Pork

1,064 foods contain this ingredient

Protein Red Meat allergen group

This is an alphabetical list, not a ranking. Sign in free to rank foods for your pet in the Food Finder.

About Pork

Pork is a muscle-meat protein source in dog and cat foods, appearing as fresh meat, meal, or byproduct depending on the formula.

Pork is used in pet foods primarily as a high-quality animal protein and flavor enhancer, supplying essential amino acids, B vitamins (especially B12 and niacin), iron and zinc, plus fat for calorie-dense energy; it can be suitable for both dogs and cats when balanced in a complete diet. Because pork can be relatively high in fat, it may be inappropriate for pets requiring low‑fat diets or those prone to pancreatitis, some animals may have sensitivities to pork, and raw or undercooked pork can carry parasites or pathogens so it should be properly processed or cooked.

Related ingredients

Bacon Bacon Broth Bacon Fat Bacon Flavor Bacon Smoke Flavor Bacon Type Flavor Ground Pork Ham Natural Pork Flavor Pig Chin Pig Ear Pig Snout Porcine Flavor Porcine Pancreatic Tissue Pork Bacon Pork Bone Pork Bone Broth Pork Broth Pork By-Product Pork Chin Pork Digest Pork Fat Pork Flavor Pork Gelatin Pork Heart Pork Kidney Pork Liver Pork Liver Broth Pork Liver Flavor Pork Loin Pork Lung Pork Meat Pork Plasma Pork Protein Pork Protein Isolate Pork Shoulder Pork Skin Pork Snout Pork Spleen Pork Stock Sausage Flavor Smoked Bacon Smoked Bacon Flavor

Derived from: domestic pig muscle meat, meal, or byproducts
Primary role: animal protein and amino acid source

Why it's used

Pork delivers a complete amino acid profile along with B vitamins, iron, and zinc, and its fat content adds palatability and calorie density to a formula. It is also used as a novel or limited-ingredient protein for pets that have not previously eaten it.

Common concerns

Dietary fat and pancreatitis Pork is a fattier meat, and veterinary sources have long associated high dietary fat with pancreatitis flare-ups in dogs, though recent AVMA-published research is re-examining how strong that link actually is.
Trichinella parasite Pork is historically linked to Trichinella spiralis infection when eaten raw or undercooked, though the Merck Veterinary Manual and public health sources note the parasite is now rare in commercially raised U.S. pork and mainly a concern with outdoor-raised or wild pork.
Individual protein sensitivity As with any animal protein, some individual dogs and cats can develop an intolerance or allergic response to pork after repeated exposure.

Also relevant

Because pork is calorie-dense, portions may need adjusting for pets on a weight management plan; a veterinarian can advise on individual fat tolerance.

2 sources cited

Common Questions

What category is Pork?

Pork is categorized as a protein ingredient in the KibbleLab database.

Is Pork part of an allergen group?

Yes. Pork is grouped under the Red Meat allergen group in the KibbleLab database.

Which foods contain Pork?

1,064 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Pork, including Nulo, Nutro.

Foods with Pork

Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.