There’s Nothing Awful About Offal

Your dog can take part in the whole-animal movement too. If meat-centric restaurants like LA’s Animal can serve up chicken liver toast, veal tongue, and sweetbreads to acclaim, organ meats deserve rethinking where your dog’s dinner is concerned. Referred to as “offal,” organ meat such as liver, heart, kidney, stomach, intestines, lungs, tongue, and spleen are very rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, and fat. Offal is a great source of valuable nutrients. On average, 1 gram of cooked organ meat contains 1.5 calories, so it doesn’t take much to feed a lot of calories.

Liver is the most commonly fed organ meat. Kidneys, heart, and tripe are all much less nutrient dense. 100 g (about the size of a deck of cards) of beef liver contains 135 C, while the same amount of cheddar cheese has a whopping 403 C. Liver should be fed sparingly due to its high nutrient concentration, but it makes a tasty treat that most dogs are crazy for. Feeding too much organ meat can be dangerous, especially for smaller dogs, so liver should be a once-in-a-while special treat. For the harder-to-find organ meats, ask your local butcher. CAUTION: Brain and spinal tissue should not be fed to dogs because of the unknown risk of BSE (Mad Cow) transmission.