If you feed your dog better than you feed yourself, welcome — you have found your people.
Today’s topic is liver. Eating liver is full of nutritional benefits for humans, but is the same true for dogs? And do you have to cook it or can you feed them liver raw?
Let’s find out.
Can dogs eat liver?
Yes. Liver, when prepared correctly and eaten in moderation, is a nutrient-dense food source for dogs. This is true across beef, chicken, and other common animal livers, and they can help your dog maintain a healthy immune system and promote healthy vision [*].
Beef and chicken livers are the most common choices to feed dogs, but owners can also feed their pets pork, duck, goose, and turkey liver.
Liver is often added to packaged dog food for extra nutrients, and it is a common and safe ingredient to feed your dog. That includes cooked liver and raw liver, when handled and served with care.
Also — it is rare, but some dogs are allergic or have sensitivities to nutrients in liver. Consulting with your vet before introducing new food to your dog’s diet is crucial to prevent any adverse reactions.
Is liver good for dogs?
Assuming they aren’t allergic and cooked liver makes up around 5% of their diet, liver is about as healthy a meat source as it gets for dogs. It is overwhelmingly nutritious, packed with vitamins, minerals, and protein [*].
- Vitamin A: This antioxidant is best known for supporting vision and skin/coat health, but it also supports the dog’s immune system [*].
- B Vitamins: B vitamins like B1 (thiamine), riboflavin (B2), and folate (B9) play an essential role in cognitive function and help convert food to energy [*].
- Iron: This mineral transports oxygen to the blood cells, assisting metabolism and digestion [*].
- Copper: Copper is an essential nutrient required by mammals due to its variety of roles in physiological processes necessary for basic function and health [*].
- Protein: The liver is high in protein, which helps maintain healthy fur & keep dogs full [*].
When is liver unsafe for dogs?
While rare, liver can be unsafe when dogs are overfed, have sensitivities, have allergies, or when liver is sourced from unreliable sources.
Fed excess vitamin A
If served in excess, liver can cause Vitamin A toxicity [*]. While Vitamin A is an essential vitamin, when large doses are ingested, dogs may develop symptoms such as vomiting, drowsiness, and peeling of the skin.
Vitamin A toxicity typically develops over the course of weeks or months — not a single serving, although if your dog gets into a bunch of Vitamin A supplements that’s a different story. Metabolism of Vitamin A also differs from species to species [*].
Livers are not advised for dogs with low blood pressure, a liver allergy, kidney disease, or sensitivity to phosphorus, as these conditions can be triggered/exacerbated by liver consumption [*]. As always, check with your vet before changing your dog’s diet.
Fed excess iron and copper
Excess iron and copper can create complications as well, but as long liver is fed to dogs as part of a balanced diet, it is overwhelmingly healthy [*].
Exposed to pathogens
Another risk when feeding liver to your dog is the risk of contamination or pathogens when serving meat raw. While the benefits of serving raw meat are plentiful, the risk is rare and largely due to a mishandling of the meat. That can be in the facility where the meat was produced or at home. It is particularly important, however, to consider cooking pork liver before serving to prevent the risk of trichinosis, a parasitic disease that can be found in pork and wild game [*].
This is a rare risk, agnostic of sourcing. However, some studies point toward grass-finished, pasture-raised meat and other sources certified organic by the USDA are less likely to be contaminated with bacteria that can sicken people, including dangerous, multidrug-resistant organisms, when compared to conventionally produced meat. This is according to a study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health [*].
Can dogs eat liver raw?
Yes. If sourced correctly, handled carefully, and introduced slowly, the benefits of feeding raw meat to dogs are compelling and worth considering.
The official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Veterinary Medical Association is to not feed dogs a raw food diet [*][*]. This is because raw liver can contain pathogens that can make you and your dog sick.
However, the AVMA also recognizes that other scientifically validated technologies can reduce or eliminate the risk of human and animal illness due to pathogenic contaminants [*].
The risk is related to handling and sourcing, and the CDC and AVMA’s position arises from an abundance of caution. Many pet owners, the US Wellness Team included, advocate that these risks can be mitigated. We believe it is worth it to serve a more nutritious meal to our dogs, but we are taking precautions with sourcing and contamination [*].
For example, when feeding dogs raw meat you need to be mindful of prolonged exposure at room temperature and feed liver after a short warming period (to avoid upsetting stomachs) instead of leaving it out on the counter.
The AVMA also has a guide for safe handling of pet food that is worth reviewing before feeding your pets raw meat.
Others say the difference in nutritional value is nominal and not worth the risk of hurting or killing your dog [*]. They say while the idea of feeding dogs raw food can be romantic and harken back to ancestral roots — dogs are not wolves. They are domesticated animals whose instincts and genes have been shaped by humans for thousands of years.
Ultimately, that choice should be determined by you, and ideally your vet.
What type of liver is best for dogs?
While all livers are nutritious choices, there are some differences between them:
Chicken liver
Chicken liver is fantastic for dogs when eaten in moderation. It is fast to prepare, relatively cheap, and packed with vitamins A and B. It is also full of amino acids, proteins, and healthy minerals.
