What do you call a scary chicken? A poultrygeist. That might not be the most clever joke, but if we’re talking about chicken and fear, let’s discuss the topic of raw chicken. As humans, we’ve been carefully instructed to never consume raw or undercooked chicken. But is it the same for dogs? After all, wild animals chomp down on a wide variety of uncooked meats. Can dogs eat raw chicken? Today we will explore this topic.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Chicken?
Raw meat is a tricky topic. If you browse the news, you’ll be sure to see plenty of reports about bacteria in undercooked meats contaminating people. But dogs and humans are different. Can dogs eat raw chicken?
Overall, raw chicken is a risky food for dogs to eat. However, it is not as risky for dogs to consume raw meat as it is for humans. This means that raw chicken is not off limits for dogs to eat. It’s up to the owner to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether or not to serve raw chicken.
Raw Chicken for Dogs
Why can dogs eat raw chicken? Dogs have much more acidic stomach acid than humans do. This gives them a greater protection against bacteria. However, it’s still a risk to serve raw chicken.
If you’re going to serve raw chicken to your dog, ensure that the chicken has not expired. Also, as a precaution, rinse the chicken off before serving. If you’re going to explore a raw food diet, be sure to consult your vet first.
You can also serve raw chicken along with a reduced serving of your dog’s normal food or as a treat. If you are interested in a homemade dog food diet, you can serve your dog some raw chicken along with dog-approved grains and veggies.
Overall, chicken is a tremendously healthy food for dogs. It contains plenty of protein and is a great option for canines, but you might want to think twice before serving it raw.
Raw Chicken Risks
Now let’s discuss the risks of consuming raw chicken. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but raw chicken runs risks of salmonella and other bacterial contaminations. Therefore, it’s always safer to give dogs cooked chicken.
There are always risks associated with eating raw meat. A new study even links raw chicken consumption to a staggering increase in a potentially fatal form of paralysis in dogs. Dogs who consume raw chicken are more than 70 times more likely to develop this debilitating illness, according to the study.
Raw chicken is also risky in less severe ways. Signs of canine bacterial infections from raw meat consumption include digestive upset, fever, and lethargy. Dogs can also be carriers of bacterial infections without displaying any symptoms. This can be risky for other household animals, especially those with weak immune systems.
Infected dogs can also pass bacterial infections on to humans. Infants, elderly, and immune-compromised family members are more at risk to catching such illnesses.
The Verdict
Can dogs eat raw chicken? Maybe. While raw chicken isn’t as unsafe for dogs as it is for humans, it is still risky for dogs to eat raw chicken. Overall, it’s up to the human to decide if raw chicken is best for canines.
To read more about the pros and cons of raw meat diets for dogs, check out can dogs eat raw meat. And to read more about the poultry for dogs, read about how turkey can benefit canines.
