# turkey???



## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

i'm not sure if this is in the right forum or not. mods please feel free to move 

I recently took a CPR class for dogs for grooming school, we got on the subject of giving turkey to dogs. the instructor of the CPR class and my teacher have both said that turkey ( all parts of it) are bad for dogs and should not be fed,yet I hear people give their dogs some turkey on thanksgiving. so what i want to know is is turkey bad for dogs and why?


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> i'm not sure if this is in the right forum or not. mods please feel free to move
> 
> I recently took a CPR class for dogs for grooming school, we got on the subject of giving turkey to dogs. the instructor of the CPR class and my teacher have both said that turkey ( all parts of it) are bad for dogs and should not be fed,yet I hear people give their dogs some turkey on thanksgiving. so what i want to know is is turkey bad for dogs and why?


 
I feed raw and turkey is part of Molly's diet. We never had any issues!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

vast difference between Thanksgiving's roasted turkey (bad) and raw turkey . 
My guys all had ground raw turkey with turkey bones tonight. Pups get turkey necks . Frozen turkey necks are great for teething. 
Any cooked bone and heated fats create problems .

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I give Lucy turkey on thanksgiving every year. Any dog I've ever owned have gotten their share of turkey without any problems.

Turkey is a pretty common ingredient on a lot of dog foods too.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

My issue with commercial turkey is it is VERY hard to find any that is not pumped full of salt water. I realizing brining makes the meat moister and more tender when it is roasted and is the standard process for frozen turkey but it is nothing near natural. I an sodium sensitive and actually don't like turkey and frozen chicken anymore because of the salt content.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Dogs can die from pancreatitis from getting into the discarded turkey stuff containing the fatty drippings. Apparently, the same goes for turkey skin, which I didn't know.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I'm going to move this to the raw forum))


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when my dog was a pup he was allergic to turkey.
i've given him turkey since then and he's been fine.
i never buy any can food with turkey in it.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Daisy will get white meat w/out the skin this year due to pancreatic issues. Lucky will get the same because they switch food bowls. The two have always gotten someturkey but we limited it.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

The danger is for kibble fed dogs that are given the leftovers, especially the grease and skin, from the turkey. It is not to raw fed dogs who get turkey as part of their normal diet. 

I love this time of year. I can get whole turkeys on sale and store them for later use and lots of lots of parts including very inexpensive backs (my store cuts up the left over fresh turkeys). Turkey is also part of my dogs' normal diet.


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## 5shot (Oct 11, 2011)

So is it turkey only or is it any poultry skin and scraps?


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

5shot said:


> So is it turkey only or is it any poultry skin and scraps?


ANY *cooked* bones - regardless of the source - are dangerous. The smaller ones, like turkey and chicken, can break and splinter. The larger ones can break teeth.

*RAW *bones are safe to feed.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I always give my dogs turkey around Thanksgiving, or whenever we have it. As long as the turkey isn't fried or buttered before it was baked I don't think giving your dog meat can hurt. Do not give them the fat. Any time I am giving my dogs any meat I discard the fat because it is extremely bad for them.


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## 5shot (Oct 11, 2011)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> ANY *cooked* bones - regardless of the source - are dangerous. The smaller ones, like turkey and chicken, can break and splinter. The larger ones can break teeth.
> 
> *RAW *bones are safe to feed.


 
I meant in regard to the pancreatitis.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

If you are talking about COOKED turkey ...

Most dogs should be able to handle a small portion of cooked turkey meat (NO bone) without much problems - as long as the turkey wasn't spiced or fried or loaded with butter. Just plain turkey meat.
​If you are talking about RAW turkey ...

Most dogs should be able to handle a small portion of raw turkey (and turkey bone) without much problem.
​The problem occurs when dogs that are NOT used to getting something different get HUGE portions of something new.


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## 5shot (Oct 11, 2011)

Got it...

So if the pooch is normally kibble fed, the problem could arrise with a bunch of fatty chicken backs/thighs or even some fatty beef ribs, not just turkey.

If ours gets any of the Thanksgiving bird, it will be whatever happens to fall on the floor!

I am going to save him the neck though, in small portions.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Turkey meat without bones ought to be safe. 
I cooked up an entire turkey once to feed the shelter dogs at Christmas. Most were larger breeds and I gave them skin and all, except bones, and they did fine. Of course many got diarrhea but they were used to cheap-o foods like Ol' Roy and such, so any additives at all would probably had bothered them, skin or no skin.
Some were on death row so I figured if they wound up getting sick, it was worth it to give them one last meal. Food was all they looked forward to anyway


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

My dog pulled the "cooked" turkey off the counter once and ate some, but not all of it. That was at least 10 years ago, so apparently it didn't hurt her. LOL! She is allergic to chicken, so I opt to not offer her turkey either. Obviously, she is not in agreement with my decision.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> My dog pulled the "cooked" turkey off the counter once and ate some, but not all of it. That was at least 10 years ago, so apparently it didn't hurt her. LOL! She is allergic to chicken, so I opt to not offer her turkey either. Obviously, she is not in agreement with my decision.


