Can dogs eat ham?

Cured ham typically contains around 1 g of sodium per 100 g, several times more than fresh pork. For a 10 kg (22 lb) dog, a couple of thick slices is a large salt load in one go. Dogs usually cope with occasional salty food by drinking more, but it is not a habit to build.

Dogs with heart or kidney disease are often on sodium-controlled diets, so ham is a particularly poor choice for them.

Holiday hams are frequently coated in brown sugar, honey, mustard, or clove glazes. Some spiral-cut hams come with a spice packet. None of these add anything useful, and the extra sugar and fat make stomach upset more likely.

The bone in a cooked ham joint has been boiled or baked, which makes it brittle. Large chunks can get stuck in the stomach or intestine, and splinters can cause injury. Never hand over the leftover ham hock or shank bone.

If you want to share something from a festive table, a few pieces of plain roast turkey breast or unseasoned cooked pork loin are far kinder to the gut. For training rewards, cooked chicken cut into pea-sized pieces goes further than a slice of ham.

A dog that gets hold of a large piece of ham has eaten a big dose of salt and fat at once. Make sure fresh water is available, check the label or recipe for the glaze, and note roughly how much is gone. Small dogs and dogs with existing health problems are most at risk, so phone your vet for advice rather than waiting to see what happens.