Does it make you feel guilty staring at your dog while eating sumptuous food? Well, you’re not alone. Being a partner to every man’s best friend, we always feel our dog’s hunger and eagerness to seize the food we eat.
Yet, giving them food bears so much responsibility for their health and safety — especially to human foods, such as Chorizo.
Can dogs eat Chorizo? Well, we’ll reserve the best answer for you!
Today’s article is remarkable, as we celebrate International Dog Day. Hence, we will help you gather information on how Chorizo can be safe to eat for your dogs.
What is Chorizo?
The Chorizo is a type of sausage originating from the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Its distinctive flavor comes from dried red chili peppers, garlic, and paprika. Traditionally, Chorizo is made from pork, but it can also be found with beef or chicken.
You may see Chorizo in a lot of Mexican dishes, such as tacos. It’s often eaten with eggs for breakfast or wrapped in a tortilla and served as a sandwich. Thus, Chorizo is best served when it has a little bit of fat, but not too much.
Food family of Chorizo
Chorizo belongs to the food family of sausages, a traditional food usually made from ground meat and spices, using a natural or artificial casing. The other sausage varieties include frankfurters (or hot dogs), bologna, salami, mortadella, pepperoni, and kielbasa.
The meat is not cooked before its ground in chorizo, and the spices are mixed in afterward. This process helps preserve more of the ingredients’ natural flavor than if they were pre-cooked.
Chorizo recipes often call for smoked paprika (pimentón), giving them a nice orange color and smoky flavor. Mexican cooks also use ground oregano and cumin, a combination that is very common in other Latin American cuisines.
Can dogs eat Chorizo?
The answer is yes! Dogs can eat Chorizo, but make sure to limit their portion size and watch out for any spices they may be allergic to.
How much Chorizo can a dog have?
As with any food you give your dog from the sausage family, limit how much they eat at once to avoid digestive problems. If it’s their first time eating this kind of meat, start with a small piece to see how your dog reacts.
Chorizo is not toxic for dogs, but it can make them sick if they have too much of it at once. So it’s best to give Chorizo as part of their regular diet rather than just giving it on special occasions like holidays or birthdays — this way, you know they are getting all the proper nutrients.
Best Ways to Feed your Dogs with Chorizo
Feeding the right amount of chorizo brings the best version of your dog’s health. So, we are listing three best ways:
Start by giving small pieces first
Please give them a little bit of chorizo with other regular food like kibble or wet foods for the first time. Then, check your dog’s impression for the next two to three days. Then, if there are no negative signs, you can go on and give them a whole portion of Chorizo combined with their regular food or treats.
Mixed it with other foods
Chorizo is best served when it has a little bit of fat, but not too much. And because Chorizo is often made from pork, you should make sure dogs don’t eat the whole thing at once and that they don’t have any allergies to other ingredients like garlic or paprika.
Make Dog’s Own Chorizo Treats
For the last one, you can make your own Chorizo treats for dogs. Start by using Chorizo ingredients like pork meat and spices, including garlic, dried chili peppers like ancho, chipotle, pasilla, guajillo, and bay leaf. Or, if it’s easier to find already made ones with these flavors at a local store, get one with these and be careful of the ingredients.
Reasons Why Dogs can Eat Chorizo
The secret to a dog’s balanced diet is ensuring that the Chorizos are toxins-free, and dogs should receive enough Chorizo at once. Here are reasons why dogs can eat Chorizo:
Healthy Fats
Chorizo can help dogs get more nutrients such as Vitamin B12, riboflavin, selenium, phosphorus, and niacin. It also contains healthy fats that can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease.
Source of Protein
Pork meat is an excellent source of protein for dogs. It has 22 grams of high-quality protein in 100g, making it the main ingredient to help your dog’s muscle and tissue development.
Easy to eat and digest
Chorizo is easier to eat and digest because it’s soft and small in size. Usually, dogs are okay with the spices of Chorizo as well, such as garlic or paprika, even though some individuals may be allergic to them.
Possible Concerns When Eating a Chorizo
Not all dogs are suitable for having Chorizo because they can be allergic to some spices like garlic or paprika. In addition, results can be alarming, so here are possible concerns that may manifest:
Digestive Problems
If dogs eat Chorizo, it can lead to digestive problems due to the spices and ingredients. So make sure you look for signs of diarrhea or vomit after feeding them with Chorizo if they are not used to spicy food yet.
