Pudel air-dried beef liver for dogs on linen

Organ meat vs muscle meat for dogs: what's the difference?

Open a bag of jerky and a bag of liver and you are holding two quite different foods. Muscle meat is lean protein with a modest load of minerals; organ meat is where an animal stores and concentrates nutrients, so the same weight of liver carries far more vitamin A, B12, iron and copper than the same weight of jerky. That's why organ meat stays the smaller share of the treat bag.

What does liver carry that muscle meat doesn't?

Mostly vitamin A, B12, iron and copper. Beef liver, raw, carries around 5,000 µg RAE of vitamin A per 100 g, around 60 µg of B12 and around 5 mg of iron (USDA FoodData Central). Lean beef muscle sits at around 2 µg of B12 and around 2.5 mg of iron.

Vitamin A is the one that sets the rules. It's fat-soluble and stored in the liver, and very large amounts over time are harmful (NRC, 2006). Heart eats more like muscle and lung is light and low in fat; liver is the one the feeding rule is really about.

Liver is very rich in vitamin A, so a little goes a long way — a few small pieces a day for a medium dog, with all treats under about 10% of daily food.

Where does muscle meat hold its own?

Zinc, for one: lean beef muscle carries around 4–5 mg per 100 g, level with liver (USDA FoodData Central). And muscle has no ceiling: it doesn't store vitamin A, so a piece of beef jerky can be the everyday reward without counting anything beyond the 10% rule. Kangaroo muscle adds leanness: roughly 1–2 g of fat per 100 g (FSANZ).

How do you use both in a treat rotation?

Muscle for the bulk of the rewards, organ in smaller amounts: jerky or lung crisp most days, and a few small pieces of beef liver on some of them. The beef range has both in one protein, and treats stay under about 10% of the day's food, organ and muscle counted together.

A dog new to liver can get a loose stool from too much too soon, so start with a piece or two and build up over a week. On a supplement or a specific diet? Mention liver treats to your vet first.

Every dog is different. For an ongoing issue, your vet is the first call — this is general information, not veterinary advice.

Keep reading: Beef liver dog treats: what's in them and how much to feed · Kangaroo dog treats: what's in them and why it's a novel protein

Sources

Pudel · Reviewed September 2026 · Single-protein, naturally dried dog treats, made in Australia. General information, not veterinary advice.

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