Pork liver
Yes, pork liver is a wonderfully nutritious option for dogs as a small part of their diet. Pork liver is high in iron, Vitamin A, and minerals — all of which are essential and healthy for dogs. Just remember that pork liver is arguably the most prone to contamination and should be treated with the most care.
Beef liver
Yes, beef liver is the most popular liver to serve dogs. It is a nutrient powerhouse, offering a rich variety of vitamins and minerals, and is full of flavor. Opt for grass-fed and grass-finished liver to give the healthiest meat to your dog.
Lamb liver
Just like beef or chicken liver, lamb liver is a great addition to your dog’s diet when eaten in moderation. Because livers process nutrients, they are viewed as the most nutritious cut possible.
Venison liver
Yes, it is healthy for dogs to eat venison liver and they will love this stinky, gamey treat. Venison liver is full of Vitamin A, protein, and healthy minerals. Serve it boiled and without seasoning.
How do you prepare liver for dogs?
When cooking liver, avoid seasonings, oils, salt, and anything other than the meat itself. Here are a few of the most common cooking methods:
Raw
The easiest way to serve liver to your dog is raw. Measure out around an ounce, let it warm for 5 minutes or so to take the chill off, cut it up into smaller pieces if serving to a small dog, and place it on a clean food bowl to avoid having the raw meat touch other surfaces in your house. You should also wash your hands thoroughly and avoid reusing bowls and spoons after handling raw meat.
Boil
This is the simplest and best method for preserving nutrients when cooking. Bring an unsalted pot of water up to boil and cook for 10-15 minutes until fully cooked. Then slice it into pieces appropriate for the size of your dog.
Bake
Get your oven up to 375º and line a baking sheet or pan with parchment paper. This makes clean-up easy since we won’t be using oil. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked. Cut and serve or pulse in a food processor to create patties or cubes.
Pan-fry
Pan frying is possible but may require more clean-up when avoiding oils. A non-stick pan is preferable to mitigate this. Simply sear the livers on medium heat until fully cooked through. Allow the livers to cool slightly before serving to your dog, although avoid leaving them on the counter where bacteria will collect with time and as the meat’s temperature decreases.
Ways to serve liver to your dog
We prefer homemade, raw liver for dogs, but here are a few common options:
- Dog food with liver: Many commercial dog foods include liver for added nutrition.
- Raw liver: This is our favorite route, ensure it’s from a reputable source with excellent contamination protocols and mitigate time spent out of the refrigerator.
- Home-cooked liver: This is our favorite method and offers complete control.
- Liver treats: Many pet stores offer treats made with liver for a tasty reward.
How much liver can a dog eat per day?
For most dogs, an average daily serving of around 1 ounce (28g) is appropriate, but individual needs may vary [*]. It’s always a good idea to consult your veterinarian for tailored recommendations.
When it comes to liver, it should ideally account for about 5% of your dog’s diet [*]. You don’t have to track it daily, but make it a controlled addition.
What is the best raw liver for dogs?
The best raw liver for dogs can be found by following the same thought process humans do when choosing good meat: the animal should be raised on whatever it eats naturally, produced with rigorous contamination protocols, not propped on antibiotics to compensate for poor living conditions, and have space to move — throughout its entire life.
This is because the conditions, feed, and sicknesses during an animal’s life impact the nutritional quality of the meat. As hard as industrial meat tries to make people forget this, it’s not surprising. Of course, an animal’s lifestyle affects its meat!
Keep in mind, that many companies also finish their beef or other animals on feed/grain at the end of their lives during a final fattening phase, while retaining the label grass-fed. This creates confusion for consumers, which is why we advise looking for the grass-finished distinction.
These facts are why we have taken our incredible 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef raised on the best grass in the world, along with other fantastic meat sources, and repurposed it for dogs. Every piece of meat was raised on regenerative farms by smart, passionate farmers who think seriously about contamination, nutrition, and health.
If you want to get the best quality raw dog food you can buy anywhere, start here.
Can dogs eat liver? The bottom line
Yes, liver is an amazing addition to your dog’s diet when prepared and served correctly. This includes beef, chicken, lamb, and essentially all animal livers.
Just remember to serve liver as a small (5%) portion of your dog’s diet, serve it raw or cook it plain without any oil or seasonings, and get it from high-quality sources — particularly if serving raw liver.
While there are some risks involved with feeding your dog offal, they boil down to moderation — you can’t serve your dog liver every single day for every meal. Offering it as a nutritional boost in a controlled fashion, however, is a wonderful choice.
Nathan Phelps
Nathan Phelps owns and writes for Crafted Copy, a boutique copywriting shop that finds the perfect words for interesting products. He is also an ethical foodie, outdoors-aficionado, and hails from Nashville, TN. He splits his time between helping sustainable businesses find new customers and managing his ever-increasing list of hobbies, which include playing guitar, baking bread, and creating board games.