Can Dogs Eat Duck? Vet-Verified Health Benefits
It’s hard to resist when your dog is begging for a scrap or two from your dinner plate. But before giving your pet any people food, you should be sure that it’s safe to do so. Some human foods are okay to give your dog as an occasional treat, but others are harmful and sometimes toxic.
What about duck? Can dogs eat it, and is it safe? Dogs can eat duck, though it needs to be prepared properly! Duck isn't a common ingredient in dog food, but it provides several nutritional benefits, and a few high-end pet food producers include it in their formulas. Here’s everything you should know before feeding duck to your dog.
Health Benefits of Duck for Canines
Duck is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. It's also ideal for dogs with food allergies.1 The most common food allergy in canines is protein sources, such as beef and chicken, which can make finding suitable dog food for pups with food allergies a challenge. However, duck isn’t a protein source our four-legged friends are often allergic to, so it’s a much safer option.
What else can duck offer your pet?2 Well, it is an excellent source of lean protein, low in saturated fat, and more easily digested. It has fewer calories than chicken or beef, less fat, and a reduced risk of an upset stomach.
Duck also provides your pup with essential vitamins and minerals. It's high in iron and calcium and contains quite a bit of selenium (which supports the thyroid) and phosphorus (required for healthy teeth and bones). Plus, it has plenty of B vitamins, which help convert carbs and fat to energy, so your pup can play all day. The vitamins also aid in keeping red blood cells working as they should.
Finally, duck meat contains several beneficial amino acids and antioxidants. Amino acids keep muscles strong, while omega-3 fatty acids help your dog’s coat and skin stay healthy. Antioxidants, such as zinc, boost your pet’s immune system, resulting in a healthier pup.
So, duck has a lot to offer your favorite canine companion! And there’s not much risk when serving the meat to your pup—at least, as long as you prepare it correctly.
How to Feed Duck to Your Dog
To ensure your dog’s safety when serving duck, you must ensure it has been safely prepared. You must cook it thoroughly since raw duck can contain bacteria, such as salmonella or E. coli, that will make your dog incredibly ill. Plus, uncooked meat is more difficult to digest than cooked meat. Although seasoning appeals to humans, it's also best to keep your dog's portion plain.
Then, there’s the issue of duck bones. The bones can splinter, snap, or fragment while your pup is chewing them. The pieces can result in blockages in the gastrointestinal system or cut up your pet’s throat, mouth, tongue, and intestines! So, removing the bones before serving the meat to your pup is vital.
Finally, don’t overdo it when you feed your dog duck. Duck might provide nutrients your pet needs, but it’s still a treat. So, stick with the 10% rule (treats for dogs should only make up 10% of their diets) when feeding your pet a piece of duck meat.
If you think your dog might be better off eating duck as the primary protein instead of chicken or beef, and your vet agrees, you can find dog foods with duck that provide all the nutrition your pet needs.3
Final Thoughts
Feeding your dog a piece of cooked duck occasionally is perfectly safe and provides them with a tasty, nutritional treat. Duck meat contains protein, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids that benefit your pup. Plus, it is a fabulous alternate protein source for dogs with food allergies!
However, only feed your pet pieces of duck cooked without seasoning, and avoid letting them chew on the duck bones. Raw duck can make your dog sick since it can contain harmful bacteria, while duck bones run the risk of splintering and causing damage to your dog’s mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal system. But as long as the duck is cooked plain and given sparingly, your dog can safely enjoy the yummy treat!
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Featured Image Credit: Kit Leong, Shutterstock
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Misty Layne lives out in the woods in small-town Alabama with her two Siamese - Serafina & Jasper. She also has an array of stray cats, raccoons, and opossums who like to call her front porch home. When she’s not writing about animals, you’ll find her writing poetry, stories, and film reviews (the animals are, by far, her favorite writing topic, though!). In her free time, Misty enjoys chilling with her cats, playing piano, watching indie and foreign films, photographing abandoned places, and catching up on her never-ending TBR list.
