Many dog breeders actively add offal to their pets ’diets. One of the most common is beef lungs for dogs. However, not everyone knows how to cook it properly so that it brings benefits to animals. And some doubt whether it is possible to give it to animals. Let's deal with this topic in more detail to get an exhaustive answer.
Is beef lung good for dogs?
The answer here is quite clear - the cow’s lung is great for supplementing the dog’s diet. Still, these are offal, which means they contain a large number of useful trace elements that ensure the health and long life of the pet.
It is also important that the cost of this offal is quite low - perhaps it is impossible to find a cheaper substitute for meat. For many dog breeders, this factor is extremely important.
At the same time, the lung is exactly the same supplier of proteins - for dogs, like any other carnivorous animals, it is very important to get a sufficient amount of such raw materials. Although they, unlike their ancestors of the wolves, have adapted to digest many products, dogs cannot do just porridge or pasta - this will quickly undermine their health.
It is no coincidence that it is light that is often used by large manufacturers in the manufacture of a tasty and rather cheap treat, which is sold in stores at a price exceeding marbled beef.
So if you can’t feed the dog with selected meat, but want to provide it with a satisfying diet, definitely not worth giving up the lung.
Product benefits
To begin with, it is worth saying that experts do not question the benefit of beef lung for dogs. As mentioned above, first of all, it is a high-quality protein - natural, healthy. At the same time, the lung also contains a whole complex of vital vitamins and minerals. These include: iron, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, sulfur, sodium, magnesium, potassium, as well as vitamins B and C.
It is especially useful to give properly prepared lungs to puppies of sports breeds who need to develop the respiratory system. Experts also recommend that you include this product in the diet of animals with bronchial problems. During splitting, those components that are needed for the development and restoration of the lungs are released. So there is no doubt about the benefits of the product.
Possible harm
However, for food to be beneficial, it’s very important to know how to make light beef for your dog. We will talk about this a little later, and for starters - about the possible harm.
To begin with, the lungs, as waste, usually do not pass a serious test - parasite eggs can remain in them. Therefore, you need to cook it especially carefully, without leaving the worms the slightest chance.
It is worth remembering that the offal contains a large amount of connective tissue. If fed with a raw product, this could very well trigger diarrhea or vomiting in the animal. A raw lung is also flexible - the dog can easily choke on food.
Quality cooking allows you to completely solve this problem.
How to cook
Now it's time to tell how to cook a light beef dog.
First you need to cut it into small pieces - the smaller, the better. Still, even a boiled lung remains quite elastic - this can lead to the fact that the dog does not chew a large piece and chokes. And heat treatment of small pieces is more effective.
Some experts prefer to give dogs not just easy, but a kind of mix of offal. In this case, not only the lung is cut, but also the heart, liver, scar and trachea.
Finely chopped offal is poured with cold water, brought to a boil and boiled for 30-40 minutes.
After that, the product is considered finished. It is very important to keep track of how much to cook beef easy for dogs. Some owners prefer to save on electricity and gas, cooking only a few minutes. In this case, there remains the risk that extremely tenacious parasite eggs survive cooking and subsequently enter the animal.
However, simply properly weld the lung is not enough. It must also be served correctly. It has a fairly low calorie content - much less than that of meat, heart or liver. Yes, and the lung is absorbed much worse. Therefore, the animal needs to eat a large amount of product in order to get enough calories. If you feed one lung, the dog will get stomach problems. The problem is solved simply - the boiled lung is mixed with a side dish. It can be any cereal, as well as pasta. Some owners even add raw cereals or pasta to a pot with boiling light so that they can cook, saturated with the taste of offal. For taste, a chopped boiled egg can be added to the finished dish, a little butter - creamy or vegetable. Then, as a result, the pet receives a balanced, tasty and satisfying dish that will be happy to eat for many months, feeling great.
If puppies are started in your house, then from the age of about three months you can give similar porridge to them. But in this case, especially for small breeds, it is advisable to pass the lung through a large meat grinder so that the puppy hastily eating food does not choke.
To whom this product is contraindicated
However, dog owners should be aware that the lung is not suitable for all breeds. The fact is that some of the elements contained in it can cause the development of allergies. Even with intensive cooking, they do not collapse, which can lead to the most sad consequences.
First of all, these breeds include: French bulldogs, sharpei, Staffordshire terriers, Dalmatians and East European shepherd dogs.
Do not think that they should not be given lungs at all. Just for the first time, prepare a small amount of the product and give in combination with the usual food. If the dog feels comfortable, no rashes appear on the body, then everything is in order, there is no allergy, and your pet will always be happy to have breakfast with the porridge described above.
Cooking a light snack for a walk
Separately, it should be said about a special treat for dogs from beef lung. It is sold in many stores, and its price is simply sky-high - up to 100 rubles per 10-20 grams. Even elite meats are cheaper.
Fortunately, a treat can always be prepared at home - there is nothing complicated here.
The lung is frozen and cut into small pieces. A sheet of parchment is laid on a baking sheet, on which slices are laid out. The oven warms up to 180 degrees and the lung is dried until fully cooked. Such crackers can be stored at room temperature for several months, delighting your pet during walks and simply pampering for good behavior.
Conclusion
So our article came to an end. Now you know more about whether it is possible to give beef lungs to dogs, as well as what elements it contains. At the same time, we learned about the methods of preparing an offal, in which it will bring maximum pleasure and benefit to the pet.