Do you own a dog as a pet? Then you may ask yourself whether it is safe to feed the dog turkey meat. During Thanksgiving, many people usually roast turkey meat, and they would like to share some with their pets. Humans can take turkey meat and won’t experience any issues unless they have an allergy. The question that arises is, can dogs eat turkey?
The answer is yes! A dog can eat turkey. However, there are some conditions that you need to adhere to. For instance, you can feed the dogs plain turkey meat that has no bones.
You also need to consult a professional veterinary doctor before you can feed your dogs with any human food such as turkey meat.
Even if certain types of food are healthy for dogs, you need to feed them in moderation, and you should not interfere with the regular diet of the dogs. Some of the things you need to consider before feeding turkey meat to your dogs will be discussed below.
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Is Turkey Meat Good for Dogs?
Turkey is used as an ingredient for different types of dog food. As a result, you can feed the dogs turkey meat in moderation. However, you need to consult the veterinary doctor first. Ensure the turkey is plain, and there should be no bones.
Turkey is common in treats. Your dog may prefer raw and dried turkey bites that are sold at the local pet store. The turkey bites are suitable for dogs, and they’re of the right size for any dog regardless of age.
Turkey meat is a suitable source of protein for dogs that have allergies to other types of meat, such as chicken or beef. If you notice that your dog has allergies, you need to liaise with your vet first. The vet will assess the situation, and they will suggest feeding your dog using turkey meat.
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When is Turkey Meat Bad for Your Dog?
Any dog can take turkey meat, and the only exception is when the dog has allergies. You also need to get rid of the bones present in turkey meat before feeding the dogs.
The bones of birds such as ducks, chicken, and turkey are usually fragile, and they break easily, especially when you cook them. When you feed these bones to your dogs, some severe issues will arise since the bones can break while in the dog’s throat or digestive system. The dog will then experience severe pain, and it can also bleed in the process.
If the turkey is seasoned, you cannot feed it to your dogs. Different types of seasoning will be toxic to your dogs. Unless you’re among the people who don’t believe in seasoning your food before cooking, it is advisable not to feed your dog any human food during Thanksgiving or any time of the year.
The stuffing that you also use matters. For instance, onions are harmful to dogs. There are also different oils and herbs that will harm your dog’s digestive system.
You should prepare the turkey on your own and ensure it is fresh. If the turkey has preservatives, it will most likely harm your dogs because the dogs will find it hard to digest because of the chemical composition. As a result, you should avoid these.
How to Feed Turkey Meat to Your Dog
When giving your dog turkey meat, you should first get rid of the skin. The main reason is because the skin takes up most of the seasoning. The fat present in the turkey can also lead to pancreatitis.
If you’ve fried the turkey meat, you shouldn’t give it to your dog. Fried foods are not even suitable for humans. As a result, when you feed your dogs with fried meat, you’re putting their health at risk.
The best choice is lean meat for the dogs. You should avoid the legs since they contain a considerable amount of fat.
When is Turkey Meat Dangerous for Dogs?
Turkey meat is dangerous for dogs in the following instances:
Raw
As you prepare some turkey meat for roasting, it may end up falling, of which you’ll deem it unsuitable for human consumption. You’ll then assume that the meat can be fed to the dogs.
You should know that turkey meat cannot be fed to your dogs’ raw. If the turkey is undercooked, it will still pose hard to your dogs since it still contains salmonella bacteria, and they will become sick in the process.
Marinated and Seasoned
Plain turkey is safe for dogs. Nonetheless, you need to feed them in moderation. If the meat is marinated and seasoned, you should know that the spices will cause some harm to your dogs.
When seasoning any meat, most people usually use garlic or onions, which will be tasty for humans. However, the onion and garlic will be toxic to dogs, and they will experience stomach upsets. The dogs can also suffer from anemia when consuming onions since their red blood cells will be damaged.
Other spices that will harm your dog include:
- Sage
- Excessive salt
- Nutmeg
- Excessive sugar
- Cocoa powder
Leftovers
Some people usually feed leftovers to their dogs after they’re done with their meals. If you took some turkey meat, you should reconsider feeding leftovers to the dogs, especially if there are bones.
We earlier mentioned that the bones would lead to digestive issues. Small turkey bones will also pose a digestive hazard, and small dogs are at a greater risk.
If your dog gets to consume some turkey meat that you may have dropped of by mistake, there is no need to rush to the veterinary doctor. A small bite won’t cause any major harm. However, you should beware of a choking hazard if the dog consumes any bones.
Licking the plate will pose some harm considering there are other types of food that will pose some danger, including desserts, because of the high amounts of sugar. Also, if the food contains onions, the dog will be harmed by the toxins.
If you have a dog as a pet, there is no need for guesswork regarding the type of food you feed your dogs. You should go ahead and order custom and fresh meals from the local pet store.
If you have considered feeding your dog with turkey meat, you can consult your vet to learn which other types of human food are safe for your dogs.
[Related Article: Can Dogs Eat Honey Like Human Beings?]
Final Thoughts
Ensure you’ve taken the necessary precautions to ensure your dog won’t be harmed by the toxins present in human food. Needless to say, the advice offered by veterinary doctors is also of great importance.
