What do i do if my dog eats raw chicken

Maybe. Chicken is a great source of protein for dogs, and it’s exactly the sort of food your dog would be eating in the wild. Some vets warn against raw chicken because of the risk of salmonella or other bacterial contamination. For that reason, cooked chicken is safer. But a dog’s stomach acid is much more acidic than a human’s, providing greater protection against bacteria. In other words, you’re taking a risk, and if you do feed your dog raw chicken, keep an eye on the purchase date and be sure to serve it fresh. As an added precaution, it’s best to rinse the chicken before serving.

Serving Ideas

Be sure to introduce chicken into your dog’s diet gradually. Dogs will enjoy raw chicken:

• Along with a smaller serving of your dog’s usual food
• On its own as a treat
• Dehydrated as a chewy treat
• Use chicken instead of turkey in these tasty meatballs
• Mixed with a healthy grain (such as brown rice) and a vegetable (such as green beans) for homemade dog food

For More Information

We have a wide-ranging collection of articles about foods that are healthy or dangerous for dogs to eat, including various meats, dairy products, and fruits. You might also be interested in reading “Can My Dog Eat Chicken Bones?”

Feeding your dog raw food is a trend for a reason; many owners strive to give their dogs a more natural diet. Raw chicken is one raw food that dog owners sometimes give to their pets. This uncooked poultry may seem healthier than processed kibble, but it can cause serious issues for dogs that consume it—as well as the pet owners who prepare it.

Is Raw Chicken Safe for Dogs?

Raw chicken is 100% natural, unprocessed meat and because dogs are descendants of wolves, some people think offering chicken in this form is healthier than feeding cooked chicken. Unfortunately, raw chicken can pose serious dangers to both you and your dog. Although raw chicken isn't always problematic, it's not accurate to say that it's always safe. Feeding raw chicken to a dog carries risks, and most people choose to play it safe when it comes to their pets.

Risks of Feeding Raw Chicken to Dogs

While some people only focus on the benefits of raw chicken, the risks can be life threatening and should not be ignored. If you feed raw chicken as part of your dog's diet, it comes with two main risks. If it is exclusively what you feed your dog or makes up the majority of its diet, there is a third major concern.

Salmonella Infections

Salmonella sp. is the most common cause of food poisoning, and it is present on many foods that are uncooked or undercooked, including chicken. The bacteria can be found in the intestines or feces of animals and is not safe to consume. When a pet owner handles raw chicken, the opportunity for this bacteria to be spread onto their hands, countertops, dishes, utensils, dog bowls, and your dog are increased. If this bacteria then enters a person's mouth or dog's mouth at high enough levels, an infection and symptoms of Salmonellosis can occur.

Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, a lack of appetite, and a fever are key symptoms that your dog may have been infected with Salmonella. Treatment requires antibiotics and other medications along with IV fluid therapy. Ignoring the infection can be fatal if your dog has a poor immune system or severe dysbiosis of the gut. Salmonella is not something you can see without a microscope so there is no way for you to know if the raw chicken you are feeding your dog is contaminated. Foods are often recalled due to contamination with Salmonella, but this is sometimes only discovered after someone gets sick. Salmonellosis is the main risk and concern of feeding raw chicken to your dog.

Chicken Bones

Chickens have bones and if you are feeding raw chicken to your dog, there is a higher chance of a bone being in that piece of chicken. Bones can cause obstructions in the stomach or intestinal tract, puncture a dog's internal organs, get stuck in the mouth or throat, and break teeth. Cooked chicken bones can be an even bigger issue for dogs, but raw chicken bones can be just as problematic for some dogs. Removing bones that are in raw chicken will remove this risk to your dog.

Has your dog eaten raw or partially cooked chicken? Don’t panic! This article explains the risks associated with raw chicken – and what to do if your dog eats it.

Is Raw Chicken Safe for Dogs?

Has your dog eaten uncooked chicken? You probably don’t need to be concerned. Here’s the quick answer…

A healthy dog is unlikely to get ill from eating raw chicken. So, if your dog has eaten a small portion of raw chicken as a one-off, there is probably nothing to worry about.

While the chicken may contain salmonella and other bacteria, dogs digestive systems have evolved to process raw meat better than humans (although meats such as pork should be avoided as they may contain certain parasites).

Eating raw chicken certainly isn’t risk-free for a dog though, so it’s important to monitor your dog for any symptoms of illness. Dogs with weak immune systems, puppies, or old dogs may be more at risk. You should also always keep a close eye on your dog’s faeces – especially after eating raw meat – and take him to the vet if you notice diarrhoea or vomiting. There’s also a lot of debate about whether feeding a dog raw meat regularly is healthy (this article is targeted more at owners whose dogs have eaten raw chicken by accident).

