Can Dogs Eat Chicken Neck? Maybe?
Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 08:34 pm
Reading Time: 7 minutes
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Can Dogs Eat Chicken Neck
One of the most common ingredients in dog food is chicken. But can dogs eat every part of the chicken? Before you dig any further for answers, remember that the world of all things dog food can be pretty intense. Pet parents are very passionate about the foods their dog eats! (This is a good thing!) But trying to find out what foods you can and can’t give to dogs can be a challenge. There is much information and so many different opinions that are out there! So, back to our chicken question- can dogs eat all of the chicken? Even the neck?
Can Dogs Eat Chicken Neck?
Yes, chicken neck is totally safe for dogs. Chicken necks surprisingly have many advantages for dogs. Sadly, there are some risks that chicken neck poses to dogs. So keep that in mind when feeding it to your dog. We’ll go over them, so continue reading.
Can Puppies Eat chicken Necks?
Unlike adult dogs, Puppies should not eat chicken necks. It is not suitable for puppies for a couple of reasons. First, the high calcium content can be too much for puppies and be detrimental to your puppy’s bone growth. The other reason is that the risk of choking is even greater for puppies since their little jaws aren’t powerful enough to break up the chicken neck thoroughly.
How Do You Feed Your Dog Chicken Neck?
The idea of feeding your dog chicken neck, especially feeding raw, can be daunting. And sure, our dogs will probably love it, but some of us may find it kind of gross.
- For beginners, one of the easiest things to do is give your dog prepared chicken neck. These can be found in pet stores, in person, or online. There are a couple of different ways these dog-friendly chicken necks are prepared. For example, they might be slowly air-dried, freeze-dried, or dehydrated.
- Ensure that the chicken neck has not been prepared with high temperatures or cooked. Cooked bones from any part of a chicken become brittle and will shatter or splinter. These shards of bone can cause life-threatening trauma to your dog’s digestive system.
- Chicken necks can also be given to your dog raw. But you must be sure to sanitize carefully. (More on that later)
Why Feed Your Dog Chicken Necks?
Though they may not be appetizing to us, chicken necks can be chock-full of benefits for your dog. For example, dehydrated necks are usually crunchy. Any crunchy or abrasive food helps remove plaque and build-up on your dog’s teeth. And who doesn’t love a dog with a clean and sparkly smile?
Chicken necks also provide joint health benefits thanks to their glucosamine and chondroitin contents. These are found in the connective tissue and cartilage in the neck.
Chicken necks are high in protein and calcium. They also contain a high amount of fat, which can be good or bad, depending on your dog. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, a history of bowel issues, or a history of pancreatitis, it is probably best to avoid chicken necks and other foods with high fat content.
Some Benefits Include:
- Chicken neck can help dogs with anxiety and stress
- Chicken neck is a good source of protein for dogs
- Chicken neck helps to keep your dog’s immune system up and running
- Contains high levels of protein and nutrients that are beneficial to their health.
- Low in calories, making them an ideal snack for overweight or obese dogs.
Keep in mind these are only a few out of the tens of benefits that chicken necks have.
Risk of feeding chicken neck
As with any food, there is a risk of choking. The risk is more pronounced when dogs eat chicken neck. Big dogs especially have a high risk of choking since they can easily bite the neck into smaller pieces that they could easily choke on.
When feeding your dog any raw food, there is always a risk of coming into contact with pathogens like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, which can cause serious illness in pets and humans.
Additionally, recent research at the University of Melbourne has found that there may be a link between feeding raw chicken necks and cases of dogs with polyradiculoneuritis. This rare paralysis can result in respiratory failure.
Other Options To Feed Your Dog
If for any reason, you are uncomfortable feeding your dog chicken neck, there are other options for you to try. For example, you could try chicken feet for your dog. Chicken feet have similar nutritional benefits but have smaller, more fragile bones that are far less likely to get stuck in the throat or be abrasive or damaging.
