# Feeding turkey



## David Ross (Nov 24, 2006)

I've never fed any of my past dogs turkey. Is it okay?

Why haven't I, because of L-Tryptophan which turkey contains. I'm very unsure what to think about turkey. Anyway, Does turkey affect canines in any good or bad way?

Can turkey be a replacement for chicken as the RMB of the diet?
Do the bones differ in any structural way compared to chicken bones?


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## Sam Trinh (Jul 31, 2006)

i've heard not to feed turkey, but it is in quite a few foods so I was wondering if it turkey's ill-effects were just a myth. Connie :-\"


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Why would turkey be bad? I've fed it several times with no ill effects.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

I feed turkey on a regular basis, and have never had a problem. Mainly necks and backs, but during the holiday season when they are so danged cheap I usually pick up a couple of whole turkeys to chop up and feed to the dogs.


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## David Ross (Nov 24, 2006)

L-Tryptophan in humans has the effect to help produce serotonin in your body. Serotonin plays a role in regulating receptors. Turkey to me is like a sleeping pill. If I eat any loaded or rich carb loaded food, good luck trying to wake me up from my nap. 

I have no clue if turkey has any ill effects on canines. I'd eventually love to get a 1400 page book on canine brain and neurochemistry.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Kadi Thingvall said:


> I feed turkey on a regular basis, and have never had a problem. Mainly necks and backs, but during the holiday season when they are so danged cheap I usually pick up a couple of whole turkeys to chop up and feed to the dogs.


I know many people who feed turkey, once the relative size is taken into consideration.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

David Ross said:


> L-Tryptophan in humans has the effect to help produce serotonin in your body. Serotonin plays a role in regulating receptors. Turkey to me is like a sleeping pill. If I eat any loaded or rich carb loaded food, good luck trying to wake me up from my nap.
> 
> I have no clue if turkey has any ill effects on canines. I'd eventually love to get a 1400 page book on canine brain and neurochemistry.


L-Tryptophan is the least plentiful amino acid, but it is abundant in chicken, eggs, turkey, some cheeses, and other foods (pork, too).

In order to induce sleepiness in a canid, it would have to be fed alone (not the meat.... the L-Tryptophan), with no other amino acids. In other words, it would have to be an L-Tryptophan supplement.

Maybe Maren can explain the reason in twenty words or fewer, but I can't. That was all I wrote down in my notes for a canine nutrition class.


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## David Ross (Nov 24, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> L-Tryptophan is the least plentiful amino acid, but it is abundant in chicken, eggs, turkey, some cheeses, and other foods (pork, too).
> 
> In order to induce sleepiness in a canid, it would have to be fed alone (not the meat.... the L-Tryptophan), with no other amino acids. In other words, it would have to be an L-Tryptophan supplement.
> 
> Maybe Maren can explain the reason in twenty words or fewer, but I can't. That was all I wrote down in my notes for a canine nutrition class.


If so, I don't see a problem with giving turkey to dogs. What about the turkey bones?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I feed bones depending on the relative size of the dog and the bones and on whether the dog chews or swallows whole.

Same with turkey.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Ha ha, Connie, as if I paid attention in my biochemistry class!  

I've fed turkey for a while. Turkey wings are a nice size for larger dogs and for dogs who are gulpers. Even my gulper has to work on them for a while because of their weird size and shape. Ground turkey is fed once or twice a week no problems and is cheaper than ground beef. Turkey is in a lot of types of kibble anyways (used to feed Chicken Soup and still feed the canned every once in a while as a Kong filler and it had turkey in it). I don't see a problem, other than the crazy selective breeding for those turkeys and their big boobs.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Ground chicken is hard for me to come by so I buy ground turkey to feed with chicken backs/necks/quarters/wings.


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

I too have fed turkey many times with no problems. I can occassionally get wings or other pieces very cheap at the local market.


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