Keep in mind that your dog may develop gastrointestinal issues if raw meats usually aren’t part of his diet – especially if he ate a large amount of chicken. This could be caused by bacteria, but it could also just be that his digestive system isn’t used to coping with this type of food.

Why Dogs Can (Usually) Eat Raw Meats Safely

There are a few reasons why dogs are less likely to suffer from health problems when eating raw chicken. Dogs evolved as carnivores without the ability to cook meat, so their digestive systems are adapted to cope with bacteria such as E.Coli and salmonella. These adaptations include:

• The acid in a dog’s stomach is usually “stronger” than in a human. This helps to kill bacteria that might be present in raw chicken.
• Dogs have a much shorter gastrointestinal tract compared to humans. This allows food to pass through the body quicker, providing less time for dangerous bacteria to make themselves at home.

It’s still possible for a dog to contract salmonella or other harmful bacteria (see the section below). But it’s less likely than if a human was to eat the same meat.

In fact, dogs raised for their athletic performance (such as racing greyhounds) have traditionally been fed a raw food diet by some trainers. Trainers call this a BARF diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), as it aims to mimic the diet of a dog in the wild.

Raw food diets for pet dogs are also becoming popular. While there is fierce debate about the health of a raw food diet – many vets think it’s unbalanced and potentially dangerous in the long-term – there’s little risk of a healthy dog occasionally eating raw chicken. The more raw chicken your dog eats, however, the greater the chance of an infection. For this reason, it’s probably best to avoid feeding raw chicken on a regular basis.

What About Salmonella?

While eating raw chicken doesn’t seem to be as dangerous for dogs as humans, it still has the potential to cause health problems in dogs – and salmonella is one of the most common concerns.

Salmonella is a group of bacteria found in foods such as eggs, chicken, cheese and nuts. In humans, salmonella can lead to a variety of unpleasant symptoms that can last up to a week – so it’s no wonder most people try to avoid it at all costs.

Dogs can get a salmonella infection – and it’s often present in raw chicken. It is, however, more common in dogs that have weak immune systems (including puppies and older dogs) or those already on antibiotics (as this can reduce the amount of protective bacteria in the dog’s digestive system).

If you suspect your dog has salmonella, treatment depends on how bad it is. While mild cases can usually be treated without a hospital visit, always see your vet when your pet is unwell. It’s vital to make sure your dog stays hydrated while he’s recovering. Your vet may also prescribe antibiotics.

Severe cases may require hospitalisation of the dog. This is so the dog can be properly hydrated via IV fluid therapy. Most dogs recover well even with severe salmonella though.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Chicken Regularly?

While eating the occasional piece of raw chicken isn’t likely to cause a problem, many vets and organisations are against raw food diets. Here’s a quote from the AVMA:

The AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs as well as humans.

They also say:

Cats and dogs may develop foodborne illness after being fed animal-source protein contaminated with these organisms if adequate steps are not taken to eliminate pathogens; secondary transmission of these pathogens to humans (eg, pet owners) has also been reported.

There’s more information about the AVMA’s policy in the link above. But why are they so against it when dogs are much less likely to contract an bacterial infection from food?

Firstly, there’s evidence that raw food diets aren’t nutritionally complete. This is often due to owners not thoroughly researching the diet and what needs to be included.

Also, as we’ve found out in this article, dogs can still get food poisoning. The more you feed your dog raw meat, the more likely he is to develop a food-borne illness.

Another potential problem is the increased risk of owners getting a secondary infection. This could be via the dog’s faeces or just poor hygiene when preparing the food.

As a side note, cooked bones are dangerous for dogs to eat, as they can split into fragments and cause serious injuries to your dogs digestive system. If you suspect your dog has eaten cooked chicken bone, contact your vet immediately.

Can All Dogs Safely Eat Raw Chicken?

Dogs that have digestive problems or pancreatitis may be more susceptible to health problems caused by bacteria in raw chicken. The same is likely to be true for puppies and senior canines.

Also, as we mentioned earlier, dogs that aren’t used to eating raw meat may suffer from gastrointestinal issues after eating raw meat. This is normal and only indicates food poisoning if the dog has repeated diarrhoea or vomiting.

Summary

The simple answer to “what should I do if my dog ate raw chicken?” is usually “nothing, but closely monitor your pet for signs of illness.” Dogs are better adapted to eating raw meat than humans, and most won’t suffer serious health problems from the occasional piece of uncooked chicken.

That doesn’t mean a raw food diet is the right choice for your pet though. In fact, this type of diet may be nutritionally unbalanced and potentially dangerous. It also doesn’t mean your dog won’t get a food-borne illness – it’s just not as likely as when humans eat raw meat.

What happens if my dog eats a piece of raw chicken?

How long after eating raw chicken will a dog get sick?

What should I do if my dog ate a chicken?

What will happen to my dog if he eats raw meat?