Can Dogs Eat Vienna Sausages? What Are The Risks?

If you’re already a dog owner, you surely know that they will usually make you give them whatever they want. They use their hopeful grimaces and sad eyes to completely melt our hearts making us give them even things that aren’t all that good for their health. Sometimes, they might eat things without our knowledge, not all of them good for their health. This is why you’ll always have to be on your toes and keep track of everything your furry companion eats and deny them access to things that won’t help with their development, like Vienna Sausages.

So, Can Dogs Eat Vienna Sausages?

Yes but very limited amounts. Vienna sausages are known to contain high amounts of fat and sodium, and some of them might even have seasonings that can damage your dog’s health. A dog that eats Vienna sausages very often and in considerable amounts can experience severe issues like digestive problems, pancreatitis, and even kidney damage.

This means that it will be a lot better not to give your dog Vienna sausages, but if they do get their paws on these foods, make sure this happens very rarely.

You might also like my articles on whether dogs can eat bacon bits, bananas, or nopales.

Another thing that you can do if you want to feed your dog Vienna sausages, is to soak them in warm water first, to make sure you eliminate as many spices and most of the salt before it reaches their stomach. You can also freeze these sausages before giving them to the dog.

In this way, you can reduce the negative impacts of all the harmful components of this treat on your dog’s health.

Most dogs will stop eating these sausages as soon as they feel their salty taste, but there are some that will only stop when there is no more sausage left.

Make sure your dog eats these sausages as treats and only from time to time. The rest of the dog’s diet should be made of meat and veggies for healthy development.

Can Vienna sausages hurt my dog?

As a matter of fact, yes, they can hurt your dog. If you want your dog to grow as healthy as possible, you should try to keep them away from these foods and keep them on a healthy and balanced diet.

You usually won’t know all of the ingredients that go in Vienna sausages. This means that they might even contain harmful ingredients for your animal.

You might have noticed that they are usually kept in a refrigerator, and not on a counter as you’d expect. This is because of their sodium nitrate content. This ingredient is bad for dogs.

They also have large quantities of salt and fat, both of which should be avoided in a dog’s diet. These are just some of the reasons why Vienna sausages aren’t the healthiest choices for a dog’s treat.

You might have a dog that is always close to you and begs you to receive whatever you’re eating. If you feel you can’t say no when your dog begs for Vienna sausages, at least soak these treats in warm water, to reduce some of their negative effects and eliminate some of the bad ingredients.

Any safe brands of Vienna sausage for a dog?

Looking through the different brands of Vienna sausage you will notice that not all of them are all that bad for your dog. However, even if you give your dog Vienna sausage treats from time to time, you should make sure that the rest of its food is balanced and healthy. Giving it too many kinds of junk food might damage its health even if you give it small amounts of each.

To check whether a particular Vienna sausage brand is bad for your dog, you will have to read and understand its ingredients.

If you can’t find an ingredient list, then the only thing you can do is taste the sausage yourself and see if it has any strong aromas or is particularly salty. Do the tasting away from your dog because, if you have a begger, you might have a hard time saying no when it wants a piece.

If you want to have a treat at hand that you know you can feed your dog and keep it healthy, then go for small pieces of meat or even vegetables.

Can dogs eat Armour Vienna sausage?

Yes, you can feed your dog Armour Vienna sausages. However, if you want it to remain healthy, this treat should also be given in moderation.

Possible Nutritional Issues

Up to this point, I have already emphasized the fact that dogs shouldn’t eat Vienna sausages due to their high content of sodium, salt, and fat. They also come with no nutritional value and will most likely only hurt your dog’s health.

I also told you what you should replace these sausages if you want your dog to enjoy a healthy treat and what happens when you feed it with high amounts of these bad treats. But what are the actual bad effects on the dog’s body?

Dehydration can occur

Your dog might get really thirsty from the high content of sodium inside the sausage. This means that it will also drink a lot of water and ask to go outside a lot more often, but it also means that, if it doesn’t have the necessary water, it might get dehydrated to the point where its health is affected.

In this worst-case scenario, dehydration could reach such levels that it might cause it to vomit uncontrollably or suffer from intensive diarrhea. If you suspect that your dog might have a bad dehydration issue, get a vet’s help as soon as possible.

Pancreatitis may set in

You might spot pancreatitis in dogs based on symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, or even a walk with a hunched back.

If you notice your dog having any signs or symptoms associated with pancreatitis, then most veterinarians will advise that you keep your dog under tight observation to make sure these symptoms don’t get worse. Even if they seem to stagnate, you should still talk to your vet about your dog’s situation. This is mainly because pancreatitis can become life-threatening, which means that the sooner it is diagnosed, the better.

Kidney Disease Could Develop

The food’s high-fat content and high amount of salt can cause your dog to experience some kidney issues. The pet’s digestive system wasn’t made for such high-fat percentages. High dehydration followed by increased consumption of water can also take a toll on your dog’s kidneys.

Among the symptoms that you should look out for when you suspect a kidney disease are excessive thirst, vomiting, and frequent urination.

You shouldn’t become paranoid about Vienna sausages because these intense symptoms will usually take a while to start showing up. One sausage will usually go unnoticed if the dog isn’t allergic to one of the ingredients. However, as soon as you see any of these symptoms occur, contact your vet ASAP for immediate diagnosis and treatment.