Pigs can eat dog food, yes. But it should only be used as a last resort because it contains too much protein, which can be harmful to your pig or even potbellied pig. Make sure you feed them dog food only if you do not have anything else and that pigs aren’t eating dog food unsupervised.
If you have both dogs and pigs you care for, you might wonder if they could share each other’s food.
Let’s get into it deeper.
Contents
Is dog food good for pigs?
Since dog food is designed for dogs, it contains ingredients that are not toxic to animals.
Still, being safe does not necessarily mean it’s suitable for sharing with other pets.
Thus, if you are thinking of feeding some to your pig, it should not cause any harm. However, it may contain nutrients that are only for dogs.
In case of emergency, as you run out of feed for your pig, you may give it some to relieve its hunger.
Still, keep the dog food for only a short period for your pig. Since it’s not for hogs, too much consumption may cause issues because of the high amount of protein.
What about pet pigs? Can they eat dog food?
The same principle applies if you keep pigs as pets. While a single serving of dog food may not harm your pet, it may cause health issues if taken in large amounts.
As a general rule of thumb, treat dog food solely for dogs, and don’t let your pigs eat it as much as possible.
It would help if you also treated other feeds the same way. Thus, you should also avoid cat food or chicken feed.
Pigs are omnivores, and they can eat almost any food you may offer. Feed them other foods instead of food designed only for other animals.
Can potbelly pigs eat dog food?
Potbelly pigs, although they have some differences, are also not suitable to eat dog food.
These types of pigs are the ones that we usually keep as pets. Thus, it can be tempting to give them other pet food and even human food.
Again, dog food and other pet food won’t do any harm if taken in small amounts.
At the same time, however, it also won’t give the hogs the proper nutrients they need.
You May Also Read – Do pigs eat meat?
What happens if a pig eats dog food?
If you have run out of food to feed your pig, and the only thing you have is dog food, you can spare some to relieve the hunger.
However, cut it only to a single serving, and continue feeding it with the right food after that.
A few dog food servings shouldn’t cause any harm, but making it a regular part of the diet may compromise its health.
If your pig overeats dog food, it may induce vomiting, and they will feel painful and restless.
To ensure the health and safety of your pig, avoid giving dog food as much as possible. Further, do it only when you run out of food to offer.
How often can you give dog food to pigs?
You should not give dog food to pigs as much as you can. Only give your pig some dog food in case you run out of food to share.
While it may not cause any harm, regular consumption won’t do them any good.
Try to offer different alternatives rather than dog food. You can either give vegetables or fruits or even leftovers.
Pigs have a wide range of food to eat. Thus, you won’t find it hard to find something to feed.
Feeding your hog dog food frequently may cause issues and may even harm it.
Is dog food good food for pig growth?
Manufacturers produce dog food to serve the needs of dogs. Thus, consuming such won’t aid a pig’s growth.
It may be a safe food for hogs since the ingredients are safe for any other animal.
However, dog food does not contain the necessary nutrients that hogs need to grow fast and quickly.
As a general rule of thumb, serve dog foods only for your dogs, and don’t offer your pigs.
If you wish to increase your hogs’ growth, choosing dog food is not your best and ideal option.
You can aid its growth by letting it consume more. To do so, you may want to increase its appetite by feeding wet food.
A tip: Mix every food you feed your hog with water to soften it. These animals would like to devour food that is easy to chew or even food they would swallow.
Mix it with some protein-rich food and give it in large servings. Regular consumption should improve and speed up growth.
Do you want to know if pigs eat humans? Read more about it here!
What is the best feed for pigs?
Rather than dog food, there’s a wide range of food options you can give to your pig. Here is a list of good food options to feed to your hogs:
Scraps or Leftovers
Pigs aren’t picky eaters, and they would feed on leftovers and scraps you offer.
Leftover meat and vegetables are safe for them because they are not raw.
At the same time, leftovers contain nutrients that should benefit them.
Vegetables
Hogs can also eat vegetables of all kinds. The list includes bean sprouts, beets, broccoli, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and cauliflower.
You can feed almost any other fresh vegetables you can purchase at stores.
Fruits
Pigs can also eat a wide range of fruits such as grapes or bananas.
Pig Pellets
Aside from the above food options, there is available feed in the market designed to aid a pig’s growth.
These types of feed contain essential nutrients. Further, feeding such will optimize the nutrition they can get.
What foods are toxic to pigs?
Pigs may not be picky eaters, but try to watch out and avoid this food for them:
Moldy, slimy, or rotten food
Feeding them food with molds and rotting ones may compromise their health.
Raw meat and eggs
Meat and eggs contain large amounts of protein that can be beneficial to pigs. However, feeding these two raw may cause foot and mouth disease. Thus, always provide them with cooked meat.
High salt and sugar content
Don’t feed your hogs types of food that is too salty and sweet. Fruits contain sugar. Thus, while fruits may be healthy for them, it can also be harmful to large servings.
In Summary
In the naked eye, dog food and pig pellets may look almost the same. Further, since they are both safe for animals, it may be tempting to share it with each pet.
However, dogs and pigs need different nutrients. Thus, some dog food may be safe feeding your pig, but it won’t do any good if given regularly.
Keep the dog food only for dogs, and give it only to pigs in case of emergency.
Resources
IAMS study about dog food ingredients
Image credits – Photos by Forest Simon on Unsplash and mattycoulton on Pixabay
