Yes, dogs can eat raw chicken hearts. Whether or not you feed your dog raw meat will always be a personal choice, no judgment here. You need to be aware of the risks of preparing raw food and take proper precautions to ensure the safety of your dog’s raw meat consumption. Dog owners who feed their dogs a raw diet know the benefits of adding raw organs to their dog’s diet. The tasty treat of one whole chicken heart is packed with essential nutrients and will help your dog’s overall happiness. Chicken hearts are rich in essential nutrients, including protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins.
But if you are not a fan of raw food yourself, I get it! No problem, start cooking chicken hearts for your furry friend as a healthy treat. I added a recipe of small batches of cooked chicken hearts for those who like it better this way. As a general guideline, small dogs can have 1-2 hearts per day, while larger breeds can have 3-4 hearts. So, can dogs eat raw chicken hearts? Yes! Eating organ meats like chicken hearts is also a great way to promote sustainability and fight food waste. 1
Are chicken raw ORGANS safe for dogs to eat?
Yes, again! Raw chicken organs, with good handling, are safe for dogs to eat. There is an exception, if your dog is allergic to chicken, in that case, please avoid it. For the other pooch, you can cook it or give it raw. You will need to take meticulous care in the handling and preparation of raw hearts. We are talking about chicken, raw chicken, so just like in human consumption, cleaning before and after you are done is a must. And never leave your raw food at room temperature.
According to Dr. Billinghurst in his book: Give Your Dog a Bone, the bacteria in a raw piece of chicken are usually of no consequence to a healthy dog. But they can be potentially bad for human health so clean and sterilize every surface, kitchen scissors, or tool that has been in contact with the raw chicken heart. Feeding your dog chicken hearts is a safe option, even if you have small dogs. Cut the heart into small pieces if you think this could be a choking hazard. I have two large golden retrievers and I give them chicken hearts regularly and they are love it.
Dog’s Balanced Diet -Health benefits
A Happy dog is a dog with a balanced diet. Can dogs eat raw chicken hearts? Go for it! Look at Happy’s joy! This is the kind of dance performed by my dog after each chicken heart!!!
AKC information you should know about Dog Raw Diet
For the pet parents who want more info, I am adding details and warnings about the American Kennel Club (AKC) for a dog’s raw diet.
Raw dog food can be homemade, store-bought, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. A dog’s raw diet usually includes organ meats, muscle meat, whole or ground bone, raw eggs, dog-safe fresh fruits and vegetables, and a dairy product such as yogurt. Advocates of raw food diets cite these benefits: shinier coats, healthier skin, improved dental health, increased energy, and smaller stools.
Some veterinarians warn that raw diets are not appropriate for dogs who share their homes with young children or people with compromised immune systems. Meticulous care is required in the handling, preparation, and sanitation of raw food. Dogs with pancreatitis, cancer, or other diseases may require cooked food. Puppies are also better off having cooked food.
The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes the unregulated feeding of raw foods and 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.” 1
WHERE TO BUY RAW CHICKEN HEARTS FOR YOUR FURRY FRIEND?
My local butcher has a “Pet Freezer” where they store frozen pet food, small and big bones, pig ears, all sorts of dog occasional treats, and, chicken hearts. It is freely available, it looks fresh and the price per pound is a real bargain. A great idea is to look in local grocery stores or a local farm and ask the manager for a favor to bring them in for you.
Why Should You Prepare Homemade Dog Food for Your Pets?
Here is an answer from Dr. Judy Morgan, a nationally renowned author, and veterinarian certified in acupuncture, food therapy, and chiropractic care. “It’s simple. The pet food industry has let you down. You have depended on them to provide wholesome nutrition to keep your pets healthy. They advertise ingredients as holistic, natural, and human-grade; in reality, ingredients are often waste products from the human food industry or rendered meals from diseased animal carcasses. While the diets of dogs and cats have changed, their genome has not, meaning they still require a diet consisting of mostly meat and bones, offal or organ meats, and a small amount of vegetable matter to thrive. “2
If chicken heart is a new food for your dog?
A good idea to include an occasional treat of fresh chicken heart would be to add it to their bowls like a raw meat topper. Start little by little and let your dog’s digestion experience it. Chicken heart raw or cooked is a a great addition to their regular diet. If you are too concerned, verify the facts with your veterinarian.
HOW TO DEFROST THE HEARTS OF CHICKENS IN THE FRIDGE
It may take a little longer but defrosting pounds of chicken hearts in the fridge is the safest and most recommended method. Make sure you plan a day before if you wish to do this, keeping note of how long your chicken heart has been thawing.
- Place your chicken hearts in a large sealed plastic bag.
- Sit it in a bowl to prevent juices from leaking onto other food and spoiling it.
- Leave the chicken hearts at the bottom of the fridge for around 5 hours or overnight.
- Once defrosted using this method, you can store your chicken hearts in the fridge for up to 24 hours before using it.
A whole chicken heart, raw nutritional value
Organ meats like chicken hearts, chicken liver, beef liver, and gizzard meat are full of nutrients. You’ll find B vitamins like B12 folate, essential amino acids, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and selenium. Organ meats are also excellent sources of vitamins A, D, E, and K.3
How to cook chicken hearts – simple recipe
How to gently cook chicken hearts - simple recipe
There are several ways to prepare chicken hearts, but one of the most popular methods that I am showing here is to fry them.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of chicken hearts raw (thawed if you use frozen)
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- A little bit of parsley (it helps for the breath)
Instructions
To get started, add chicken hearts with a little bit of olive oil in a bowl.
Next, add them to a pan and cook them over medium-high heat for 5–10 minutes, or until they’re fully cooked and no longer pink in the middle.
Finally, serve them in your dog's bowl, with a little bit of parsley or as a training treat or just a snack.
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Dogs can eat raw CHICKEN hearts. Chicken hearts are available at many specialty stores and butcher shops, even your local groceries should have them.
They’re often packaged with other organ meats, such as gizzards, which are a muscle found in the stomach of chickens. It’s okay to give that to your dog.
RAW FEEDING: THE NEW TREND!
Are you curious about raw diet dog food? There is a lot of misunderstanding on the internet about this topic. I found this book from Dr. Billinghurst: “Give Your Dog a Bone”. Dr. Billinghurst is also the author of “The BARF Diet: Raw Feeding for Dogs and Cats Using Evolutionary Principles” which is the origin of all these new theories for dogs and cats.
OtheR DOg FooD Posts
RELATED SUBJECT: FOODS DOGS CAN AND CAN’T EAT
- https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/fresh-raw-kibble-dog-food/ ↩︎
- Morgan, Judy; Grant, Hue. Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs: Maximizing Health with Whole Foods, Not Drugs (p. 12). Thirty Six Paws Press. Kindle Edition. ↩︎
- https://mybigfatgrainfreelife.com/2023/08/health-benefits-of-chicken-hearts.html ↩︎
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