Can Dogs Eat Turkey? Yes, in moderation: Safe Amount by Weight

In moderation

Yes, in moderation

dogs can eat plain, cooked, skinless, boneless turkey. Holiday turkey is the problem: skin, fat, gravy, stuffing and seasonings (onion and garlic) can cause pancreatitis or poisoning, and cooked bones splinter.

Turkey for dogs at a glance

Can dogs eat it?	In moderation
Calories	About 42 kcal per ounce of cooked turkey breast
Main benefit	Lean, high-quality protein
Main risk	Cooked turkey bones can splinter and cause injury
Puppies?	In tiny amounts once on solid food; puppies have sensitive stomachs

How much turkey can a dog eat?

Vets recommend keeping all treats under 10% of daily calories. One ounce of cooked turkey breast has about 42 kcal. The chart shows the most a typical spayed or neutered adult dog could have in a day if turkey were the only treat.

Dog weight	Daily treat budget	Max turkey per day
10 lb (4.5 kg)	35 kcal	0.8 × ounce of cooked turkey breast
20 lb (9.1 kg)	59 kcal	1 × ounce of cooked turkey breast
40 lb (18.1 kg)	98 kcal	2 × ounce of cooked turkey breast
60 lb (27.2 kg)	133 kcal	3 × ounce of cooked turkey breast
80 lb (36.3 kg)	166 kcal	3.5 × ounce of cooked turkey breast

Benefits and risks

Benefits

Lean, high-quality protein
Common ingredient in dog food
High-value training reward

Risks

Cooked turkey bones can splinter and cause injury
Skin and fat can trigger pancreatitis
Stuffing and gravy often contain onion, garlic and salt

How to feed turkey to your dog

Serve plain white meat, cooked through
Remove skin, fat and all bones
Skip gravy, stuffing and seasoned leftovers

What if my dog ate too much turkey?

Eating more than the recommended amount usually causes nothing worse than an upset stomach: soft stool, gas or vomiting. Skip treats for the rest of the day, keep fresh water available and call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or your dog seems unwell.

Planning treats? Check your dog's full daily needs with the dog food calculator or dog calorie calculator.

Turkey and dogs: FAQ

Can dogs have turkey?

Yes, dogs can eat plain, cooked, skinless, boneless turkey. Holiday turkey is the problem: skin, fat, gravy, stuffing and seasonings (onion and garlic) can cause pancreatitis or poisoning, and cooked bones splinter.

Can dogs eat turkey bones?

No. Cooked turkey bones splinter. If your dog swallowed one, call your vet.

Can dogs eat turkey skin?

It is best not to. The fat can cause vomiting, diarrhea or pancreatitis.

Can dogs eat deli turkey?

Only occasionally. Deli meats are high in salt and may contain garlic or onion powder.

Can puppies eat turkey?

Yes, in very small amounts once they are eating solid food. Puppies have sensitive stomachs, so offer a tiny piece and stop if you see loose stool. Most of their calories should come from a complete puppy food.

More "can dogs eat" guides

Browse lists: human foods dogs can eat · foods dogs can't eat

Sources

This guide is general information for healthy adult dogs. Dogs with medical conditions (such as diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease or food allergies) may need different advice from their vet.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey?