Can You Put Bacon Grease on Dog Food? What You Need to Know!

As a dog parent who likes to treat their canine kids every now and again, it is normal to want to know which human foods you can safely feed them. Some human foods are okay for dogs, but unfortunately, bacon grease isn’t one of them, according to vets. Though many dogs love nothing more than licking up a bit of bacon grease that splashed on the floor, feeding it as part of their regular diet is unhealthy for them.

In this post, we’ll explain why it’s not a good idea to feed bacon grease to dogs and which human foods dogs can safely eat.

Is Bacon Grease Good for Dogs?

It is not! According to Jacksonville Community Pet Clinic’s vet advice post on which foods to avoid feeding your dog, bacon grease, as well as bacon, ham, and trimmed fat are high in (of course) fat and salt, which makes it an unhealthy choice for dogs.

A dog’s stomach just isn’t built to handle so much salt and fat, and eating bacon and bacon grease could lead to pancreatitis, so it’s just not worth the risk. Additionally, if you feed this kind of food long-term, you run the risk of your dog becoming obese.

My Dog Ate Some Bacon Grease, Will They Be Okay?

It’s not uncommon for dogs to stand nearby while you cook, just waiting for that tasty bit of bacon grease to spit out of the pan onto the floor. If your dog has eaten a little bit of bacon grease, it’s highly unlikely they’ll suffer ill effects and will just think they’ve gotten away with a tasty treat.

If they eat a large amount, though, they may suffer from stomach upset as a result and may experience vomiting and diarrhea due to the irritation caused by high fat and salt content. If this happens, give your vet a call for advice.

Which Human Foods Are Safe for Dogs?

Though bacon grease may be off the menu, fortunately, there are quite a few human foods that dogs can eat in moderation as an occasional treat.

As long as you’re feeding your dog a nutritionally complete diet, there’s nothing wrong with giving them a bit of human food as a treat now and then, provided it’s safe for them. Below is a list of foods that are okay for dogs to eat in small, bite-sized portions as a tasty snack from time to time:

Note: When it comes to fruits, be sure to remove any cores and seeds before feeding, as these can be toxic to dogs.

• Carrots
• Peanut butter
• Cooked, boneless salmon
• Chicken
• Shrimp
• Cheese
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa
• Plain yogurt
• Corn (off the cob)
• Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
• Cooked eggs
• Cooked sardines
• Honey
• Unsalted peanuts
• Cooked tuna
• Blueberries
• Watermelons
• Blackberries
• Apples (not the seeds or core)
• Bananas
• Cucumbers
• Pumpkin
• Cantaloupe
• Peaches
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Green peas
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes
• Spinach
• Plain, cooked rice
• Oranges
• Celery
• Unsalted cashew nuts

Final Thoughts

To sum up, bacon grease is too high in fat and salt to be safe for dogs to consume a lot of. If they’ve eaten a bit off the floor, they’ll very likely be fine, feeding bacon grease as part of your dog’s regular diet is not a good idea, as you run the risk of your dog developing obesity, pancreatitis, or simply getting sick with an upset stomach.

In our opinion, it just isn’t worth the risk, especially when there are so many safe and mouth-watering human foods dogs can enjoy as a treat instead.

Featured Image Credit: piviso, Pixabay