Are Christmas Meats safe for my dog to eat?

Sel
Nov 25
3 min read

Here is information about popular Christmas meats and their suitability for your dog. Are they safe for your canine companion to consume? What are the potential health risks and benefits of these meats for your pet?

Popular Meat Choices for Christmas, Ham and Turkey. Image from chatgpt

Can Dogs Eat Turkey?

This Christmas, while carving your turkey and noticing your dog gazing at you with those begging eyes, you might ask yourself, "Is turkey safe for dogs to consume?"

Here’s all you need to know about dogs and turkey, covering whether you should give your dog turkey, from turkey legs and breast meat to jerky and ground turkey, as well as potential benefits and risks to be aware of.

Dogs can eat cooked turkey, and it can be beneficial for them. However, the skin, cooked bones, and fat should be removed. While plain turkey is safe for dogs, turkey with added ingredients, seasonings, preservatives, and other additives can be harmful to them.

Feeding your dog pieces of fat or skin is very unhealthy due to the higher fat content. The dark meat in turkey legs and thighs also contains more fat and calories.

Fat and skin could also upset their stomach, leading to other digestive issues in dogs. For puppies, remember that they have much more sensitive stomachs than adult dogs. Regularly giving a dog fatty foods can eventually result in health problems like obesity, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or even pancreatitis.

Benefits of Turkey

Turkey is a nutritious animal protein commonly used in dog food and can also be offered to your dog as a treat.

Turkey contains the following nutrients:

Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Niacin
Protein
Zinc
Selenium
Sodium
Phosphorus
Choline
Magnesium
Potassium

The white meat of turkey breast also contains slightly more protein.

Cooked Bones are a Hazard

Any cooked bones left in the turkey meat could accidentally be swallowed. This would create a choking hazard and potential blockage in the intestine. Cooked bones are more dangerous than raw bones because they will easily splinter into shards.

Can Dogs Eat Ham?

Ham is a popular choice for Christmas feasts and weekday sandwiches. Like chicken, turkey, and other meats, your dog might be interested in trying it. But is ham safe for dogs?

While ham isn't toxic to dogs, it's not a healthy choice for them either.

If your dog eats a small piece that falls on the floor, they should be okay. However, regularly feeding ham to your dog can cause long-term health issues.

Ham is very high in sodium, which can lead to problems such as hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, and obesity. In addition to salt, ham is also high in fat. Regularly eating fatty foods can cause pancreatitis and obesity in dogs, and even a single occurrence can upset your dog's stomach.

Ham may also contain high sugar levels, which can lead to diabetes in dogs.

If you decide to give your dog a small amount of ham as a special treat, it's best to choose unprocessed and uncured ham with the fat removed. However, you probably have healthier treats available for your dog in the kitchen.

Is It Safe for Dogs to Chew on Ham Bones?

Even though feeding your dog ham isn't advisable, it's crucial to avoid giving them a ham bone to chew. Cooked bones have the potential to splinter, posing a choking risk or potentially causing an intestinal blockage.

What To Do If Your Dog Eats Ham

Sometimes dogs try to sneak food when we’re not looking. If your pup gets into the Christmas ham, stay vigilant of the following signs of stomach upset: