Back to Articles

Don’t Forget The Heart

Feeding Heart to your Pet
cubed heart muscle meat

What's so good about heart meat?


The heart is a very concentrated source of the supernutrient, CoQ10. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is necessary for the basic functioning of cells, as well as optimizing the heart’s rhythm. CoQ10 levels are reported to decrease with age and to be lower in some patients with some chronic diseases such as heart conditions, cancer, diabetes, and immune disorders.

Beef heart also contains selenium, phosphorus and zinc, along with essential amino acids that help build muscle, store energy and boost stamina and endurance. The heart also contains twice as much collagen and elastin than regular meat, which is important for healthy joints.

If you’re feeding a commercial raw diet, look for whole animal choices so the valuable organ meats are kept intact. Making your own? Just make sure you ask for a wide variety of organ meats.

A little anatomy goes a long ways for raw feeders – find yourself a picture of the chicken or cow’s anatomy and note the size of the organs compared to the size of the animal. This should give you an idea of the amount of each organ your dog should receive. Overall, organ meats (not including heart) should make up about 15% of your dog’s total diet. Absolutely yes there is wiggle room here! some pets thrive on 20% others do best on as little as 5% depending on their unique needs. 

What are you waiting for? 

Bridger Animal Nutrition: where love meets the science of nutrition
More you may enjoy
June 25, 2013
what is pH
Bodily pH of a Dog
The pH level is one of the most important balance systems of the body. The term pH stands for “potential” of...
February 17, 2011
gassy dogs
Gassy Dogs
Dogs that often pass gas can embarrass or distress their owners. The most common cause of flatulence is swallowing large amounts...
June 18, 2000
raw 2
"Easy Button" Raw formulation
Dr. JulieAnn Lee’s 30-year-old fail safe “easy button” for raw feedersAlthough there are a million theories, preferences and should & shouldn't lists on raw...