Can dogs eat turkey?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
Yes, dogs can have turkey as an occasional treat. Source: VCA Animal Hospitals. Plain white turkey meat without seasoning or gravy is fine for dogs as a treat. Seasoning and gravy can upset the stomach or lead to pancreatitis. Always check with your vet before a dog tries a new food. Plain, cooked, boneless white meat in small pieces. No skin, gravy or seasoning.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Why
Plain white turkey meat without seasoning or gravy is fine for dogs as a treat. Seasoning and gravy can upset the stomach or lead to pancreatitis. Always check with your vet before a dog tries a new food.
How to serve it
Plain, cooked, boneless white meat in small pieces. No skin, gravy or seasoning.
Good to know
Turkey meat is fine, but its bones are not: they can splinter and cause choking or a blockage in the gut. A salty turkey brine can also give pets salt poisoning.
Watch for: Turkey skin, gravy and drippings are fatty and can cause pancreatitis, and pets may lap up leftover brine. Call a vet or poison line if a pet got into any of these.
Already ate it?
If your pet ate a lot, or you are worried, call your vet. Say what was eaten, how much and when, and have your pet's weight ready.
Poison emergency? Call now
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
For the children
"A grown-up can give dogs a little turkey now and then. Their own food is still their dinner."
A job: Be the label reader. Before a grown-up shares any food with the dog, check this page, and ask a grown-up if the food is not on it.
This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your dog. Dogs differ.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Thanksgiving Foods Safe for Dogs (checked October 29, 2026)
- PDSA: Cats and roast dinners (checked October 29, 2026)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips (checked October 29, 2026)