Here’s a quick rundown of some alternatives to chicken neck that are also fantastic to give your dog:
- Chick Soup – This may sound like something you’d want to feed to your dog, but it’s actually a great meal for your pup! Chick Soup is made from raw chicken and vegetables (potato, carrots, celery, and corn) that are cooked with herbs and spices. It’s like a chicken pot pie, but without the crust and with more nutrients for your dog.
- Chicken Pupsicles – No, these don’t contain any chicken necks. But they do contain chicken broth and are good for your dog’s health. Just add some frozen strawberries for a delicious treat.
- Raw Meaty Bones – Raw meaty bones contain hard-walled bone that dogs love to gnaw on. They are also great chew toys for dogs and they are full of important minerals and nutrients that your dog needs.
- Liver Treats – These treats are made with liver and beef liver are full of vitamin A and iron. – Rolled Oats – Oats have been a staple in many dog foods for a reason – they are good for your dog’s health and they are good to eat too!
- Homemade Bone Broth – You can make your own bone broth at home. Bone broth is full of minerals and protein that your dog needs and it has multiple health benefits for humans too!
- Raw Hay – Hay is great for your dog’s digestive tract and it’s full of important nutrients and minerals. – Roasted Chickpeas – These are rich in protein and fibre and make for a great treat for your dog that is healthy and filling.
- Pumpkin – Pumpkin is full of vitamins and minerals and makes for a healthy treat for your dog. – Cranberries – These fruits are rich in Vitamin C and minerals like manganese and copper.
- Blueberries – These fruits are full of benefits
Can Dogs Eat Chicken Hearts and Gizzards?
Yes, your dog can eat other chicken products like hearts and gizzards. Interestingly, hearts and gizzards are not considered raw organs in the raw feeding community since they don’t have secretions. Secreting organs might include the liver, kidney, or pancreas, for example.
Be sure to check the sodium levels before feeding these items to your dog. Too much sodium can lead to dehydration and even salt poisoning. (Read more about salt poisoning here-Hash brown article)
Helpful tips
On a hot summer’s day, another great option might be to try feeding your dog frozen duck, turkey, or chicken neck, depending on your dog’s size. Since the neck is frozen, chewing can be more of a challenge. You’ll want to make sure that the dog’s teeth are in good condition before introducing frozen foods.
If your dog tends to take big bites and not chew his food, make sure you hold onto the neck you are feeding him, so he is forced to chew. Just watch your fingers! Holding the neck will help teach your dog to slow down a little! And it may help with your dog’s manners and self-control.
Raw feeding safety
There are risks associated with feeding your dog anything raw. But there are some things you can do to help prevent illness.
- First, don’t wash meat. Doing so only increases the risks of cross-contamination.
- Second, keep raw food either frozen or in a refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above this temperature welcomes the growth of bacteria and foodborne illness.
Thoroughly sanitize before and after preparing and giving any raw food. Disinfect everything with hot soapy water. Most importantly – wash your hands!
Summary
In conclusion, there is no one clear answer as to whether dogs should eat chicken necks. It will depend entirely on who you ask. Yes, in theory, dogs can eat chicken neck, but there are important things to consider first. Most dog foods today have chicken necks in them. You can feed them raw or cooked. And make sure they don’t eat too much or they might get too full. Some great alternatives to chicken necks are vitamin-rich chicken pupsicles, raw meaty bones, rolled oats, home-made bone broth, pumpkin, roasted chickpeas, and cranberries. And be sure to keep chicken necks in the fridge for your dog’s safety!
Take this information and your vet’s advice and do what you think is best for your pup.
About The Author
I'm a content writer and researcher. But bottom line, I loveee animals. I had my first animal which was a guinea pig at age 8. Later had a bunny, dog and a lot, a lot of fish. Writing about what I know about pets will allow me to share my knowledge and love for them with everyone else. Dealing with dogs my entire life, I know a lot.
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