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In pet food, pork can be used as a fresh meat (fresh pork, deboned pork, freshly prepared pork) or as a pre-prepared, dry meat meal (pork meal, dried pork, dehydrated pork). When the ingredient is listed simply as 'pork' it usually refers to the fresh form.
Although pork was once thought of as a problem ingredient for dogs, it is now widely recognised as a good, highly palatable meat source. Nevertheless, it is still rarely found in dog foods making it a 'novel protein' for a lot of dogs. This can make pork-based foods particularly useful for allergy-prone dogs as it is impossible to be allergic to a food that you have never been exposed to.
Pork, like most mammalian meats, does, however, contain higher levels of purines and other minerals (especially in the 'meal' form due to the higher bone content) which are best avoided in dogs with urinary conditions.
Uncooked pork also carries a higher risk of parasitic infection than most meats so it is always best to cook and raw pork thoroughly prior to feeding. Dry, tinned and all other cooked commercial dog foods are always parasite free.
As with all meats, the quality of the pork used in pet foods can vary considerably so for more details on the pork found in your dog's food, please contact the manufacturer directly.
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