Turkey for Dogs

Turkey is one of the types of meat that end up in many dog bowls without much thought being given to what's actually behind it. Yet it's worth a closer look, especially if your dog has a sensitive stomach or you want to rely on a particularly easily digestible meat. We explain what makes turkey meat, why it can be interesting for dogs, and what to watch out for.

What is turkey?

Turkey is a type of poultry valued in canine nutrition above all for its lean meat. Usually the breast or the muscle meat from the leg and neck is processed, raw in BARF rations, cooked in wet food, or dried as a chew and snack.

Compared with many other types of meat, turkey contains little fat alongside a high protein content. Like rabbit, it also counts among the types of meat that appear less often in standard food than beef or chicken, which makes it a still relatively unfamiliar protein source for some dogs.

Why turkey for dogs?

The low fat content makes turkey meat a protein source that tends to put less strain on the gastrointestinal tract than fattier types of meat. Especially for dogs prone to soft stools or recurring digestive problems, turkey is therefore often mentioned as a gentle alternative. For dogs that generally tolerate little fat overall, for example for weight reasons, lean poultry like turkey can also be a sensible choice for the bowl.

Turkey is particularly discussed for:

• Dogs with a sensitive stomach or recurring digestive problems
• Dogs that need a lower-fat protein source, for example due to being overweight
• Dogs currently being introduced to a new food or a different protein source

Turkey in canine nutrition

With turkey-containing products, as with any meat, it's worth looking at the declaration: how high is the actual meat content, and can you tell which part of the animal was processed? Pure turkey breast differs considerably in composition from meat and bone meal or slaughter by-products, even though both can appear under the term "turkey".

If you want to go for a lean, easily digestible protein source, comparing the fat values on the packaging helps. You'll find more raw materials and their significance for canine nutrition in our raw materials lexicon.