Also see Turkey (food).
Yes, plain cooked turkey meat is safe for dogs and cats in small amounts. The danger is in the extras: cooked bones, fatty skin, and stuffing or gravy made with onion or garlic.
A few pieces of plain, boneless, cooked turkey breast make a good treat. The problems come from what goes with it. Cooked bones are brittle and can splinter, causing choking, cuts to the mouth and gut, or a blockage. Skin, fat and dripping can trigger pancreatitis, which can be serious. Stuffing and gravy usually contain onion or garlic, which are toxic. Undercooked turkey can carry salmonella. After the meal, bin the carcass, string, netting and roasting bags somewhere your pet can't reach, because dogs often raid the bin for them.
After fatty skin or leftovers: vomiting, diarrhoea, belly pain, a hunched posture and lethargy, sometimes a day or two later. After bones: retching, drooling, pawing at the mouth, repeated vomiting, straining to pass stools, or a swollen, painful belly.
If your pet ate a little plain meat, there's nothing to do. If it ate cooked bones, string or netting, call your vet for advice, and don't make it sick, because sharp pieces can do more damage coming back up. Call your vet if your pet has repeated vomiting, belly pain or a swollen belly, or seems lethargic after eating skin, fat or leftovers.
Data sourced from public ASPCA lists. For general guidance only. If you suspect your pet has ingested something harmful, contact your vet or an animal poison control center immediately. · Privacy Policy