Is Salami Safe for Dogs? Understanding the Risks and Guidelines
Most Americans eat cold cuts several times a week, and one popular variety is salami.
When your dog looks at you while you're eating breakfast, you may wonder, "Are dogs allowed to eat salami?" Find out why you shouldn't feed it to your furry friend and resist the begging dog look here.
Why is salami made from pork toxic?
Pigs carry the Aujeszky virus, which is not toxic to humans. Therefore, the virus is not tested at the slaughterhouse. Unfortunately, an infection ends fatally for dogs and cats.
Although the risk of infection is low and mainly concerns hunting dogs when they come into contact with pigs, it is still important not to feed salami carelessly. By the way, you should also be careful when walking in the woods not to encounter a pig!
To date, veterinarians do not have an antidote in case of infection. The Aujeszky virus is an animal disease that your veterinarian is not allowed to treat according to the law. The vet can only help your dog by euthanizing it, thus sparing your four-legged friend from suffering.
Is any sausage that contains pork dangerous?
The Aujeszky virus is only present in sausages that are raw, including smoked and air-dried salamis and ham. If the sausage is scalded or cooked, the virus is already killed.
This applies, for example, to Vienna sausages, liver sausage, or hunting sausage. Your four-legged friend may eat these. However, it is still better not to give your dog any of these sausages. The spices, salts, and high fat content are not beneficial to their health.
Can dogs eat smoked salami?
No, your dog is not allowed to eat smoked salami either. Contrary to what you might think, salami is always cold smoked.
The temperatures involved are as high as 25 degrees, and the Aujeszky virus does not die until the temperature exceeds 80 degrees.
Read also: How to Cook Chicken Livers for Dogs
My dog has eaten salami - What to do?!
If your dog has eaten salami, watch him carefully. In most cases, he will be very thirsty within a very short time because of the spices, and he may get diarrhea due to the amount.
Look at the packaging of the salami and check if it is made of pork. There is a danger if your dog starts scratching, vomiting, or becomes restless. In any case, you should immediately go to the nearest veterinarian, as these signs are indicative of the Aujeszky virus.
Salami from dog feed store
You can feed your dog unseasoned dog salami from the feed store without hesitation. This type of salami is produced especially for four-legged friends, and it is free of spices and other questionable ingredients. Furthermore, it contains hardly any salt. As a rule, it consists of beef, venison, or lamb.
Read also: Raw Food (BARF Diet) Percentages
In conclusion, your dog is not allowed to eat salami. It belongs to the raw sausages, and salami with pork can cause death within a few hours in case of infection due to the Aujeszky virus.
You should also not feed beef or poultry salami because of the spices and high fat content. In addition, the high salt content can cause severe thirst. If you want to give your dog a small piece of salami, you should always heat it before feeding.
If you have any questions about dogs and salami, feel free to leave a comment.
