You may think about giving your dog ground beef, but can dogs eat hamburger meat? Yes, you actually can feed your dog plain hamburger meat without added spices including salt and pepper. Hamburger meat, or ground beef, is a good source of protein for your pet. Absolutely do not put any cooked onion or garlic into the meat as can be the fatal outcome for your dog – so no spices at all.
Can I Feed My Dog Cooked Ground Beef?
Yes, you can feed your dog cooked ground beef as long as it is done right. The general rule of the amount to feed your dog depends on their weight. You would want to feed them 2 to 3 percent of their body weight per day. To be sure, consult with your veterinarian so you know exactly what is good for your pet.
Giving dogs a lean protein to eat such as hamburger meat can help with your pet’s immune system with the amino acids, minerals, and vitamins that are contained in ground beef.
Keep in mind that while we love our burgers cooked with a lower lean-to-fat ratio such as 80/20, you would want to go with something leaner for your pup such as 90/10. According to rawbistro.com a high-fat diet can lead to behavioral problems with your dog. So be sure they are getting enough protein in their diet.
How to Cook Hamburger Meat for Dogs
Ways of cooking hamburger meat for dogs include boiling the meat. You would add the beef to a skillet and break it up to fill the pan. Cover the beef with water and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat down to a simmer until cooked and drain.
You can also sauté the beef with some added veggies. Be sure to check with your vet on what veggies are ok for your dog. Add about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet and sauté the veggies. Add the beef and crumble up to cook until no longer pink. Be sure to drain off any fat.
Did you know that adding the olive oil is a bonus for your dog? The monounsaturated fats in the oil help keep your dog’s heart healthy and living a longer, happier life! And we would all love to have our cute, furry friends with us as long as we can.
You can also mix the ground beef with cooked rice for a bit of different flavor and texture for your pup. This can help your dog too if he has been having digestive issues as it is easy on the tummy.
Is a Cheeseburger Bad for a Dog?
Adding a little cheese in the hamburger meat is ok for your dog to eat. If you don’t know already, make sure your pet isn’t lactose intolerant. Give them just a bit at first to see their reaction. Also, opt for lower-fat varieties of cheese as your dog doesn’t need any additional fat added to their diet.
As far as a fast-food cheeseburger, we don’t recommend that for your dog. The grease in fast food burgers is a very high concentration and could cause serious intestinal problems among all the other toppings added to the burger that your dog shouldn’t have. If
So keep the fast-food stuff away from your pet if you want to be sure they will not get sick.
Can I Feed My Dog Raw Hamburger Meat?
Raw beef, as you know, can contain bacteria such as salmonella and e-coli. Definitely don’t give to puppies, dogs with liver or kidney failure or ones that may have cancer. According to thatmutt.com dogs can eat raw hamburger meat because they have short digestive tracts so the food goes quickly through their system before any bacteria can affect them. And their acidic stomachs keep the bacteria from taking over.
The chances of your dog getting sick from eating raw ground beef are very slim. Because a dog’s digestive system is very able to handle bacteria they shouldn’t have a problem. Their bodies are built to prevent bacteria from upsetting their stomachs.
Don’t feed your dog raw meat if they may have a weakened immune system and if your dog is older he probably shouldn’t have any form of raw meat.
As always with your pet, consult your veterinarian before changing your dog’s food to a raw meat diet.
Conclusion
Ultimately feeding your dog hamburger meat either cooked or raw is fine in most situations. Always use a higher lean-to-fat ratio of beef such as 90/10 so there isn’t so much fat in the meat.
For cooked beef, you can either boil it or if you have the time and want to give your dog a new taste treat, try sautéing it in olive oil and maybe some added veggies.
If you choose to give your dog raw hamburger meat, make sure it is from a good butcher and as always, consult with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet and going the hamburger meat route.
Let us know how you do the ground beef for your dog. We love to hear from you!