 
Ok, gotta ask. Did you pick it off the floor...wipe it off...glance over your shoulder to make sure no body was looking....then put it back?


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

5shot said:


> I am going to save him the neck though, in small portions.


Just be careful that the pieces aren't too small.. some dogs get enthusiastic and will try to swallow small pieces whole.


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## pkhoury (Jun 4, 2011)

So I'm still unclear after perusing this thread. Bones if not cook are or or are not okay? My neighbor says all bones are bad except rawhide, but I think they believe Ol' Roy is decent quality (the boyfriend is a vet tech at a veterinary school and the gf is a 2nd year vet student).

I was thinking of getting a smaller turkey for Aero. His diet consists of holistic kibble, but I used to feed him a raw diet. He also gets raw beef with bones to chew on on a somewhat regular basis.

So I understand the fatty compounds are bad and most turkeys are drenched in salt water. Any way to flush it out?

Thanks all, and happy Thanksgiving.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Daisy and Lucky just had a roasted turkey white meat. WE got a Turkey on sale over two years ago and didnt use it and w/ freezer burn we didnt eat it . They just had their last serving. Usually mix w/ rice or barley and yougurt.No issues . Took skin off for them , They loved it.


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## 5shot (Oct 11, 2011)

pkhoury said:


> So I'm still unclear after perusing this thread. Bones if not cook are or or are not okay? My neighbor says all bones are bad except rawhide, but I think they believe Ol' Roy is decent quality (the boyfriend is a vet tech at a veterinary school and the gf is a 2nd year vet student).
> 
> I was thinking of getting a smaller turkey for Aero. His diet consists of holistic kibble, but I used to feed him a raw diet. He also gets raw beef with bones to chew on on a somewhat regular basis.
> 
> ...


Uncooked Bones (turkey, chicken, beef, pork, venison) = OK

Cooked bones (any kind) = No Way

Rawhide = can cause problems


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

5shot said:


> Uncooked Bones (turkey, chicken, beef, pork, venison) = OK
> 
> Cooked bones (any kind) = No Way
> 
> Rawhide = can cause problems


Agreed. Rawhide can pose a choking hazard and has been known to also cause intestinal blockages. 

My dogs get raw bones (with meat) every day because they are raw fed. They do not get cooked bones (or cooked meat, aside from training treats), and will never get rawhide, either.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

5shot said:


> Uncooked Bones (turkey, chicken, beef, pork, venison) = OK
> 
> Cooked bones (any kind) = No Way
> 
> Rawhide = can cause problems


 
Just a note; my mini doxie was sitting on my lap chewing a bit of rawhide. A big chunk (for her mouth size) got stuck on her back molars with the bigger part of the rawhide down her throat. Because she was on my lap I noticed it as soon as she began to react. I had to hold her mouth open while attempting to un-wedge the rawhide from her back molars. At first I was afraid I'd break off her teeth, but when I realized we were in trouble (she began to gag) I used greater force removing the rawhide. 

I did manage to remove the rawhide with out breaking her teeth. If she hadn't been on my lap...or in her kennel..or on the floor, I could have lost her. I don't feed any of my dogs rawhide any more.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

5shot said:


> Uncooked Bones (turkey, chicken, beef, pork, venison) = OK
> 
> Cooked bones (any kind) = No Way
> 
> Rawhide = can cause problems


You can cook the bones to mush and that's okay. We like to make Mikko food in a pressure cooker. You can throw in a whole turkey or chicken and cook it until the bones are so soft that you can cut them with a spoon. I also add veggies, garlic, olive oil, sometimes oatmeal.


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## pkhoury (Jun 4, 2011)

Aero doesn't get a raw diet anymore, and I used to cook his meat, but he does have raw beef bones with meat on them on a fairly regular basis. He seems to have done okay with the turkey. Sadly, the cat is not interested, instead begging me for more fish.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

vicky2200 said:


> I always give my dogs turkey around Thanksgiving, or whenever we have it. As long as the turkey isn't fried or buttered before it was baked I don't think giving your dog meat can hurt. Do not give them the fat. Any time I am giving my dogs any meat I discard the fat because it is extremely bad for them.


Fat is actually very important in a healthy diet. Fat provides them with not only a beautiful coat but also provides ENERGY for them. (Whereas CARBS fuel OUR energy)

I guess I'm an exception, I give my dogs -everything-. They help clean the fridge, clean the last bits off my plate, ect. I feed raw foods a lot too (though they are kibble fed dogs) and never have I taken the skin off. I just feed it as is, never had a problem!

If you think your dog is going to have an issue, just feed smaller amounts. But all dogs need some fat in their diet.


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