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The Benefits of Spleen for Dogs: Nature's Hidden Multivitamin
When most raw feeders think about offal, liver is the first organ that springs to mind. But there's another nutrient-dense organ quietly doing a lot of the heavy lifting in a balanced raw diet; spleen. Often overlooked and rarely talked about, spleen is one of the most valuable secreting organs you can feed your dog, and it's a key ingredient in a properly balanced Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet.
In this guide, we'll explore what spleen actually is, the health benefits it offers your dog, how much to feed, and why it earns its place in Natural Instinct's raw recipes.
What Is Spleen and Why Does It Matter?
The spleen is a secreting organ, which places it firmly in the offal category alongside liver, kidney, pancreas and brain. Secreting organs produce hormones or enzymes and perform metabolic work in the body, which is exactly why they're so densely packed with nutrients, far more so than muscle meat alone.
Because the spleen's job is to filter and store blood, it has a distinctive look: a thin greyish outer layer with a deep, dark-red interior. That rich colour is a clue to one of its standout qualities; spleen is loaded with iron.
In the world of raw feeding, secreting organs are sometimes called "nature's multivitamins," and spleen is a perfect example of why. Gram for gram, it delivers a concentration of vitamins and minerals that's hard to match with any single ingredient.
The Key Health Benefits of Spleen for Dogs
1. Exceptionally Rich in Iron
Spleen's most celebrated benefit is its high iron content. Iron is essential for producing haemoglobin and myoglobin, the proteins that carry oxygen around your dog's body, and it also plays a role in hormone production. A dog with insufficient iron can become tired, weak and prone to anaemia, so an iron-rich food source is genuinely valuable.
This is especially important for growing puppies, pregnant and nursing dogs, and hard-working or athletic dogs, all of whom have higher iron requirements. In fact, spleen is one of the best natural ways to meet the high iron needs of developing puppies
2. A Great Source of Vitamin B12
Spleen contains relatively large amounts of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), a nutrient that supports healthy nerve function and the formation of red blood cells. B12 is difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities from muscle meat alone, which is one of the reasons organ meats are considered non-negotiable in a balanced raw diet.
3. High in Tryptophan
Spleen is particularly high in tryptophan, an amino acid involved in regulating serotonin and melatonin, the compounds linked to mood and the sleep cycle. It's a lesser-known benefit, but a welcome one for overall wellbeing.
4. Packed With B Vitamins, Folate and Minerals
Beyond iron and B12, spleen supplies a spread of B vitamins including folate (B9), which supports cell repair and reproduction. It also contributes minerals such as phosphorus and zinc, adding to the broad nutritional foundation a raw diet is built on.
5. The Perfect Partner to Liver
Here's where spleen really shines as a team player. Liver is extraordinarily rich in vitamin A, but spleen contains virtually none, which is precisely why the two complement each other so beautifully. Feeding spleen alongside liver helps create a well-rounded organ profile without over-loading your dog on any single nutrient. Together, they cover far more nutritional ground than either could alone.
How Much Spleen Should You Feed?
Balance is everything in raw feeding. The widely used BARF and Prey Model Raw guidelines recommend that offal makes up around 10% of the diet, split into roughly 5% liver and 5% other secreting organs. Spleen sits in that "other secreting organs" category, fed alongside liver.
That may sound like a small amount, but it's deliberate. Because organ meats are so nutrient-dense, a little goes a long way, and feeding too much offal can tip the balance and lead to excess iron or other nutrients accumulating in the body. As with all things in a raw diet, moderation and variety are key.
The good news? You don't need to weigh out organs, source spleen from a butcher, or do the maths yourself. Natural Instinct does the balancing for you.
Spleen in Natural Instinct Raw Food
At Natural Instinct, our recipes are complete, balanced BARF diets crafted from the highest-quality, ethically sourced, human-grade ingredients, with no grains or fillers. Each recipe combines a carefully considered blend of raw meat, bone and offal, alongside fresh fruits, vegetables and natural supplements.
You'll find spleen thoughtfully included in our Simply Beef recipe, which feature beef spleen at 5%, precisely in line with the recommended offal proportion. It sits alongside a spread of other organs and quality proteins:
- Simply Beef is a streamlined, single-protein recipe built on beef green tripe, heart and trachea, with beef liver and spleen completing the offal portion, ideal for keeping things simple.
It's a great example of our nose-to-tail approach, giving your dog the nutritional value of whole-prey feeding, without the guesswork of sourcing and portioning individual organs at home.
Our customers regularly tell us that switching to a natural raw diet has brought them shinier coats, healthier skin, better digestion and more energy in their dogs,the visible signs of a diet rich in bioavailable, species-appropriate nutrition.
The Bottom Line
Spleen may be one of raw feeding's best-kept secrets, but its benefits are anything but small. Rich in iron, vitamin B12, tryptophan and a host of B vitamins and minerals, it's a genuine nutritional powerhouse, and the ideal companion to liver in a balanced diet.
With Natural Instinct, you don't have to source or portion it yourself. Our Simply Beef recipe includes spleen as part of a tasty meal, so your dog gets all its goodness exactly as nature intended.
Ready to give your dog the benefits of spleen? Explore our Simply Beef recipe, and discover the rest of the Natural Instinct range today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Spleen is a safe, highly nutritious secreting organ and is a valuable part of a balanced raw diet when fed in appropriate amounts (around 5% of the diet, alongside liver).
Spleen is especially beneficial for puppies because its high iron content helps meet the elevated iron requirements of growing dogs.
Spleen is typically fed within the "other secreting organs" portion of a BARF diet, roughly 5% of the total, with another 5% coming from liver. Our Simply Beef recipe includes spleen as part of this offal portion.
No, spleen complements liver rather than replacing it. Liver is rich in vitamin A while spleen is not, so feeding both provides a more complete nutrient profile.
