Is It Good to Feed Raw Chicken Backs to Dogs?

Raw chicken is readily available and inexpensive.

Raw Chicken Backs Are OK

Longtime German Shepherd breeder Yuliya Matvyeyeva states on the Kennels von Lotta website that raw chicken backs can be part of a well-balanced canine diet. Chicken backs are inexpensive and provide a source of fat and protein, and the risk of salmonella is very low. In addition, chicken bones are soft and easily digestible.

Raw Chicken Backs May Spread Disease

Animal rescuer and author Katie Merwick, of the Second Chance Ranch website, indicates that dogs would receive the same nutrition found in a chicken-based diet from alternative vegetable-based sources. Raw chicken, she writes, is full of bacteria and parasites. Dogs can spread these bacteria and parasites to their owners and other dogs through their saliva and feces.

Bottom Line

In general, today's meats are clean, free of parasites and safe. Neither side of this issue offers a lot of scientific evidence to support its claims; however, much anecdotal evidence exists that dogs that eat a raw diet have good coats and cleaner teeth and smaller stools than those fed kibble. If safe handling practices are used to avoid spreading bacteria, then dogs may benefit from eating raw chicken backs.

References

• Kennels von Lotta: Introduction to Raw Diet; Yuliya Matvyeyeva
• Second Chance Ranch: Raw Meat: A Dangerous Fad; Katie Merwick

Resources

• The Weimaraner Homepage: Riley and Indy--Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet