Horse meat for dogs – healthy or dangerous?

In order to make your dog’s diet varied, you have a wide selection of products and types of food.

You can give your fur nose wet and dry food, or even vegetables and meat.

It is also possible to switch between different types of meat.

In addition, it does not always have to be poultry or beef. Horse meat is also a welcome alternative for dogs.

In this article you will find out whether and how you can give your dog horse meat.

Is horse meat healthy for my dog?

If you want to enable your dog to live a healthy and long life, you also have to pay attention to species-appropriate feeding.

This includes a balanced ratio of meat, for example minced meat or raw meat, and vegetables and the necessary vitamins.

You can also offer your dog horse meat.

Like all types of meat, horse meat has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to feeding. Let’s take a look at what those are.

Advantages:

• Suitable for allergic dogs
• Low fat
• Contains a lot of iron and calcium
• Easily digestible
• Usually no animals from factory farming
• Long chewing pleasure

Disadvantages:

• Reservations about feeding
• Little supply of fresh horse meat
• Not suitable as main food for young and active dogs

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How do I feed horse meat?

If you want to feed your dog horse meat, you are faced with the following questions:

How should I prepare it? Can I feed fresh horse meat or should I rather use dried horse meat?

But fortunately with this type of meat all types of feeding possible.

The advantage of horse meat is obvious, especially for dogs with allergies and dogs with a sensitive stomach.

Because it is low fateasily digestible and does not cause allergic reactions.

Also as delicious reward the meat is also suitable raw, cooked or dried.

finished food

Whether in a can as wet food or in a sack as dry food, there is now a good selection of products for dogs that contain horsemeat.

So you can also offer your dog horse meat when using ready-made food.

barf

Also for barf horse meat is good. It can be fed raw without any problems. Bags with cut up or frozen horse meat are also available for this special raw feeding.

Because it easily digestible it is also very suitable for sensitive and older dogs.

But with young and very active dogs you should make sure that horsemeat is not the only source of meat. For it provides little energy.

treat

Horse meat is still a niche product in Germany. But it is gradually finding its way onto the shelves of pet supply stores.

There are now various products to choose from as treats.

That would be: horse sausage, dried horse meat and also bones.

But also finished ones Treats in different sizes is now available for purchase.

Where does the horse meat come from?

Unlike popular types of meat, horse meat comes from Germany usually not from factory farming.

Although horses are listed as animals for slaughter, they are not primarily «produced» for slaughter.

These are often former riding horses or animals that were used in agriculture and forestry.

Here the entry in the equine passport determines whether a horse as a battle horse is led or not.

If a horse is no longer approved for slaughter, for example because it has received certain medication, this must be noted in the equine passport.

Outside of Germany, the consumption of horsemeat is much higher. There are also Fattening farms for raising horsesintended for slaughter only.

However, the import of horsemeat to Germany is limited.

Experiences of other dog owners with horse meat

Other dog owners also exchange ideas about feeding horse meat.

In the dog forum HUND and user Frederike asked the question «Horse meat for dogs?» on September 7, 2009.

Userin Molly replied: «I also feed raw horsemeat, Molly likes it and she does tolerates it well.»

Ronbon wrote in the same article: «Bosses almost only gets horsemeat and I also make all the treats out of horsemeat – very high acceptance, is usually rather low in fat and, as has been said so often, a great option for many allergy sufferers.

Disadvantage: is usually quite expensive – but there are also cheaper sources than e.g. the frozen meat in regular trade.» (sic)

On the whole there is a lot of positive feedback for horse meat as feed.

Conclusion

Many people still have reservations about feeding dogs horsemeat.

thereby has Horse meat has many benefits for dogs and is particularly suitable for dogs with allergies.

Since that flesh quite firm is, the dogs chew on it more than on other types of meat.

Do you have further questions about feeding horse meat or do you already feed it to your dog? Tell us in the comments.