Nothing grabs a dog’s attention than the enchanting smell of smoky fried meat. Even the more reserved dogs start to beg as soon as you open the bag of beef jerky. Before handing her that piece of jerky, ask yourself, can dogs eat beef jerky?
As a canine parent, you occasionally give your furry kid treats from your dinner table. Some of these can be dangerous to the dog though. Let’s figure out if beef jerky is one of those.
Can My Dog Eat Beef Jerky?
Beef jerky is one of those human foods with a lot of confusion when it comes to giving it to your dog as a treat. This food is irresistible to us humans and dogs because of the spices added to it when being processed.
To prolong the shelf life of beef jerky in supermarkets, manufacturers add lots of sodium to this delicacy. To further spice it up with taste buds, onion powder, pepper, and garlic are added.
As a responsible dog owner, you already know that all these spices should never appear anywhere in what your dog consumes. Too much salt in your dog’s diet will cause excessive urination and thirst. Vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures and even death are some of the other effects of salt and these spices.
The consumption of beef jerky by has led to the deaths of thousands of dogs in the past. Whether it is beef jerky or chicken jerky, concerns have been raised by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the potential threat posed by beef jerky to dogs.
So, if you were thinking about giving your dog some of that spicy jerky that you are enjoying, I wouldn’t if I were you. This is mostly for commercially made beef jerky. It is not a question of can, but why shouldn’t your dog eat beef jerky.
What Happens if A Dog Eats Beef Jerky?
Just as confirmed by the FDA, spicy beef jerky can be very dangerous to dogs and any pet for that matter. The answer to the “can dogs eat beef jerky” is a definite no, unless you probably want to part ways with your lovely friend (who does that?)
The salt content is just too much for your dog’s system to handle; it is about five times dog’s health limits. As mentioned earlier, this excessively dehydrates your buddy.
Garlic, onions and pepper cause damages to your dog’s red blood cells, leading to difficulty in breathing. Fats too could be potent to the dog if taken in huge amounts.
Save Your Dog From The Potential Harm
Can dogs eat beef jerky? No really. These delicacies are not good for your dog in any way, more so the processed ones. If you are so much insistent on still giving your dog beef jerky, then the homemade options are the best.
You can slice the fat free meat and cook them in your oven at about 2000C for approximately 30 minutes. Do not add any spices to the beef jerky. This beats the actual purpose.
Last Updated on 08/12/2023 by Karen Snow
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!
I am so nervous! Gave my 2 year old boxer a piece of Jack links original flavor. Beef Jerky.
Of ourse, I didn’t think until she ate it that I realized I should of checked to see if it would harm her. Now, after reading, they should NOT have beef jerky I’m scared that she might die!!! Especially since what I just read. This is the first time ever giving it to her and it was just a small piece.
A small piece wouldn’t hurt any dog. You should check the ingredients and how much of the ingredients they put into the beef jerky. Not all beef jerky is the same, so your dog has a 0.5% chance of dying. You don’t need to worry.