Yes. Dogs can eat raw and hydrated turkey necks, which are safe to consume. However, dogs should never be fed cooked turkey necks or poultry bones as they can harm the dog’s health and cause digestive problems. Raw and hydrated turkey necks are soft and get crushed when the dog chews them. Whereas cooked turkey necks can have brittle and pointy objects that can cause digestive problems. Raw and hydrated turkey necks are nutritious, easily digestible, supplement a dog’s diet, and are a healthy treat for your dog.
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What Are Turkey Necks?
Turkey neck refers to the turkey’s neck, excluding the head, skin, and crop. A turkey’s neck consists of the spine, bones, vertebrae, trachea, muscle, and connective tissue. The length of a turkey neck measures 10-12 inches and is larger than the neck of a duck and chicken. Therefore, they are best suited for medium, large, and giant-sized dog breeds.
Turkey Neck Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of raw and dehydrated turkey neck is below.
| DEHYDRATED | % | RAW | % |
| Protein | 70.1% | Protein | 70.1% |
| Fat | 15.2% | Fat | 10.9% |
| Ash | 3.4% | Ash | 3.6 |
| Fiber | 3.8 | Fiber | 1.2% |
| Moisture | 1.2% | Moisture | 62.8% |
Are Turkey Necks Safe for Dogs?
Turkey necks are safe for dogs to eat when they are raw and hydrated. Cooked turkey necks are harmful and cause health hazards. Chewing turkey necks are an excellent mental stimulation and helps in oral health. Raw turkey necks are filled with nutrients and benefit the dog’s health. It is rich in proteins and thus helps muscle development, improves skin, and regulates hormone production. However, high protein food should be avoided for dogs suffering from liver and kidney issues. The rich meaty bones in turkey necks are full of fat which helps to provide the necessary energy. Turkey necks are a pack of nutrients like vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, copper, and selenium, providing numerous health benefits like
- Oral health
- Improves immunity
- Helps to provide red blood cells
- Helps in metabolism
- Antioxidants prevent cancer
Raw and dehydrated turkey necks offer nutrients to dogs as they contain
- High-quality protein
- Minerals including calcium and phosphorus
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
However, raw turkey necks can contaminate harmful bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli.
Cooked turkey necks should never be fed as they are prepared in high temperatures where bones get shattered into tiny objects. These brittle and sharp objects cause several health problems when consumed by dogs, such as
- Tongue and mouth injuries
- Intestinal tract obstruction
- Choking
- Damage to the lining of the stomach
- Constipation
- Rectal bleeding
It is always safe to remove the bones and only feed the meat while treating your dog with turkey necks.
Why Are Turkey Necks Good for Dogs?
The nutrition benefits of turkey necks for dogs include the following:
Proteins: Aids in muscular development and tissue repair. Promotes healthy hair and skin. Stimulates the production of antibodies, strengthening the immune system function and aids in the secretion of hormones and enzymes.
Zinc: Enhances immunity. It reduces inflammation and contains good antioxidant properties.
Copper: Helps in the formation and activity of red blood cells. It acts as a cofactor in numerous enzymatic reactions. Necessary for normal skin and hair pigmentation
Selenium: Prevents inflammation. Lessen the painful inflammation of joints for arthritic dogs. In addition, it enhances immune system response and reduces the growth of tumors.
Calcium: Calcium is an essential dietary component for your dog’s health. It is required for bone and tooth development, nerve impulse transmission, cell communication, muscle contraction, and blood coagulation. Therefore, it’s critical for your dog’s general health that he gets adequate calcium.
Phosphorus: In dogs, phosphorus is necessary for maintaining healthy kidney function. Your puppy’s kidneys must efficiently drain toxins from his body. As a result, he can stay in the most significant physical form possible. In addition, phosphorus aids motor function by assisting muscle contractions. This allows your dog to perform typical duties such as walking, chewing, and following you on morning runs. Phosphorus also aids your dog in maintaining a regular heart rate, which is especially important during activity.
Why Are Turkey Necks Bad for Dogs?
Turkey necks should be fed only as a treat and can pose the following risks
- Constipation
- Obstruction
- Choking
- Bacterial contamination
- Calories
- Cooked bones can cause rectal bleeding and intestinal blockage
- Excessive feeding leads to nutritional imbalance
How Many Turkey Necks to Feed Your Dog?
Turkey necks can be fed to dogs of all ages and sizes, and there are no specific terms about how much to provide. However, senior dogs with compromised oral health should be supervised while feeding turkey necks as they may not handle bones well. Dogs can be given one full turkey neck 2-3 times a week, depending on the size. Ensure you also provide them with plenty of water while feeding with freeze-dried or dehydrated turkey necks. Dogs that are new with turkey necks can be fed twice per week, which allows them to adjust to the new addition to their diet.
Pro Tips:
- Feed dehydrated turkey 2 to 3 times a week
- Turkey necks should not replace the balanced diet
- It is not advisable to feed dogs with obesity
- Always serve bones under supervision
How to Serve Turkey Necks to Your Dog?
The turkey necks have high to moderate calories and should only be an occasional treat.
- Feed them whole combined with other muscle meat, vegetables, and fruits.
- Grind the turkey necks with a meat grinder in case of senior dogs with dental issues.
- You can also feed turkey necks in the form of nutritious broth, which helps bone health and an upset stomach.
Recipe for homemade turkey neck broth:
Ingredients
- Filtered water
- 4-5 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
- Three cloves of garlic, whole
- Beef soup bones
- Oxtails
- Turkey necks
- Chicken or duck feet
- Organic turmeric powder
- Frozen kale
How to prepare
- Place bones and garlic cloves into the crockpot, add enough water to cover the bones by 1-2 inches and add the organic apple cider vinegar. Set the crockpot on “high” for 1 hour
- Lessen the heat to low and let it cook for 24 hours
- Remove the bones, add turmeric powder, and frozen kale to the broth, stir well, and let it cool
- Once cooled, refrigerate the broth for 3-4 hours, then remove the layer of grease that will have formed
- Pour broth into glass jars or similar food storage containers
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dog eat cooked turkey necks?
Fresh turkey necks should be fed raw and never be cooked, as cooked bones cause injury.
Can dogs swallow turkey necks?
Dogs can swallow turkey necks as a whole but may cause choking. Therefore, always feed turkey necks under supervision.
Can dogs eat frozen turkey neck?
No, feeding the dog’s frozen turkey neck is not safe.
Do turkey necks have bones?
Turkey necks comprise small, lightweight bones easily digestible for dogs.
Final Thoughts
Dogs can eat raw and dehydrated turkey necks as an occasional treat. Turkey necks contain a lot of ingredients that benefit the dog’s health. Cooked turkey necks consist of brittle objects that can cause harmful effects on a dog’s health. Dehydrated and raw turkey necks are an excellent source of protein, and chewing them helps to improve dental health. Also, chewing turkey necks offer mental stimulation to dogs.
