Figuring out the right diet for your dog can be tricky. Whether you are looking for an alternative to dry dog food or debating starting your dog on a raw diet, we can help!
Overall, chicken hearts are a wonderful source of iron, essential fatty acids, and B Vitamins, making them a wonderful addition to your dog’s meal when consumed in moderation. A dog should not eat more than 10% of its total daily calorie intake in chicken hearts on average.
The rest of this article will explain the benefits of chicken hearts, how much your dog can eat, how to cook them, and more! Check out the best chicken heart dog treats on Amazon now!
What Are The Benefits of Chicken Hearts for Dogs?
Chicken hearts are full of iron, essential fatty acids, and B Vitamins, providing your dog with so many wonderful benefits that will keep them happy and healthy.
While essential fatty acids keep your dog’s coat healthy and smooth, phosphorus strengthens and builds your dog’s skeletal system. Additionally, folate aids in DNA health and has been known to assist in preventing IBD and anemia.
The benefits of chicken hearts for dogs don’t end there, either! Taurine, an amino-sulfonic acid, aids your furry friend’s regulatory functions, while thiamine nourishes the brain and other organs.
What Are the Drawbacks?
While feeding your dog chicken hearts is normally a wonderful, nutritious treat, it’s important to note that every dog has their own nutritional needs.
These needs are completely unique to the dog, based on their age, breed, and health.
While a great addition to most diets, chicken hearts may be too high in a certain vitamin or mineral.
If your dog is eating too much organ meat, they may be ingesting an excessive amount of certain vitamins, such as vitamin A.
Too much of certain vitamins can lead to a few different problems for your dog. For example, an excess amount of vitamin A can cause your dog to have loose stools, which isn’t much fun for anyone involved.
It’s important to reach out to your vet before making chicken hearts a permanent daily addition to your pup’s meal.
Are Raw Chicken Hearts Good For Dogs?
Raw chicken hearts are known to be extremely nutrient-dense, and a wonderful option for any dog’s diet. But despite all the benefits, raw organ meat can contain a certain amount of bacteria, which can potentially be harmful to your dog.
If you are unsure, it’s best to boil chicken hearts to be on the safe side.
A wonderful source of lean protein, chicken hearts are also full of iron, copper, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin A, and phosphorus.
Adding chicken hearts to your dog’s diet can help improve their teeth, fur, and skin! Additionally, chicken hearts are also great for improving your dog’s bone and cardiovascular health.
Many vets believe that dog owners should add a small amount of raw chicken hearts to a dog’s diet.
Despite this, every dog is different and has specific nutritional needs that must be met. It’s important to talk to your vet before feeding your dog raw chicken hearts with every meal.
Are Dried Chicken Hearts Good For Dogs?
Dried chicken hearts are made from fresh chicken hearts, and are packed with so many great essential nutrients that dogs love.
If you are looking to add a healthy treat to your dog’s diet, dried chicken hearts are a great option. They can be introduced to your dog as an occasional snack!
Not only will your dog love the crunch, but they will benefit from all the wonderful vitamins and nutrients chicken hearts provide, as long as their diets consist of no more than 10% organ meat.
How Much Chicken Heart Can a Dog Eat?
Although chicken hearts are a great addition to your dog’s diet, it’s important that it is not the only thing that your furry friend is eating.
According to many vets, active dogs should have a diet that consists of about 10% organ meat.
Since chicken hearts are high in fat, if your dog is overweight, their diet should consist of less than 10% organ meat.
It’s incredibly important to note that every dog’s dietary needs are going to be different based on a variety of factors, including breed, weight, and age.
If you have any questions about what foods are best for your dogs, you should consult your vet before making drastic changes to their everyday diet.
Can You Feed Your Dog Chicken Hearts Every Day?
Your dog can eat chicken hearts every day, as long as their diet is only made up of about 10% organ meat. That means that if you are feeding your dog other organ meat such as kidneys and liver, you must be careful in measuring the amount given to your pup.
This is because organ meats are so high in essential vitamins and fatty acids that they can become too much for your pet.
Diets with too much vitamin A can result in a dog with runny stool, among other issues.
Before you make any drastic changes to your dog’s diet, you should consult your vet about the best foods for your dog.
How to Cook Chicken Hearts For Your Dog
Chicken hearts are considered a high-value treat for dogs because of their high nutritional value. They can be introduced into your dog’s diet raw or cooked, although many vets agree that they are best served raw so that your dog gets the full benefit provided by chicken hearts.
That being said, some dogs can be extremely picky! If your pup is not used to a raw diet, they may refuse to eat raw chicken hearts.
If that’s the case, cooking them is just fine! In fact, cooking chicken hearts reduces the risk of salmonella.
If you choose to cook your chicken hearts, many agree that it’s best to cut them in half before cooking them slowly in a very lightly oiled pan.
When preparing cooked chicken hearts, it’s important not to add too much excess oil, and you should avoid any seasoning altogether.
When the chicken hearts are golden brown, you can feed them to your pup!
Many will say that the best way to introduce chicken hearts to your dog’s diet is to boil them.
Boiled chicken hearts are great because you can give your dog both the meat and the broth! It is recommended that they be served with veggies and carbs for a balanced meal.
But don’t add any onions since it is poisonous to your dog.
Additionally, you can dry chicken hearts using a food dehydrator. Dried chicken hearts make for a wonderful snack for any dog.
How Long Does it Take to Boil Chicken Hearts For Dogs?
Dogs can be picky, and if they aren’t used to a raw diet, they may reject the raw food they’re given until they get used to it.
If you are looking to introduce chicken hearts to your dog’s diet, boiling them is a great option.
Chicken hearts must be boiled for about forty to sixty minutes. To do this, you must bring a pot of water to a boil. After that, you can add the chicken hearts, turning the heat down.
After that, the chicken hearts and the broth can be fed to your dog. Check out the best chicken heart dog treats on Amazon now!
Related Post: Is Chicken Liver Good For Dogs?(+Cooking Instructions)
Final Thoughts
With all the new diets coming out for pets, it can be hard to figure out which one is truly the best for your dog.
If you are looking to start introducing your pet to a raw diet, chicken hearts are a great place to start.
Not only do they provide your dog with so many wonderful vitamins and nutrients, but most dogs love the taste of them!
My name is Katie, and I have had different pets at home for as long as I can remember. While I can definitely say I love all animals in general, my heart belongs to cats and dogs. I know you are supposed to choose one or the other, but I could never really decide. I’ve also owned hamsters and fish when I was a kid, and they filled my childhood with very delightful memories.
