What Are Chicken Necks for Dogs?
Chicken necks are the whole necks of chickens, including the spine, trachea, connective tissues and muscles. They don’t include the crop or the head. Chicken necks can come in two main forms; fresh (raw) and dehydrated.
In the UK, the traceability of farm products is usually relatively good, which means you should be able to tell from the packaging from where and what type of farm the chicken has come.
Always be on the lookout for free-range, organic, British chickens to ensure they have had the best welfare. At least one or multiple quality assurance schemes, such as ‘RSPCA Assured’, ‘Soil Association’, ‘Red Tractor’ and ‘The Lion Mark’, should have their logos visible on the packaging. It is best to avoid imported chicken, as these chickens might have a lower standard of care.
These can be bought from the supermarket, butchers or farmer’s markets. They are available as refrigerated or frozen products, and need to be kept cold to prevent the harmful multiplication of bacteria. Fresh chicken necks have had no processing apart from plucking the feathers, and therefore are extremely natural additions to your dog’s diet.
These are available to buy from pet stores in-person or online. They are usually air-dried slowly, but can also be freeze-dried or dried using heat or a dehydrator. Sometimes it is not clear what is involved in the drying process, but it’s important you find out before buying a product, because if necks are dried at a high temperature, the bones become brittle and shatter into sharp shards. These shards can then be traumatic to your dog’s insides.
My initial reaction to the media reports was a concern that it wasn’t giving balanced information and that there would be an unreasonable fear reaction against feeding dogs chicken necks. Having been an advocate of feeding chicken necks for years I needed to make some re-evaluation of whether to continue to recommend them or not.
Most dogs that eat chicken necks do not get this disease. As the article points out it is a RARE condition. In my experience, most dogs that DO regularly eat chicken necks have much better dental health than those that don’t regularly have something to chew on. Yes there are other things that dogs can chew but they all have some degree of risk associated with them.
The issue with feeding chicken necks to dogs comes into this category. I think that it would be unwise to ignore the association that has been made between chicken necks and APN, but as will all things I think that the report needs to be taken in context and the true risks weighed up.
Acute Polyradiculoneuritis (APN) is a condition that can cause complete paralysis of dogs starting with hind limbs and then progressing forwards to affect all the muscles that dogs use for moving, breathing and swallowing. Initially dogs with the condition can look as if they have tick paralysis. However it lasts a lot longer (possibly months) and…there is not tick involved. Treatment and nursing is a long drawn out and demanding process.
In the last 30 years of being a vet I have seen one dog with APN and heard of one other in this area. I have recommended to many people that they feed raw chicken necks/wings/carcasses to their dogs.
Can You Feed Dogs Frozen Chicken Necks?
Yes, you can feed your dog frozen or fresh chicken necks. If it is frozen, you can save it for your dog on those hot summer days. This would be an easy way to help your dog cool off as well as keep busy gnawing on bones.
If you have an older dog who may not have the best dental health, I recommend only giving your dog fresh chicken necks. The frozen ones can be hard for an older dog’s teeth.
Should you feed raw chicken necks and wings to your dog? Dr Kate, Bondi Vet
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One of the most common ingredients in dog food is chicken. But can dogs eat every part of the chicken? Before you dig any further for answers, remember that the world of all things dog food can be pretty intense. Pet parents are very passionate about the foods their dog eats! (This is a good thing!) But trying to find out what foods you can and can’t give to dogs can be a challenge. There is much information and so many different opinions that are out there! So, back to our chicken question- can dogs eat all of the chicken? Even the neck?