Can Turkey Cause Diarrhea in Dogs?

Turkey is a lean protein that is often a staple at holiday meals. While you may want to share some of your holiday turkey with your furry friend, you need to be aware that turkey can cause digestive upset like diarrhea in dogs.

Why Can Turkey Cause Diarrhea?

There are a few reasons why turkey may cause diarrhea in dogs:

Fat Content

Turkey skin contains a high amount of fat. The dark meat also contains more fat than the white meat. Too much fat can cause pancreatitis which leads to diarrhea. The fat can also be difficult for some dogs to digest causing loose stools.

Seasonings

Turkey is often seasoned with onions garlic spices, herbs, oil, butter, and more. Onions and garlic are toxic to dogs and can damage their red blood cells leading to anemia. Garlic and onion powder are also common seasonings and can cause the same issues.

The other herbs and spices used to flavor the turkey can also irritate a dog’s digestive system Things like pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme and more can cause stomach upset. Try to only feed your dog plain, unseasoned turkey meat

Abrupt Diet Change

If you only feed your dog turkey, a new protein and abrupt diet change could shock their system. Make sure to only feed small amounts of turkey with their regular dog food. Too much turkey at once, especially if your dog isn’t used to it, can definitely cause some diarrhea.

Spoiled Meat

Make sure any turkey you feed is fresh. Spoiled, rotten meat can have harmful bacteria that leads to food poisoning in dogs. This definitely causes diarrhea, vomiting and other issues.

Bones

Some people may feed their dogs raw turkey bones. Raw bones are ok for dogs to chew on, but cooked bones become brittle and can splinter. These bone shards can scrape or puncture your dog’s digestive tract. Never feed your dog cooked turkey bones.

Signs Your Dog Has Diarrhea from Turkey

If your dog develops diarrhea after eating turkey, you may see the following signs:

• Loose, watery stool
• Urgent need to go outside
• Stomach gurgling
• Gas
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting

Diarrhea can happen shortly after eating the turkey or may take a full day to develop. The diarrhea may last for 1-2 days. As long as your dog is still acting normal otherwise and able to stay hydrated, mild diarrhea isn’t too much of a concern.

However, if it persists for more than 2 days, your dog is very lethargic, showing signs of dehydration, or there is blood in the stool, you need to call your veterinarian.

How to Treat Turkey-Induced Diarrhea

If your dog develops diarrhea after eating turkey, here are some tips for treating it:

• Withhold Food: Give your dog’s stomach a rest for at least 12-24 hours. After this fasting period, you can start introducing their normal food again in small amounts.

• Pumpkin: Add a few tablespoons of canned pure pumpkin to your dog’s meal. Pumpkin is high in fiber to firm up stools.

• Probiotics: Giving your dog a probiotic supplement can help replenish the healthy gut flora and digestion.

• Rice and Bone Broth: Cooked white rice mixed with bone broth can help bind your dog’s stools.

• Hydration: Make sure your dog is drinking water to avoid dehydration. You can also offer ice cubes.

• Over-the-Counter Antidiarrheal: You can purchase dog-safe OTC antidiarrheals that contain kaolin and pectin to firm up stools.

• Vet Visit: See your vet promptly if the diarrhea is severe, bloody, or your dog seems ill. Your vet can provide anti-vomiting medication, IV fluids, or prescription medication if needed.

How to Prevent Turkey-Related Diarrhea

Here are some tips to keep your dog safe if you want to share some of your holiday turkey:

• Only feed your dog plain, unseasoned, cooked turkey meat. No skin, fat, bones, or seasonings.

• Introduce new foods like turkey slowly and in very small amounts at first. Too much too fast can cause diarrhea.

• Make sure the turkey is fresh and properly stored at the right temperature. Don’t feed expired, rotten, or spoiled meat.

• Never feed your dog cooked turkey bones. Only raw, meaty bones are safe.

• Remove any stuffing, gravy, onion/garlic, or other ingredient that could be unhealthy. Only feed the plain meat.

• Keep holiday fatty foods like turkey skin, pan drippings, and gravy away from your dog. The fat content is unhealthy.

• Consider avoiding turkey if your dog has a sensitive stomach or has had reactions to poultry before. Try a bland diet after the holidays.

As long as you only feed small, infrequent amounts of plain turkey meat, it should not cause diarrhea in healthy dogs. However, some dogs may be sensitive. Know the signs of diarrhea and stop feeding turkey if your dog has an upset stomach. With some care and monitoring, both you and your dog can safely enjoy a holiday turkey dinner.