Turkey danger to dogs

[imported_Kat]

Remember folks when you are dishing out the turkey today to keep the skin away from the doggies! Turkey skin is toxic to dogs and cats!

[izzy]

I'm not celebrating Thanksgiving, but that's a good fact to know :)

[courtnek]

I have heard that elsewhere as well, but not sure why the skin would be bad.....

the way I understand it, if the dog is accustomed to eating only dry kibble, the addtion of large quantities of turkey skin adds additional fat to the digestive system, (the skin is the fattest part) and can cause pancreitis, but I would think that would happen over time, noton one meal. cant find any useful links though....

[imported_Kat]

Turkey skin contains certain chemical compounds which dogs cannot digest. It accumulates in the dog causing acute pancreatitis and liver failure, in the similar way that grapes and raisin poisoning works. Therefore one serving can be deathly to your dog.

[Ash]

Wow, I did not know that.

Luckily my mom buys a big breast (that doesn't sound right), and it's skinless. Smoke didn't have too much of it though.

Turkey is suppose to be real easy to digest for animals though (not the skin), isn't it? Or is that just for big cats.. oh nevermind, I think that's ground turkey.

[TDG]

kat, i remember we talked about this at some point already (last year?) and you promised to send me some research material on it. you never did tho. :)

my dog eats turkey (including skin) as a regular part of his raw diet, and so do my cats. no problems at all. the same goes for many raw feeders i know. turkey wings with the skin on are a popular, inexpensive item in a raw feeding plan.

i do recognize that dogs who aren't used to people food can get pancreatitis due to turkey skin being very fatty, but that's it - and the same goes for many other fatty foods as well.