It is often tempting to share leftovers with your dog. But can dogs eat haggis?
The short answer is no, dogs are not equipped to effectively digest haggis, mainly because of the onion content. This article will cover the ingredients in haggis and explain why it is not suitable food for dogs.
What is Haggis?
Haggis is a type of sausage that is particularly popular in Scotland. The main ingredients are liver, heart, lungs, onion, spices, oatmeal and suet.
Traditionally, it is traditionally cased in an animal’s stomach. It was born in a time when wasting food was simply not an option, and so ways were found to use every part of an animal to eat. Nowadays it is more often cooked in an artificial casing.
It is used in several meals, most commonly with neeps and tatties, but also crumbled and fried for breakfast or to make stuffing for poultry.
Whilst dogs are meat eaters and would definitely enjoy a serving of haggis, there are other ingredients that might be harmful to your dog.
Ingredients in Haggis that are Harmful to Dogs
Onions
Onions, as well as garlic and chives, are toxic to dogs. Eating them can cause toxicosis, gut irritation and even anaemia.
This applies to all types of onions, as well as every part of the onion – the leaves, the flesh and the skin all contain the principal that is toxic to dogs.
Onions are toxic to dogs whether they are raw, cooked, powdered, or fried.
The onions in haggis are therefore a key reason not to feed it to your dog.
Spices
The spices in haggis could also cause a stomach upset for your dog. Whilst there are some herbs that are known to be beneficial to dogs, spices should be avoided.
Spices can be toxic to dogs and cause stomach pain, vomiting, gas, or diarrhoea.
Spicy and salty food can also cause excessive thirst in your dog, which can again lead to vomiting, or even kidney problems if dogs are fed spicy food regularly.
The salt and spices used in haggis are another reason to not offer it to your dog.
Related Questions
Can I Feed My Dog Cooked Sausage?
Whilst small amounts of sausage will not be harmful to your dog, they should not be a regular meal or treat. The high fat content, as well as the high salt content, could be harmful to your dog’s stomach.
Sausages are also a highly processed food, and so are more likely to contain chemicals and additives that are not suitable for dogs.
Can a Dog Eat Black Pudding?
Black pudding is made from meat and animal blood, and often oats and barley. It is less common to find onions in black pudding, so is safer to feed to your dog.
Make sure to check that the black pudding does not contain onions or spices, or too much salt, so that it is safe for your dog to eat. And use in moderation as a treat, as the high fat content makes it unsuitable as a diet staple for dogs.
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