Can Dogs Eat Turkey?
Can Dogs Eat Turkey? No secret here regarding whether or not turkey is safe for dogs to eat. Good news: turkey is generally safe and is often used as a protein in many commercial pet foods. Offering your dog small pieces while you cook can be a healthy snack, but remember—not every part of the turkey is safe for them. So what is a dog owner to do?
Here is what to learn about giving turkey to your dog.
Turkey as a Protein Source
Turkey is highly digestible as a source of protein for dogs. It contains a range of macronutrients (that is, any component of the diet required in bulk quantities) like protein, carbohydrates, and fats. It also contains micronutrients as vitamins and minerals. While it is nearly as good in quality as chicken, turkey might contain somewhat greater quantities of some of those vitamins and minerals than chicken.
Can Dogs Eat Turkey? There is also some thought among integrative providers that turkey is a “cold” protein and chicken is a “hot” protein. On an integrative medicine level, this essentially means turkey is less inflammatory than chicken. So if your dog suffers from an acute or chronic inflammatory disease, be it gastrointestinal upset, environmental allergy, or otherwise, some feel that turkey is a better protein source than chicken as turkey will not provoke any current inflammation in the body. It should be noted, however, that the most common food allergen in dogs is chicken. Because chicken and turkey are so similar, based on the sensitivity of your dog’s immune system, they might generalize their allergy to chicken to turkey as well.
Can Dogs Eat Turkey Hot Dogs, Turkey Bacon, and Turkey Deli Meat?
Can Dogs Eat Turkey? Short answer, it’s not a good idea. This is because turkey deli meat, turkey bacon, turkey hot dogs, turkey sausage, smoked turkey, and other processed turkey meat are usually packed with added sodium and spices. These are also full of fats so if your dog samples some of this food, it can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and unnecessary weight gain. These foods lack much of the nutritional requirements that your dog needs, and so if you do give them these foods, ensure that it is not more than 10 percent of their daily calorie intake.
Can Dogs Eat Dark Meat Turkey?
Can Dogs Eat Turkey? Dark meat contains more iron and B vitamins; however, it has greater fat and calorie content compared to white meat. That is, the dark meat is more calorie-dense, but it also has a higher cost of more calories. White meat in turkey is even higher in protein than dark meat. Therefore, if you are planning for feeding your dog the lean portions of the turkey, opt for the white meat. Similar to other portions of the turkey, too much consumption can also lead to unwanted weight gain. These portions also do not contain the necessary nutrients that your friend needs. Whatever portion of the turkey, it cannot be more than 10 percent of their daily caloric consumption and should not be consumed as a meal substitute of any kind.
How to Feed Your Dog Turkey Safely
If you would feed your dog turkey, follow these tips.
- Remove the skin from the turkey. Too much fat (from the skin itself, plus whatever butter or oil was employed for roasting or frying) and spices are poisonous to dogs. The excessive amount of fat can cause pancreatitis, while all the extra spices and seasonings will make your dog ill.
- Only feed your dog turkey meat. Carefully check the meat you plan to share with your dog to make sure no seasonings or roasted flavorings are included. Onions are harmful to dogs, and garlic can also be dangerous if eaten in large amounts. Offer only small portions of plain turkey meat to your dog. Consult your vet on incorporating occasional food waste into your dog’s diet prior to feeding them turkey, especially if your dog already suffers from a health condition, such as diabetes. Keeping the portions small, and closer to a treat, prevents healthy dogs from experiencing stomach discomfort due to eating something other than what they’re accustomed to.
- No cooked turkey bones: Make sure whatever portion of the turkey you’re deciding to serve your dog contains only meat. Double-check to make sure that no cooked turkey bones are present or still intact.
Holiday Foods That Are Toxic to Dogs
- Raw yeast bread dough: Even though bread is a tasty snack your dog won’t harm, feeding it to him as raw dough can cause some harm. “Yeast continues to ferment the sugars in the dough to carbon dioxide gas and alcohol,” Wismer says. “This can result in bloated, drunk pets, which is a potentially life-threatening emergency, requiring hospitalization.”
- Artificial sweetener-based desserts: Xylitol is a common artificial sweetener that is very toxic to dogs and leads to liver failure. This substance also shows up in other foods you may not think about, like peanut butter, so make sure you know what’s in your food before sharing it with your dog. (Better yet, don’t give your dog desserts at all. While you may have a sweet tooth, it’s not for your pet!)
- Chocolate desserts: Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, especially in huge quantities. Even a small amount of chocolate can upset a pet’s stomach, causing vomiting and diarrhea, but larger quantities may be life-threatening.
- Stuffing warning: Ingredients like onion, garlic, or certain herbs can be dangerous for pets. For example, sage and many other spices contain oils and resins that may trigger digestive issues or even affect the nervous system, making them unsafe for animals.
- Mashed potatoes: Raw potatoes are not toxic, but cooked mashed potatoes are simply not good for your dog to eat. The butter is bad for his pancreas and stomach, and the garlic, onion, leeks, or other similar ingredients contain chemicals which can result in anemia, pulmonary edema,