Providing a well balanced diet to a dog is vital for his health and well being and many owners explore a variety of foods with some wondering if dogs are able to eat raw foods such as undercooked chicken.
Pet dogs can eat undercooked chicken but there are some things that owners should be aware of which include the quality of the meat, its age and the conditions in which it has been kept. Discoloured or mouldy chicken can be infested with bacteria and should not be fed to dogs.
Can dogs eat undercooked chicken?
A dog’s nutrition is one the biggest parts of their life that you as a pet owner can influence.
Dogs don’t have a choice, like us humans, when it comes to the types of food they have access to and eat.
Even if they are prone to overeating, most dog owners control their pet’s food, and we decide what and how much they eat.
As a dog owner, you are responsible for your dog’s diet, so it’s up to you to offer healthy options that will increase your pooch’s quality of life and overall wellness.
In recent years, pet owners have had access to a multitude of sources of information about their dog’s diet, many of which promote the raw food diet, working on the fact that dogs are carnivores and that their ancestors used to feed on hunted or scavenged raw meat.
Nowadays, dogs are genetically manipulated and have been bred for years in order to become the pets we know and love today and many dogs do not have the resilience towards some raw foods that their ancestors would have had.
Would modern dog breeds be able to eat undercooked chicken?
The answer depends on a series of factors that as an owner you should consider:
The chicken – It begins with the undercooked chicken. The quality of the meat you are serving your dog is very important.
Raw or undercooked chicken poses the risk of salmonella, a bacterium that can cause an infection.
However, if the chicken is fresh, and it was stored properly, at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, before and after cooking, the risk of bacteria multiplying is very low.
The dog’s health – A healthy dog has a strong immune system and a stomach filled with clorhidric acid, that most bacteria won’t live through.
If your dog is healthy and happy, is regularly dewormed and doesn’t have any sensibilities or known allergies, undercooked chicken might not be too bad for him.
How you serve undercooked chicken – Your dog would probably love chicken no matter how you serve it. They have a simple mind food wise. “If it smells good, I want it” should be their motto.
However, depending on how undercooked the chicken is, some dogs might not know what to do with it.
Most pet dogs only eat dog food and receive an occasional treat from their owners. Even dogs that beg a lot, only receive cooked food.
So, chicken that isn’t thoroughly cooked might not come natural to them.
Start by offering a small amount with the food that they are used to. Then, gradually increase the amount of undercooked meat that you offer.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of dogs eating undercooked chicken?
Meat is the natural option when it comes to dogs. No matter how much they have changed, they are still carnivores.
Chicken is rich in protein, minerals, glucosamine, and amino acids.
These are the building books of the muscles and bones, so feeding your dog chicken means that you are offering a healthy meal.
However, you must be careful when handling the undercooked chicken meat.
Make sure that you wash your hands and that the dog’s bowl and eating area will be properly cleaned after the meal.
Also, you must be aware of the fact that the dog’s mouth may spread salmonella after eating insufficiently prepared chicken you should postpone cuddles and kisses especially between a baby and a dog.
Furthermore, one study found that there could be a relation between raw chicken and paralysis in dogs, but this is a very controversial study and most veterinarians consider it safe to offer undercooked chicken to dogs.
Whatever your choice will be regarding your dog’s diet, make sure that you take all necessary safety precautions to keep the entire family safe.
Certainly, your dog will be happy no matter what you feed it, because all a dog wants is a happy owner.
Final words
Your dog can eat undercooked chicken and he is unlikely to suffer any ill effects as a result.
However, there is always the possibility that uncooked chicken could cause an upset stomach and it is probably in your dog’s best interest to cook the chicken before you feed it to him.
