By nature, all dogs are scavengers. Keeping that in mind, they tend to gobble up any type of food they come across whether it is cooked or not. When it comes to bacon, dogs love it. But what if your dog found a piece of raw bacon fallen on the floor while you were cooking? Or, what if while you weren’t looking your dog just snatched a piece of raw bacon from the cooking tray?
Dogs love any type of cooked meat, whether it is bacon or beef. But what about raw meat? What to do if you face problems like My Dog Ate Raw Bacon?
If your dog has eaten a small piece of bacon, then your furry friend is mostly going to be alright. Whereas, if your dog has swallowed a big amount of bacon it may turn out to be harmful to your dog. In times like these, you should instantly contact your veterinarian and seek advice.
In this article, you will find out what can happen if your dog ate raw bacon and when is the right time to contact your veterinarian.
What to Do if My Dog Ate Raw Bacon?
Having pets in your home requires you to be much more cautious than you usually are. Supervising your dog almost the whole day is the best preventive measure you can take to avoid such situations. If you have kept a whole bunch of raw bacon outside, it is likely for your dog to eat it sooner or later.
When it comes to your dog eating something non-edible, or any food items like uncooked bacon that they aren’t supposed to eat, it is important for you to figure out the exact number of bacon strips gulped down by your dog. The amount of bacon eaten by your dog determines the level of risk they might have to face.
If your furry companion has eaten a small piece of uncooked bacon then they are mostly safe, but you should still keep an eye on your dog and check if they show any unusual behaviors. But if your dog has eaten a big amount of raw bacon then they can go through inflammations or infections inside their bodies. You should immediately contact your vet in times like these.
What happens if a dog eats raw bacon?
Fats and salts are very dangerous for the health of dogs just as dangerous as they are for us human beings. Bacon comes from pork, and it contains a lot of fat. Bacon is also processed with quite a lot of salt which is another reason why uncooked bacon should be kept away from dogs. It may not be toxic for dogs but that does not mean that raw bacon is healthy for your dog’s consumption.
Pancreatitis
Repeated consumption of raw bacon in dogs can lead to pancreatitis. What is pancreatitis? As it is in the name itself, pancreatitis is a health issue related to the pancreas. When there is an inflammation of the pancreas it cannot function well and this is called pancreatitis. This happens in other cases too like when your dog eats butter or when he eats a pistachio shell.
In order for the sugar levels in the blood to be regulated in your dog’s system the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin and allows your cute furry friend to use the glue code from what they ingest with food, that is carbohydrates.
Your dog can develop diabetes mellitus, a lifelong disease that can easily shorten the lifespan of your dog. Diabetes mellitus comes into the picture when there isn’t enough insulin produced by your dog’s pancreas in order to regulate the level of blood sugar well.
Trichinosis
Another terrible problem related to the consumption of raw bacon by your dog is trichinosis. What is trichinosis? It is a parasitic infection that occurs when undercooked or uncooked raw meat is consumed, by anyone, dogs as well as us human beings.
This infection is really hard to cure as well as tough to detect in dogs and that is why prevention is always better than cure! This will definitely require instant medical care.
The name Trichinosis is inspired by the trichinella spiral worm. Once this particular worm gets inside the body of an animal it can live inside for years! Yes, you read it right. YEARS!!!
Signs to be Aware of if Your Dog Ate Raw Bacon
It is very important to figure out that your dog is unwell and is showing signs of being sick in time instead of underestimating any of the symptoms. Reacting in time is what will save the good health of your dog. Usually, the first signs of any unusual behaviors or symptoms come up just after a few hours from ingestion when an adult dog or a puppy has eaten bacon.
Common Symptoms to Look Out For
If you notice your dog showing any of these symptoms mentioned below, pick up your phone and contact our veterinarian immediately. In such times, professional help is the best.
- Vomiting: if your dog starts puking you should know that your dog is trying to get rid of the bacon they ingested a few hours back. It’s the most obvious sign that something wrong is going on with your little friend.
- Abdominal pain: if you go to play with your dog and happen to touch their belly noticing that your dog isn’t reacting the way he usually does or if you see your dog being unable to walk normally it means that they are going through pain in their stomach. You must take your dog for a medical examination as soon as possible since abdominal pain can mean that your dog has an infection or inflammation in its intestines.
- Muscle pain: parasitic infection can easily damage your dog’s skeletal muscles. If your dog happens to look weak or you notice your dog’s swollen muscles you should know that your dog could have a parasitic infection troubling it. Infections like Trichinosis, as we mentioned earlier, are very hard to deal with and that’s why it is best to recognize these signs immediately and contact your vet.
- Lethargy: If your dog happens to be inactive during his playtime or if your dog wants to sleep a lot more than usual then take that as a sign that your dog is unwell.
- Diarrhea: a wrong diet provoked problems like diarrhea. Diarrhea can also mean that your dog is trying to get rid of the piece or pieces of bacon out of his system by passing stools. So, you should check your dog’s stools and see if your dog has managed to get it out. You should call your vet whether your dog expelled the bacon or not.
Conclusion
Raw bacon is not toxic for dogs but this certainly does not mean that it is healthy for dogs to consume. It’s important for you to make sure that this incident does not take place ever again in your home because repeated consumption of uncooked bacon can lead to lifelong diseases.
Training your dog so that they are aware of not crossing the boundaries of the house is one of the ways you can prevent your dog from eating raw bacon again. In order to live a healthy lifestyle, inculcating healthy habits in your dog is a must.
As a pet parent, it is important for you to know that you cannot keep such unsupervised foods out there, you have to keep the things your pet is not supposed to eat miles away from them or in places they don’t visit.
Learn from this experience and make sure to never let this happen again. After all, they’re just furry friends of ours who are our responsibility to look after.