Can dogs eat rabbit?
Yes, cooked rabbit is safe and excellent for dogs. It's one of the leanest available proteins, highly digestible, and rarely causes allergic reactions. Rabbit is gaining popularity in limited-ingredient diets for dogs with multiple food sensitivities.
Meats · 136 kcal per 100 g
Benefits and risks
Benefits
- Extremely lean — lower in fat than chicken, turkey, or beef
- Highly digestible — about 90% digestibility rate
- Excellent novel protein for multi-protein-allergic dogs
- Good source of vitamin B12, selenium, and phosphorus
- Sustainable and environmentally friendly protein source
Risks
- Rabbit bones are small and can splinter — remove all bones
- Wild rabbit can carry parasites (Tularemia, tapeworm) — cook thoroughly
- Very lean — may need supplemental fat from other sources in a complete diet
- More expensive and less available than common proteins
- Some dogs may need time to adjust to the novel taste
Recommended serving size
Adjust portions based on your dog's weight, age, and activity level. Treats and snacks should make up no more than 10% of daily calories.
| Dog size | Weight range | Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Small dog | Under 20 lbs (9 kg) | 1-2 tablespoons, cooked and deboned |
| Medium dog | 20–50 lbs (9–23 kg) | 2-4 tablespoons, cooked and deboned |
| Large dog | Over 50 lbs (23 kg) | 1/4 to 1/2 cup, cooked and deboned |
How to prepare and serve
Preparation
Cook rabbit meat thoroughly by boiling, baking, or roasting without seasoning. Remove all bones — rabbit bones are thin and can splinter into sharp fragments. Cut into small pieces. If using wild rabbit, freeze for at least three weeks before cooking to kill parasites, and cook to 165°F internal temperature. Farm-raised rabbit is safer than wild-caught. Never feed raw rabbit due to Tularemia risk.
Frequency
Can be fed regularly as a protein source in a balanced diet.
Key nutrients
- Protein
- Vitamin B12
- Selenium
- Phosphorus
- Niacin
- Iron
Frequently Asked Questions
- Rabbit is one of the most novel proteins available for dogs, meaning very few dogs have been previously exposed to it through commercial food. This makes it ideal for elimination diets — when you need a protein the dog's immune system has never encountered and therefore can't be allergic to. Rabbit is also exceptionally lean and easy to digest, reducing the likelihood of GI upset during an elimination trial. For dogs who have failed trials with duck, venison, and fish, rabbit is often the next protein veterinary dermatologists try. Several prescription diet brands now offer rabbit-based formulas.
- Rabbit is indeed very lean — only about 3-4% fat in the meat, compared to 7-10% for skinless chicken breast. While this makes it excellent for overweight dogs and those with pancreatitis, a diet consisting exclusively of rabbit without supplemental fat sources could potentially lead to 'rabbit starvation' or protein poisoning over time — a condition where the body gets too much protein and too little fat. For dogs eating rabbit as their primary protein, adding a small amount of healthy fat (like fish oil or coconut oil) ensures balanced nutrition. As an occasional treat, the leanness is only a benefit.
- Allowing your dog to eat wild rabbit they catch is risky. Wild rabbits can carry Tularemia (rabbit fever), a bacterial infection transmissible to dogs and humans, as well as tapeworms, fleas, and other parasites. Tularemia symptoms in dogs include fever, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, and organ failure in severe cases. If your dog catches and eats a wild rabbit, monitor closely for symptoms over the next 1-2 weeks and contact your veterinarian for guidance — they may recommend prophylactic antibiotics. Dogs in rural areas who hunt should be kept up to date on flea and tick prevention.
Related meats
Bacon
UnsafeExtremely high in fat, salt, and preservatives — a leading trigger for pancreatitis in dogs.
Beef
SafeNutrient-dense protein rich in iron and B12 — the most common protein in commercial dog food.
Bones
UnsafeCooked bones are extremely dangerous — they splinter and cause choking, broken teeth, and internal injuries. The FDA advises against giving bones to dogs.
Chicken
SafeLean, easily digestible protein source — a staple in many commercial dog foods and bland diets.
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