Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of year to reflect on what you may be grateful for while eating yummy food! Here are 5 ways to incorporate turkey into your pets diet.

Many kibble, wet food, and raw dog food blends contain turkey. Turkey contains a wide range of healthy boosting nutrients for dogs, most notably phosphorus. Phosphorus is essential in the formation of strong bones and teeth. It also plays a major role in maintaining hydration.

All that being said, too much turkey can be harmful to your dog’s digestive system. You don’t  want to overdo it. Make safe choices for your pet and have turkey as an occasional treat. Start by trying just a few bites with your dog to determine how much your pet can eat without getting an upset stomach.

1. Turkey Neck

Turkey necks make a great occasional treat and provide excellent mental stimulation for dogs. Turkey necks can be up to 12” long making them better suited for large breed dogs. Because the turkey neck will be raw, always follow strict hygiene and food safe practices.

Turkey necks help clean teeth, support joint health, and are high in protein and fat. They also contain high amounts of vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, and essential trace minerals like iron. There are risks that come with feeding a turkey neck including blockages, constipation, and choking. Only feed turkey necks to dogs under direct supervision.  

2. Turkey Organs

Included with the neck are the turkeys’ organs. The liver, kidneys, heart, and gizzard can be found inside a store-bought turkey. Most people are tempted to throw this all in the trash but there are so many health benefits to feeding organ meat to dogs.

Turkey hearts are rich in folate, phosphorus, taurine, and many other essential nutrients. The heart is also high in protein and suitable for dogs of all sizes. Turkey liver is high in iron and an excellent source of lean protein.

Turkey gizzards are rich in cartilage, zinc, iron, and vitamin B12. Gizzards also contain high amounts of glucosamine that support joint health. Organ meat can be fed to your dog raw or cooked. It can also be frozen for later use.

3. Bone Broth

When dinner is over, turn the left-over turkey carcass into a healthy bone broth. One of the easiest methods to make a homemade bone broth is to use a slow cooker.

Turkey Bone Broth Recipe

- Turkey Carcass

- Water

- 2 Whole Carrots

- 3 Whole Celery Stalks

• Take the bones from the turkey and place them into a slow cooker. Do not put any skin or juices that contain seasoning. Salt and other seasonings should not be shared with dogs.
• Add two whole carrots and 3 whole celery stalks.
• Cover with water and let simmer for 8 hours on low.
• Use a colander to strain the bone broth from the bones and vegetables. The bone broth can be jarred and refrigerated for up to 1 week. A few other options are freezing the bone broth in silicone molds and using them as meal toppers, using it in dog friendly recipes like pupsicles, or to hydrate dog kibble at mealtime.
• Discard turkey bones. Use the carrots and celery as a meal topper or just feed as a treat.

4. Left-over Cooked Turkey

Left- over turkey meat can be shared as a treat! Just ensure not to feed dogs seasoned portions of meat and remove the skin. The biggest danger in feeding your dog turkey is the other ingredients cooked with it.

Did you know onions and garlic may cause a severe upset stomach and are toxic to dogs? Dogs don’t need nearly as much salt as humans do and can’t handle much sodium. NEVER feed turkey bones to your dog.  Parts like the breast are best.

5. Turkey Treats

Lots of families are left with more left-over turkey than they know what to do with. Now comes the time for creativity. Use turkey to bake treats or freeze in silicone molds. We are sharing a recipe using supplements for ever more health benefits!

Cranberry Turkey Frozen Dog Treat

- 2 cups cooked turkey breast

- 1 cup water

- 8 scoops Fera Pet Organics Bladder Support

• Take the turkey and put it in a blender.
• Add water and Fera Pet Organics Bladder Support supplement.
• Pulse into a paste.
• Scoop mixture into silicone molds and freeze. Dogs can enjoy them as a treat or meal topper.

Upgrade Your Pet’s Health the Natural Way

Unlock your pet's health potential with insights from industry expert veterinarian Dr. Michelle Dulake, who combines her vast knowledge and experience to create a thriving, happy life for your furry companion.

At Fera Pet Organics, we’re committed to using only the most natural high-quality ingredients to keep your furry family members healthy and happy for as long as possible. 

We’d love to hear from you! What do you want to learn about next? Do you have any comments or questions? Reach us at hello@ferapets.com!