If you’re here, then I commend you on being a responsible pet owner and double-checking whether that supposedly tasty treat is suitable for your fur baby. So, are chicken feet good for dogs?
In short, chicken feet are okay to feed to dogs. Chicken feet are a great way to treat your pet and boost their health at the same time.
But, What About Chicken Bones?
If you are wondering about the advice of not feeding chicken bones to dogs, it’s a half-truth.
If you are going to give your pet chicken pieces with the bone intact, then you are going to want to give that to them raw.
The main reason you want to feed these items raw is that cooked and or fried chicken bones splinter into thin shards, kind of like glass when your dog chews them. Bone fragments can, at worst, cause perforations in the GI tract.
The bones in chicken feet, raw or dried, retain enough flexibility that they don’t splinter, and they won’t cause harm to your pet. But never cooked, fresh, or dried only.
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Feet for Dogs
Now, I bet you didn’t think that chicken feet had some significant nutritional value, but it turns out they are a great source of two essential compounds: glucosamine and chondroitin.
Glucosamine and chondroitin naturally occur in cartilage tissue and have been found to have therapeutic uses in the treatment of arthritis. Studies have also shown getting regular supplementation of the two compounds helps to support joint health.
Which could potentially mean that giving your pooch a couple of these a day will keep them mobile well into their sunset years and help keep the pain of aging joints at bay.
Chicken feet could also be considered a holistic approach to help any dog that may have a current joint issue, but of course, always consult with your veterinarian.
Dental Health Boost
Chicken feet, because of the nature of the physical structures – the skin, the cartilage, connective tissue, and the bone, are pretty effective natural toothbrushes.
Bad teeth and gum disease are terrible, but unfortunately, common ways that pets become ill. Often it is a result of missing out on brushing from an early age that leads to decay or other common dental problems.
There are, of course, also some dogs who are utterly resistant to you even trying to work with them when it comes to caring for their teeth, so this is a win for everybody.
They get a sweet tasty treat that scrapes off the tartar, and you get to be the beloved bringer of said treats.
Dried chicken feet, which again are completely safe, are the better option if you are looking to maximize dental hygiene. Raw feet are also useful, but you would need to give them more often, and your pet may not need the extra calories.
So yes, chicken feet are an excellent treat for your pet. They provide both a nutritional boost to support joint health, as well as supporting dental health by acting as a natural toothbrush.