Overeating
Dogs should avoid overeating at once because Chorizos have high-fat content, and too much fat can cause digestive problems. In other words, feeding too much Chorizo can be addictive, so make sure your dog eats in moderation.
Excess Salt Consumption
Salt is essential to health for humans, but it can cause some severe problems for our canine friends. When dogs overeat salt, they may experience vomiting and diarrhea. Also, a high amount of sodium leads to hypernatremia or water depletion in the body, affecting their central nervous system.
Signs your dog is sick from eating Chorizo
The red flags that appear when using the spices and ingredients of Chorizo may affect your dog’s health. Here are some signs:
Dry skin or flaky patches on their skin
You may see some dry skin or flaky patches on your dog’s skin after eating Chorizo. This is because the spices of Chorizo, like garlic, can irritate their stomachs and cause digestive problems in dogs.
Vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
If they experience vomiting, diarrhea or constipation when eating Chorizo, it may be a sign that your dog is allergic to paprika or garlic. If so, you can feed dogs with beef and chicken instead of pork meat because dogs have less chance to get allergies to their meat.
Bad breath
Toxins from the Chorizo cause bad breath in dogs. So it’s better to give them fresh fruit and veggies or even try making your own dog treats for them instead of feeding them with pure meat like Chorizo.
What to do if your dog is sick from eating Chorizo?
The first thing to do is to calm and not panic; take your dogs to your local veterinarian for an immediate inspection. The vet will check their blood pressure and pulse, as well as the severity of their condition.
If you think your dog is fine after eating Chorizo, let them drink water or milk. However, if your dog is sick from food poisoning, do not give anything to drink or eat since it can affect your dog’s condition.
Avoid these similar foods from this family.
Pepperoni
You should avoid feeding your dog with pepperoni, which contains spices, causing digestive problems for them. More importantly, dogs are attracted to smoky meats like pepperoni, and they can overheat it without knowing that this could be dangerous for their health.
Sausages
If you want to feed your dogs, then make sure there are no spices in their sausages. Also, check the ingredients of sausage that include onion or garlic, which may irritate your dog’s stomach, leading to digestive problems.
Pizza toppings
Spicy pizza toppings, in particular, can contribute to stomach aches and vomiting in dogs. Also, you have to pay attention to the ingredients of cheese like garlic or onion, which irritate their stomachs. And don’t forget about the high-fat content in most pizzas which can be addictive for your dogs.
How to Make Chorizo Safe To Eat
We measure our dog’s happiness through the delight we give to them. So, here are tips on how to make Chorizo safe to eat:
Avoid garlic-based ingredients in the recipe.
The best way to feed your dog Chorizo is by avoiding garlic-based ingredients in their homemade recipes. Peppers and spices are good but not too much. Also, make sure there aren’t any other harmful ingredients like an onion.
Avoid all spices
Some dogs are allergic to garlic or peppers, so feeding them Chorizo with spices is risky. For these dogs, it’s better to avoid all the spices or even try using different meats instead of pork meat like beef and chicken.
Be careful about fat content.
Dogs can have problems digesting high-fat food, which means feeding them Chorizo is not safe for their stomach. In this case, you can try making your own dog food or even using chicken instead.
If you want to feed your dogs with Chorizo, then make sure that they eat in moderation. One or two slices of it are enough for them; don’t overfeed them because this can be dangerous and cause digestive problems.
Key Takeaways
A dog’s happiness depends on the care and support they receive. So naturally, we want the best for our dogs, as they reciprocate the best comfort our lives deserve. However, as a dog owner, giving them the food comes with responsibility for their health and safety. Remember that not all food gives them nutrients; some may increase the risks and possible concerns you must look out for.
To answer our question, your dogs can safely receive Chorizo yet with limited portion size, spice content, and moderation. Chorizos are the best source of healthy fats, protein and can be easy to eat. But if red flags manifest, such as vomiting and constipation, dry skin, and bad breath, it’s time to bring your dogs to your nearest local vet.
Thus, the next time your dog sees you while eating sumptuous food, it won’t feel guilty anymore. Guilt starts when not overlooking your dogs’ health and not giving them safe spaces in your home.
Written by: Alejandro Corona Jr.