is unhealthy for your four-legged friend. This is because it contains a high amount of vitamin A. It is a fat-soluble vitamin which, unlike water-soluble vitamins, is not excreted in the urine. The body stores it. If he gets too much of it constantly, it will lead to poisoning.
Signs of poisoning are:
- weakness, drowsiness
- seizures
- Headache
- nausea and vomiting
- peeling skin
If left untreated, vitamin A poisoning can lead to consequential damage such as the breakdown of bone substance or a tendency to fractures.
For this reason, it is important to calculate the weekly dose in order to avoid possible late effects.
How often can a dog eat liver?
As a rule, you can feed it to your four-legged friend 2-3 times a week. If your dog is sensitive to liver even with small amounts, you can boil it and feed it in smaller amounts every day.
Ideal feeding amount
With a BARF feeding, the innards make up about 15% of the feeding amount. About 1/3 of that is liver.
For easier understanding, here is an example:
Assuming your dog weighs 25 kg and gets 400 g BARF (meat content) daily.
15% of 400 g gives 60 g offal.
You calculate 1/3 of that, which in this example is 20 grams of liver per day.
So that’s 140 grams of liver per week. You can either spread this over 2-3 days or, if you have a sensitive intestine, give it a smaller amount every day.
Tip:
My dog always discarded the raw liver. Even if I mixed the food well, she found every little bit.
If your dog reacts similarly, you can steam the liver a bit. Then it is no longer raw, but at least the better smell convinces most four-legged friends and they no longer ignore them.
When feeding dried liver, you should reduce the amount. Because 250 g of dried form corresponds to 1 kg of fresh liver.
Otherwise you should not exceed the amount. If your dog is given dry food or wet food, it is important to pay attention to the ingredients in the packaging. Some manufacturers put so much liver in the feed that additional feeding is not necessary.
If you are unsure of the ideal dosage, you can consult your trusted veterinarian or a canine nutritionist.
Buy liver – pay attention to the quality
If you want to buy liver for your dog, you can get it in different variations:
- raw/frozen: in one piece or minced
- dried: in one piece and in cube form
- Treats: depending on the manufacturer, there is more or less liver in the treats
- dog liver sausage
It doesn’t matter which variant you prefer. However, it is important that the meat quality is right.
Liver from animals of species-appropriate origin costs a little more, but it is free of antibiotics and growth hormones.
Normally you can get liver from beef and poultry everywhere.
Good to know:
You should only feed pork liver that has been cooked through. This is because pigs can carry Aujeszky virus. This is transmitted by eating raw pork.
This virus is toxic to dogs and can be fatal.
Conclusion: Can your dog eat liver?
Yes, your dog can eat liver. She is very healthy. This delicious and inexpensive treat offers your four-legged friend many health benefits when dosed correctly.
However, you should always feed them in moderation, as overdosing usually results in diarrhea. In addition, excessive amounts can lead to vitamin A poisoning in the long term.