About tripe

The word tripe refers to the edible lining of the stomach of various grazing animals, notably cattle and sheep. Beef tripe is the most commonly available tripe today.

Dressed tripe was a popular dish amongst the British working class until midway through the 20th century. It was (and still is) cheap, but much more nutritious than more popular and expensive muscle meats.

The process of dressing tripe involves washing, bleaching and boiling, and results in the ‘white’ tripe we still see in butchers’ shops today. But in terms of tripe for dogs, nothing beats ‘green’ or unprocessed tripe.

Nutrients in tripe

Green tripe in particular is rich in nutrients, digestive enzymes and good bacteria. Untreated and completely natural, green tripe is considerably more nutrious for dogs than white or highly processed tripe. Green tripe is particularly rich in vitamin B12, selinium, calcium, zinc and phosphorus.

Benefits of tripe for dogs

Those good bacteria are good for gut health, and it’s richness in omega-3 fatty acids is good for overall canine health. Meanwhile, the digestive enzymes contained in green trip are good for promoting good digestive health.

Many advocates of tripe, especially green tripe, rate it very highly for its benefit for a dog’s skin, coat, teeth, energy levels and overall health. It’s easy to digest, gentle on a dog’s tummy and is said to help dogs live longer, more active lives.

Tripe for fussy eaters

Tripe for dogs is particularly beneficial for fussy eaters or for dogs who might otherwise be off their food for whatever reasons. Senior dogs who have lost their sense of smell for example. Whatever their circumstances, very few dogs can resist a bowl of yummy, if somewhat smelly, tripe!

How to feed your dog tripe

Green tripe is available in many forms for your dog. Raw tripe is available fresh or frozen, freeze-dried, tinned or in the form of chew sticks. And while you cannot feed your dog on nothing but tripe, it can certainly make a valuable contribution to a healthy balanced diet for any dog.

Summary

As a canine nutritionist, I highly recommend you consider adding green tripe to the diet of your best friend.

Like any other single protein source, it is not nutritionally complete. So it can’t be the only protein source in your dog’s diet. But it certainly has sufficient nutritional benefits to warrant it being added to your dog’s food bowl on a regular basis.