Can Dogs Eat Steak Fat? Is it Unhealthy?

No, dogs should not eat steak fat. Ultimately, if your dog eats the odd piece of steak fat it won’t harm them. However, it’s a good idea to trim the beef fat from your dog’s steak before or after cooking as it’s extremely unhealthy for canines. Excessive amounts of steak fat can clog a dog’s arteries, putting them at risk of heart disease.

Animal fat trimmings do not contain any nutritional benefit for dogs and should be avoided. Eating saturated fat is particularly bad for dogs that suffer from existing health issues such as obesity, hyperlipidemia or cardiovascular problems.

Avoid letting your dog eat steak fat and give him Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods that are found in fish oils and flaxseed. These good fats are an essential part of a healthy diet.

Too much fat in a dog’s diet can cause health problems including Pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. If not detected and treated, pancreatitis can cause organ damage, internal bleeding and even death. Fatty diets are the most common cause of pancreatitis because the amount of fat found in a dog’s blood leads to an inflammation.

A sore, painful stomach and continuous vomiting are signs of pancreatitis. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you think your dog is suffering from inflamed pancreas.  Other symptoms such as decreased appetite, fever, lethargy, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea could also indicate that your dog has developed pancreatitis.

Steak fat is hard for dogs to chew, which makes it a choking hazard. A dog’s digestive system is not designed to break down fat and could make your pup sick if he eats too much of it. Fat also contains a huge amount of calories, which can put your dog’s carefully considered diet out of balance. Excessive intake of calories could lead to weight gain and will put your pooch at higher risk of developing diabetes later in life if the calories are not burnt off during daily exercise routines.

If given occasionally as part of a balanced diet, steak can provide a number of benefits for dogs, including:

Protein – an essential part of a canine’s diet to allow the body to function properly, maintain and repair cells and support a healthy immune system.

Fats – fatty acids help dogs tone muscles and maintain healthy skin, hair and joints. Omega-6 is found in beef which gives your pooch a shiny coat.

Choose cuts of meat that have less fat on them. Ribeye steaks contain a lot of marbled fat, which is high in cholesterol and calories and shouldn’t be given to dogs. Can dogs eat steak bones? Never give your dog steak bones to chew on because the bone can splinter and cause choking or damage to your dog’s mouth or stomach if swallowed. Raw bones, raw steak and raw meat carry an E.Coli risk which can make your dog extremely sick. 

1. Always wash your hands before preparing steak for your pooch and make sure the meat is properly defrosted before cooking. Never give your pup meat that has gone off.

2. You can grill or pan fry the steak, as long as it’s cooked all the way through to kill any bacteria that could potentially harm your dog.

3. Once cooked, let the steak cool down before cutting it into small pieces so your dog can easily eat it without choking.

4. You can either serve the cut, cooked steak as a topping to their usual dog food or put it in a separate bowl as a special treat.

Steak gristle can be a choking hazard, especially for small dogs as it is difficult to chew. When preparing steak for your four-legged friend, always cut it up into small pieces. If you accidentally leave a small piece of gristle on your pup’s steak it won’t cause any long term problems, however you should take into account the high calories in steak gristle to avoid overfeeding your dog.

The best steak for dogs is a piece that doesn’t contain any fat, seasoning, spices or sauce. If your cut of steak contains fat, trim it before giving to your pup. Steak seasoning often contains garlic which is toxic to dogs and can make them extremely poorly. If you plan on sharing a piece of steak with your furry friend, it’s best to cut the piece off for your pooch before applying your seasoning. Dogs love the taste of meat so they don’t need any sauce that’s full of salt, sugar and other potentially harmful ingredients.

Lean ground beef, chuck steak, chicken and turkey are dog-safe meats that you can give your pooch as a treat to help boost protein levels. Avoid fatty cuts of meat such as bacon and never give your pup spoiled or moldy meat.