Can Labs Eat Turkey?

Turkey shows up in plenty of dog foods, so the meat itself isn’t the problem. The AKC puts it this way: whether a dog can eat turkey depends on how it’s cooked. Plain turkey is fine. The roasted, buttered, stuffed holiday bird usually isn’t.

Why the Thanksgiving turkey is different

Holiday turkey tends to be rubbed with butter or oil, seasoned, and stuffed or roasted with onions and garlic. Each of those adds a risk:

• Skin and fat. The AKC says fatty skin and pan drippings can trigger pancreatitis. VCA notes pancreatitis may be set off by a fatty meal and can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and lethargy.
• Onion and garlic. Raw, cooked or powdered, they can damage a dog’s red blood cells. The Merck Veterinary Manual says garlic is 3 to 5 times more toxic than onion, concentrated forms like onion powder and dried soup mix are the usual culprits, and signs of anemia often appear only after a few days.
• Bones. Cooked poultry bones are brittle. The AKC warns they can cause mouth injuries, choking, blockages and tears in the stomach or intestines.
• Gravy, stuffing and seasoning. These carry the fat, salt, onion and garlic straight to your dog.

How much turkey can a Lab have?

Treats should stay under about 10% of daily calories. Using the Merck Veterinary Manual’s energy formula, a 70 lb neutered adult Lab needs about 1,500 kcal a day, which leaves roughly 150 kcal for all treats.

USDA data put plain roasted turkey breast (meat only) at about 136 calories per 100 g, or roughly 40 calories an ounce. With the skin on, the same cut is about 164 calories per 100 g. So an ounce or two of plain, skinless breast meat is plenty for a Lab on a normal day, and less if they’ve had other treats. Check your own dog’s numbers with the calorie calculator.

How to serve turkey safely

1. Set aside a plain portion before the bird is seasoned, buttered or stuffed, or cook a plain piece just for your dog.
2. Remove all skin and bones, and pick out any onion, garlic or other aromatics.
3. Cut it into small pieces and give a few as a treat, not a meal.
4. Keep it occasional. The AKC notes that regular table scraps can lead to obesity. See our Lab weight guide if your dog is already on the heavy side.

Ask your vet first if your Lab has diabetes, a history of pancreatitis or a sensitive stomach.

If your Lab steals turkey

• Bones or a carcass: call your vet. Don’t try to make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
• Skin, fat or gravy: watch for vomiting, belly pain, diarrhea or lethargy over the next day or two, and call your vet if you see them.
• Stuffing or anything with onion or garlic: call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661, even if your dog seems fine.

Keep the carcass, strings and wrappings in a closed bin your Lab can’t open. If your Lab gets into the bones anyway, see my dog ate chicken bones: what to do. For the rest of the holiday table, see Thanksgiving foods for dogs. Want a safer way to keep your Lab busy during dinner? Our chews and bones guide covers options that don’t splinter. More foods are in the full Can Labs eat it? series.