Can Dogs eat Turkey?
Dogs are thought to be carnivorous even though researchers have shown they can also be omnivorous as they consume both animal products and plants.
It is important for them to have a balanced diet to cater to their growth needs at different ages. Furthermore, it is paramount to feed them a balanced diet with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Meat is always at the top of the list in dog food and we find many treats and wet food having ingredients like fish, chicken, lamb, and even turkey.
Clearly, the food we give to our furry friends needs to have all the required nutrients and not focused on ingredients alone.
Alongside this, when giving dry kibble or wet food ensure to give food that will help in digestion, health, energy levels, and to make the dog healthy.
Turkey as a Delicacy
Obviously, we want the best results for our dogs. Turkey being a delicacy in many homes we also want to share with our favorable members of the family, our dogs.
For dog owners who prefer giving their dogs homemade meals and alternate with commercial dog food, turkey is a good choice when prepared as directed by a vet. One can desire to give a turkey sandwich when eating.
It is found as one of the ingredients in many commercial pet food brands and is healthy for your dog. Despite all its benefit it can be good as well as bad for your dog hence give in moderation.
Benefits of Feeding Turkey to your Dog
Just like any change of diet, turkey can also have a negative impact on your dog. Start by changing the diet gradually and in consultation with your vet to avoid any poisoning.
Clearly, Turkey has numerous benefits as it gives your dog phosphorous, proteins, and riboflavin.
It should be noted that the turkey feed to dogs should be cooked plain, do not season by adding butter, spices, and salts. With the family Thanksgiving turkey, it is okay to add all the ingredients and spices to make it tasty and yummy but not for your dog.
Moreover, any addition to the preparation of your turkey can be toxic and lead to stomach upset and pancreatitis for your dog.
For dogs suffering from allergies of other type of meat like salmon, chicken, beef, duck, turkey may be an alternative source of protein.
Remember, to always consult your vet when introducing new food to your dog’s diet.
How to prepare a healthy Turkey for your Dog
It is true we stuff our turkey with spices, herbs, salt, and many additions when preparing for our family.
Without a doubt, when preparing the turkey for your dog you want her/him to get all the proper nutrients. With that said, anything that is not healthy should be discarded.
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Skin Turkey
Start with skinning the turkey and remove the outer layer as it contains a lot of fat and most of the seasoning that can be harmful to your dog.
Besides this, the fat on the outer skin can cause pancreatitis, leading to digestion problems and unable to regulate blood sugar.
If your dog suffers from pancreatitis, he/she may lose appetite, vomit, and diarrhea, be dehydrated, abdominal pains, and even have lethargy.
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Avoid Seasoning
If the turkey is for your dog meal, cook a plain turkey. To avoid stomach upset for your dog due to spices and herbs, salt, cook without seasoning.
We have human food and seasoning that can be yummy to us but toxic to our pets. Also, if you have to check with your vet what is the recommended quantity to give?
Do not cook the turkey with onion or garlic as they can be poisonous to our dogs.
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Consult Vet
Turkey can be tasty and one may want to add to all their dog meals. Subsequently, turkey comes with many nutrients that the dog may benefit from and one may be tempted to mix with his/her diet.
Change in diet should be discussed with your vet and it should be gradually.
Additionally, give in a small portion and if away from the home delegate and ensure the feeding schedule is followed. You can monitor the portions with the dog camera installed at your home, for instance, Furbo camera which is very effective.
Overfeeding your dog can lead to obesity and other unhealthy diseases like arthritis. Any food given to your dog, be it turkey or the normal regular diet should be given in moderation to avoid any health problems.
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Remove Bones
Particularly, small bones can be a choking hazard for your dog if not removed.
When cooked the bones may tend to be brittle and easy for your dog to chew. Even so, remove all bones as consumption of them can cause choking, constipation, injuries in the mouth, internal blockage, and piercing of the intestines and internal organs leading to bleeding for your dog.
When the injuries are serious the bone can be removed through surgery.
We have dog breeds that are aggressive chewers and may think the cooked bone is good for their dental cleaning. To avoid this, get a chew rope, chew toy, for playtime or tartar removal. Particularly, buy chew toys or chew bones with bacon or turkey flavors that he is enticing and appealing to the dog.
Turkey meat when cooked can have splinters and chewable bones, even so, remove them as they can have a negative impact on your dog’s digestive tract and throat.
Sadly, this does not only happen with turkey meat but also chicken, duck any other kind of meat, hence remove all bones.
Bones can cause internal blockage of the digestive tract necessitating surgery to remove the bone or stop internal bleeding brought about by piercing.
Conclusion
That said, you can feed your dog with turkey but adhere to the above safety tips when preparing and other recommendations from your vet.
Avoid giving kitchen leftovers or always feeding your dog without following the feeding schedule as this can lead to being fat, joint issues, and obesity. More on this is explained in how to check your dog weight.
Finally, buy a fresh turkey without preservatives or chemicals to avoid poisoning your dog.
