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Our dogs love green tripe! I'm not a fan of the smell, but it doesn't bother me. I've always believed the benefits outweigh the smell, so we have a freezer full of this super protein, and I feed it to our dogs a couple of days a week (when I can remember to thaw it out).
Benefits of Green Tripe for Dogs
I began feeding green tripe (not bleached tripe*) because the word on these raw feeding streets is that it's great for their digestive system, it's packed full of all the right Omegas, and it offers the perfect ratio of calcium to phosphorous (but not enough to replace bone). But over the years, I've learned a few new things about green tripe, and I no longer feed tripe to my dogs solely to support gut health. In fact, gut health is at the bottom of the list of reasons I feed my pups green tripe.
*Bleached Tripe – Tripe that has been processed through a chlorine solution to eliminate impurities is referred to as “dressed” tripe. This results in a pale, nearly white appearance. The majority of tripe that is available in grocery stores has been through the bleaching process.
Green tripe is a great source of fatty acids, which…
- promotes skin and coat health (including helping the body deal with skin allergies)
- promotes the body's natural anti-inflammatory response to help ease canine arthritis pain
- helps dogs with inflammatory bowel disease
- helps dogs with chronic yeast infections
- improves eye health
- slows the development of certain cancers
Green tripe can resolve constipation…
Because green tripe is rich for my dogs, feeding too much gives them diarrhea, but feeding the right amount cures constipation. The problem is that I won't thaw a one-pound chub only to feed a little for constipation. So I occasionally mix green tripe into a meal prep – so the dogs get a small amount regularly.
Green tripe is fantastic for picky dogs…
My dogs have never been picky for long, but I have noticed that as Rodrigo gets older, he's become more particular about what he eats. Adding a little green tripe to the bowl is a way to make sure he eats his meal.
Why I Feed Green Tripe to My Dogs
- Our dogs LOVE GREEN TRIPE.
- Green tripe is a great source of the nutrient Choline. Choline supports a healthy nervous system, and an inadequate amount of choline in the diet may result in increased fat around the liver which can be damaging.
- Green tripe helps stretch raw meals out (I mix it in with other proteins).
- I get a giggle when J walks downstairs and enters a tripe-y smelling kitchen. The look on his face gives me joy.
Does Green Tripe Support Gut Health in Dogs?
My thoughts on green tripe and gut health may surprise you, especially if you check out some of my older posts on the topic. I was told to feed Rodrigo green tripe for years because of his gut issues. Rodrigo has a history of loose stool and diarrhea, and there was a time I was concerned that he had EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency). I've tried multiple supplements over the years, and today, he gets a steady diet of fermented foods and a digestive supplement to support his gut health, and it's working.
Feeding Rodrigo green tripe did nothing but make him happy. It didn't improve his gut health at all. So while I think that green tripe does contribute to a healthier microbiome, I don't think that green tripe alone can heal a dog's unhealthy gut.
How to Prepare Green Tripe for Your Dog
If you're lucky enough to find a source for fresh green tripe (from a local farm, butcher, or meat supplier), then I'd love to know how you process it. If you're reading this and wondering what the heck I'm talking about, check out this video that shows us how to prepare green tripe safely:
If you're interested in going this route, you can contact a farmer, butcher, or meat supplier and ask them for the tripe. If they're unsure of what you mean, ask for the cow's stomach. It's important to know that in certain areas, you're unable to buy unbleached green tripe – if a cut of meat isn't meant for human consumption, businesses may be unable to sell the meat to the public.
Sources of Frozen Green Tripe for Dogs
I am not yet brave enough to order fresh tripe from a local farm, but I know that I will someday because you can get grass-fed green tripe for free or very cheap because many people throw it out, not
- Raw Paw Pet Food (they often offer specials and free shipping)
- GreenTripe.com
- Raw Feeding Miami (they offer ground and whole chunks of green tripe)
Three Ways to Add Green Tripe to Your Dog's Diet
Method 1: I order fresh green tripe through our local raw food co-op. It arrives frozen, and preparation is super easy. I open a chub of green tripe with a knife and parcel it into each dog's dish. I use a scale to weigh out each dog's meal. And I serve.
Method 2: I add freeze-dried green tripe as a meal topper (sprinkle it on their food). It's great when one of the dogs is having a picky day. I also give it to the dogs as a treat. Brands that offer freeze-dried green tripe are:
- Raw Paws Pet Food
- Dr. Harvey's (Power Pops)
- Barkworthies Green Tripe Sticks Dog Treats
- Ziwi Air-Dried Lamb Green Tripe Dog Chews
- Ziwi Venison Green Tripe Dog Treats
- K9 Natural Beef Green Tripe Booster
Even my cat enjoys freeze-dried green tripe. He's nuts for it.
