As any owner of dogs will tell you, dogs will eat anything – and trust me, as a dog, I can confirm this!
That being said, just because we will try and eat anything and everything, doesn’t mean we should.
Ground turkey is one of the foodstuffs that humans love – apparently, it’s even healthier than ground beef, but we dogs don’t care about that stuff so we can’t confirm either way.
Whatever our humans eat, we think we should eat too, and so with this in mind, there have been many fearless dogs who have attempted to swipe the ground turkey out of the hands of their human.
But are they allowed to eat it? Is ground turkey going to make your dog sick, or is it just another nutritious treat we can chomp on?
In this article I, Cheddar the corgi, will be guiding you through all things ground turkey-related, letting you know whether your furry friend can safely chow down on your ground turkey, or whether this will be yet another snack you need to hide from them.
Can dogs eat ground turkey?
I am happy to inform you right off the bat that ground turkey is indeed dog-friendly. This means that, at least in most cases, your furry four legged friends can safely snack away on ground turkey.
However, there are also some things that you should keep in mind about ground turkey, as there are some things that should be avoided, as well as ways you can make the eating of ground turkey safer for your dog.
For example, in the article, we will be addressing how much ground turkey they can eat, whether they can eat raw ground turkey, and also, examining whether dogs are allowed to eat seasoned ground turkey.
How much ground turkey can I feed my dog?
For any meat, it is thought that you should feed your dog around a quarter of a pound or a third of a pound of meat per 20lbs of the weight of your furry friend.
What we mean is that, if your dog weighs 40lbs, then they can have half or two thirds of a pound of ground turkey. This is per day, rather than per meal, so do bear that in mind!
Can dogs eat raw ground turkey?
Whilst ground turkey is a delicious treat for a dog, providing them with lots of nutrients, and a great source of protein, it is not recommended to be eaten raw – by dogs or humans!
You absolutely must ensure that it is cooked properly before you give it to your furry friend.
Trust me, as a dog that accidentally on purpose once ate some raw meat from my human’s kitchen counter, it is not good for us dogs.
Think of it this way, if raw turkey can make you sick, it can certainly make a dog sick, especially as they are much smaller, with smaller tummies!
Cook it well, ensuring to do so without any harmful oils and fats. You could cook it in the oven, or in a pan, however, you choose to do so.
There are many humans that choose to feed their dogs a raw meat diet. Sure, your dog will eat it raw, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be good for them.
Before you even dream of giving your furry friend raw meat, you need to ensure you check with your vet.
Any dog with underlying health conditions or an immunocompromised dog, should under no circumstances be given raw meat.
In fact, in my humble dog-opinion, I think it’s always best to err on the side of caution and cook any meat you give us, especially poultry.
Can dogs eat seasoned ground turkey?
Humans love to season their food. They use salt and pepper on everything as well as the spicy stuff that burns my tongue…and *other places* if you accidentally eat some…
However, just because you humans like it, it does not mean that we do. In fact, many seasonings that are great for humans can actually make us dogs very sick.
So, as tempting as it may be to give them the leftover turkey from when you made chili or tacos, you really, really shouldn’t. Instead, keep some back before you cook it for yourself, and then cook your dog’s serving separately.
The reason for this is because there are many seasonings that may seem harmless, like salt, but in even small amounts they can have serious health complications for dogs.
Too much salt, for example, can cause dehydration, kidney and liver issues, high blood pressure, and so many other issues in dogs.
Then there are spices and herbs that can give dogs diarrhea, vomiting, and total failure of the digestive system.
For this reason, it is best to avoid them altogether, especially since it is hard to know exactly how your dog will react to a certain seasoning.
Is ground turkey or ground beef better for my dog?
In all honesty, both ground turkey and ground beef are equally good for dogs, provided they are given in small amounts, are free of fat, are the leanest cuts possible, and are cooked adequately without oil and seasonings.
Both of them will provide iron, vitamins, and lots of protein that can help us get bigger, stronger, and fuel our zoomie sessions around the yard!
Summary
To summarize, I am happy to report that dogs can indeed eat ground turkey. That is, they can eat it provided it is cooked, and as long as you ensure that it is not seasoned, as well as being fat-free.
This means that you probably shouldn’t give them your leftovers if they were cooked in oil and seasoned with a bunch of spices and herbs. As tasty as that is, it can make your dog very sick!
Ground turkey, when given in small amounts, can be a great source of protein and many other important nutrients that your dog needs.
Take it from me, Cheddar the corgi – ground turkey is a delicious snack and can be safely incorporated into your dog’s diet, provided my advice (and the advice of your veterinarian) is followed.