Can Dogs Eat Turkey?

This Thanksgiving, as you carve into your turkey and your dog gives you those puppy-dog eyes, you may ask yourself, “Can dogs eat turkey?”

Here’s everything to know about dogs and turkey, including whether you should feed your dog turkey—from turkey legs and breast meat to jerky and ground turkey—plus potential benefits and hazards to look out for.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey?

Yes, dogs can eat turkey—and it can be considered healthy for dogs—as long as it’s prepared safely and served in small portions.

Turkey must be fully cooked without any other ingredients or seasonings; the skin, bones, and fat must be removed; and it must be served plain, without any other ingredients or seasonings.

Is Turkey Good for Dogs?

Yes, turkey can be a healthy, occasional treat for dogs. It’s a lean, healthy animal protein that’s often a main ingredient in dog food recipes, and it can also be given to your dog as a treat.

Here are some nutrients found in turkey:

• Vitamin B6

• Vitamin B12

• Niacin

• Protein

• Zinc

• Selenium

• Sodium

• Phosphorus

• Choline

• Magnesium

• Potassium

The white meat in turkey breast is a little higher in protein, too.

Is Turkey Bad for Dogs?

While plain turkey is safe for dogs, turkey with added ingredients, seasonings, preservatives, and other additives can be harmful to them.

Other risks of turkey for dogs include:

Fat and Skin Have High Fat Content

Giving your dog pieces of fat or skin is very unhealthy for dogs because of the higher fat content. The dark meat in turkey legs and thighs is also much higher in fat and calories.

Fat and skin could also cause an upset stomach and other digestive issues in dogs. And when it comes to puppies, keep in mind they have much more sensitive stomachs than adult dogs.

Giving a dog fatty foods on a regular basis over time can lead to health problems like obesity, arthritis, diabetes, pancreatitis, or heart disease. 

Raw Turkey Can Have Dangerous Bacteria

Make sure any turkey you feed your dog is fully cooked. 

Bones Can Be a Choking Hazard

Any bones left in the turkey meat could accidentally be swallowed. This would create a choking hazard and potential intestinal blockage. 

Cooked bones are even more dangerous than raw bones because they will easily splinter into shards. 

If your dog has swallowed a piece of bone, contact your veterinarian right away and take them to the vet clinic. 

Seasonings and Added Ingredients Can Be Toxic

Added ingredients and seasonings like garlic and onion can not only be unhealthy for dogs, but they can also be toxic. Even butter and salt can cause problems.

How To Safely Feed Your Dog Turkey

Here’s how to safely prep turkey for dogs:

• Serve white meat only. The dark meat in turkey legs and thighs is much higher in fat and calories.

• Remove the skin and fat. Remember, both have high fat content and can lead to upset stomach and other digestive issues.

• Remove the bones. They’re choking hazards.

• Fully cook the meat. Raw and undercooked turkey can have dangerous bacteria.

• Do not add any seasonings or other ingredients. Added ingredients, seasonings, preservatives, and other additives can be harmful to dogs.

• Cut into small, bite-size pieces. To help prevent choking, cut the turkey into 1-inch cubes.

You can feed the safely prepared turkey to your dog as a treat or as a food topper in their bowl.

Avoid lunch meat, jerky, smoked turkey, turkey burgers, turkey sausage, and turkey bacon. They’re all high in fat and may contain harmful ingredients to dogs.

How Much Turkey Can Dogs Eat?

Always check with your veterinarian before adding new foods and snacks to your dog’s diet, especially if they struggle with obesity, diabetes, or any other diseases.

Any treat for a dog—even healthy ones—should only make up 10% of their daily diet, while the other 90% should come from a well-balanced dog food diet. 

Below is a general guideline for feeding fully cooked, white turkey meat (without any skin or bones) to your dog. Each “piece” listed below refers to a 1-inch cube of turkey meat.

If you’re concerned that your dog has eaten too much turkey, contact your veterinarian.

Too much turkey can cause problems such as pancreatitis, which is a serious condition. Watch out for the signs of pancreatitis below:

• Loss of appetite

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Painful abdomen

• Fever

Can Dogs Eat Ground Turkey?

Yes, dogs can eat ground turkey if it’s plain, unseasoned, and cooked thoroughly.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey Bones?

No, dogs cannot eat turkey bones because they can be a choking hazard and potentially cause punctures or blockages. The bones can splinter and cause internal damage.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey Necks?

Yes, dogs can eat turkey necks as long as they’re prepared safely and cooked thoroughly.

While cooked turkey necks are high in protein and offer nutritional benefits, raw turkey necks contain harmful bacterial like salmonella and can cause food poisoning in dogs when eaten.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey Bacon or Turkey Sausage?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat turkey bacon or turkey sausage. They usually contain large amounts of sodium, preservatives, and other added ingredients that could be harmful to your dog. Added ingredients like garlic and onion are toxic to dogs.