Method 3: I mix green tripe into our dogs' regular meals, which allows me to feed green tripe more often. And it's ideal for Rodrigo and Scout. They get soft stool after a full meal of green tripe. What I love about this method is that it stretches out the raw I mix together for our dogs, extending the amount of food from 3 days to 5 days.
Can Dogs with a Beef Sensitivity Eat Tripe?
If you pose this question in a raw feeding group, you'll receive mixed answers because every dog is different. One person told me that a beef sensitivity includes tripe, and I was told by someone else that dogs react differently to green tripe than when they eat other muscle meat. If you want to try it out, go easy at first to see if your dog has a reaction.
I thought Rodrigo had a beef sensitivity for years, but it turns out he does fine on grass-fed beef.
Is Green Tripe a Nutritionally Complete Diet?
Nope. Feeding a diet of green tripe alone will not meet all of my dogs' nutritional needs, as it slightly misses the mark on several vitamins and minerals. If I were to feed only or mainly green tripe, I would need to supplement for Vitamin A and D by also feeding salmon, sardines, liver, and eggs.
Does Green Tripe Cause Diarrhea?
Green tripe can be rich for some dogs. In my experience, my boys could only have a 1/4 cup of green tripe, while my girls could enjoy a full meal. Every dog is unique, and if green tripe doesn't work for a dog, then I would leave tripe off the menu.
If your dog has a beef sensitivity, you can still feed green tripe – check out the following offered by Raw Paws Pet Food:
How to Feed Green Tripe WITHOUT the Diarrhea
With my dogs, I've found that I can feed more green tripe in a meal and even feed a full meal on occasion by doing the following:
Olewo Carrots
Olewo Carrots is a fresh food supplement that adds fiber, beta-carotene, and other nutrients to the diet to help prevent diarrhea and loose stool, soothe itchy skin, boost vision health, and boost digestive health. The carrots are sourced from an area in Germany where the soil is very nutrient-rich and dehydrated as soon as they're harvested to decrease the loss of nutrients.
I hydrate a couple of spoonfuls of the carrot pellets with hot water and oil (per the instructions) and mix it into each dog's green tripe. I've found this works for any food that is rich and causes diarrhea.
Try a Different Protein or Brand
As I shared above, you can feed green tripe from venison, bison, lamb, or goat. Try other proteins or a green tripe blend to see if your dog has the same issues.
beef tripe chubs
lamb tripe
goat tripe
You can also try a different brand. Sourcing and processing have impacted how my dogs respond to a protein or a raw food blend.
Choose Green Tripe Treats Instead
If green tripe isn't for you – it's too smelly, you can't find it, or it gives your dog diarrhea – there is still another option that might work – treats and chews.
Real Dog Box includes green tripe treats and meal toppers in some of their monthly subscription boxes, and I've purchased it in their Secret Shop. A few other green tripe treats I like for my dogs are:
- Ziwi Air-Dried Lamb Green Tripe Dog Chews
- Ziwi Venison Green Tripe Dog Treats
- Raw Paws Pet Freeze Dried Green Beef Tripe Treats
- K9 Natural Lamb Green Tripe Booster Digestive
- Raw Paw Pet Food 6-inch Green Beef Tripe Sticks
- Barking Buddha Green Lamb Tripe Dog
- Barkworthies Green Tripe Sticks Dog Treats
Green tripe for everyone!
Don't Forget to Wash Your Hands
Always wash your hands multiple times, even if you don't think you touched the tripe. That smell tends to linger if you're not careful. If your dog is new to green tripe and has a sensitive stomach, work your way up to feeding a full meal of tripe. It can be rich for some dogs.
Thanks for sharing. I’d like to do the same, but I’m a bit nervous about processing.
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the tip.
https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/
for tripe
Hare-today.com also sells frozen green tripe in the chubs. Our yorkie (1.5 yo) absolutely loves it! We feed it to him using method #3 above.
I was lucky enough to get a local farmer or two in the areas we have lived in (we are former military) to give me cow stomach. I took it home in a big bucket in my car (after making sure my car was properly prepared so not to get the nasty smell stuck in there). Then I washed it out with a hose or if I had an area to cut it down in (I cut it down in smaller pieces and then washed it out in the sink with a drainer to catch all the stuff from going down the drain). It is time consuming and you want to wear gloves or your hands stick for days even after washing them and showering. The dogs love it so it is worth the work for me. You just have to be careful if you have a dog that is heavier as it will add weight to your dog. One farmer told me it helped his dog who was sickly put on weight.
I wear gloves whenever I deal with tripe, which is typically multiple times a week. The smell does linger on your hands!
If you are serving the green tripe as a topper do you need to hydrate it or just put it mixed in with their normal food? My dog is 65 lbs but I feed a mix of grain free high end kibble with grain free high end wet (approx. 1/3 can) mixed together. He can be a picky eater which is why I try to find toppers to entice him (he’s a husky). Would I just sprinkle 1/4 cup or less?