Can you give a dog a turkey

Any owner might be tempted to share a juicy piece of turkey with their four-legged meat lover. But can dogs be fed turkey? And why is it bad if a dog ate a turkey bone?

Can you give your dog turkey meat?

Turkey is often included in various treats and dog foods. A small amount of properly cooked, skinless and unseasoned white turkey meat is fine for a pet. Minced turkey, if it does not contain any additives, is also absolutely safe.

The problem with feeding turkey to dogs is not the meat itself. The American Kennel Club advises against sharing with a pet for the following reasons:

• The fat found in turkey skin can cause pancreatitis, a condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. In addition to discomfort and pain, this can also cause serious health complications for the dog.
• Seasonings added when cooking a turkey can irritate a dog’s intestines and cause digestive problems such as vomiting and diarrhea.
• Turkey is often seasoned with garlic and onions, which are toxic to dogs.
• Deli meats, hot dogs, and other types of processed turkey meat contain large amounts of salt and preservatives. They can harm a dog’s health and cause stomach upset. You can give your pet processed meat only occasionally and in very small quantities. For example, you can use a small piece of a turkey hot dog to hide a pill. According to Top Dog Tips, regularly feeding your dog any deli meats is harmful and even dangerous.

Can you give your dog turkey bones?

While there is no doubt that pets love to gnaw and gnaw on bones, it can be harmful to them, according to the AKC. Particularly dangerous are the small bones of birds, including turkeys and chickens. If a dog chews on bones, this can lead to the following problems:

• injuries of the mouth and throat;
• choking or obstruction of the throat;
• intestinal obstruction;
• puncture of the mucous membrane of the stomach or intestines;
• constipation or pain with bowel movements;
• rectal bleeding.

Some of these injuries, such as a bowel obstruction, may require emergency surgery.

What to do if your dog ate a turkey bone

There is a chance that even the most attentive owner at some point will grab and swallow a forbidden piece of turkey or a bone. In this case, it is important not to panic. Do not try to take food away from a dog, especially if it is prone to food aggression. 

If a pet has eaten a bone, you should seek the advice of a veterinarian, recommends the AKC. He will advise you on how to reduce the risk of injury.

You need to keep a close eye on your pet. A veterinarian should be contacted immediately if the dog experiences difficulty or pain when trying to defecate a few days after ingesting the bone. Sharp fragments may cause rectal irritation. Other signs requiring veterinary attention include:

• lethargy;
• loss of appetite;
• vomiting;
• constipation or difficulty defecation;
• blood in the stool;
• swollen or distended abdomen;
• restlessness or difficulty getting into a comfortable position.

In order not to worry about the health of the pet, it is better to give him a turkey treat. He will be no less happy, and the owner will be more calm, knowing that nothing threatens the health of his four-legged friend.