Chicken is an excellent source of vital minerals such as phosphorus and potassium, essential vitamins like B12 and B6, and protein. A single serving of skinless chicken breast can provide about 31 grams of protein. However, I do not recommend giving your dog fried chicken for a number of reasons.
Trans fats
Fried foods are high in fat, which takes longer for your body to digest than other nutrients. The frying process is considered to be a source of trans fatty acids, a particular type of unsaturated fatty acids.
John Turek, a Purdue professor of basic sciences, said: “We know that eating diets high in oxidized fat contributes to atherosclerosis and other diseases in people.“
A diet high in trans fat raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. A sudden high intake of fats can trigger pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening condition. As such, the high-fat, high-sodium content of fried chicken can make your dog sick.
Acrylamide
Methods of cooking that use high heat create acrylamide. The higher the cooking temperature, the more acrylamide is produced. You won’t see acrylamides listed on nutritional labels, since they aren’t an actual ingredient.
The side effects of long-term ingestion of acrylamide in food include cancer development.
Harmful Ingredients
Fried chicken often contains ingredients like garlic and onions, which are toxic to dogs. Onions and garlic are part of the Allium family of foods. The primary toxic ingredient in garlic and onions is n-propyl disulfide. Due to the nutritional content, garlic is five times more toxic than onions.
Dried and powdered forms tend to be more concentrated (due to the water content being removed), so they are more likely to cause illness.
In most cases, consumption of onions and garlic causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Other signs to watch for include increased respiratory rate, lethargy, increased heart rate, hyper-salivation, discoloured urine, diarrhea, vomiting, pale gums, lack of coordination, and/or hiding.
The ASPCA warns that garlic and onions can cause damage to red blood cells in dogs.
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High in calories
Compared to other cooking methods, frying adds a lot of calories. An overweight dog experiences a shorter lifespan and a reduced quality of life. Excess weight in dogs can also lead to numerous health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems.
Never Feed Your Dog Cooked Chicken Bones
Chicken bones pose serious dangers to dogs of all sizes and breeds. Cooked chicken bones are more dangerous as they splinter easily (because they’re hollow) into sharp fragments. Puppies are at a higher risk than adult dogs of developing complications from eating bones from chickens.
Tips: If your dog has consumed chicken bones should be monitored for 24 hours for any changes in behaviour. Go to the emergency vet if your dog is actively choking after consuming the cooked chicken bone.
The Risks of Feeding Your Dog Raw Chicken
The main risks of feeding raw chicken to your dog may include, but are not limited to:
- bone shards and splinters, which can get stuck in the throat;
- food poisoning;
- parasites;
- salmonella (about 20 percent of baby chicks test positive for salmonella).
Healthy Alternatives To Fried Chicken
Oil-free chicken is the best alternative to unhealthy fried chicken. You can serve your dog grilled chicken without using oil, and it has the fewest calories.
Other healthy snack options include:
- pumpkin puree is rich in vitamins as well as fibre and potassium;
- steamed green beans;
- small slices of cantaloupe or watermelon;
- carrot sticks;
- strawberries are sweet little vitamin C nuggets that dogs love;
- apples are relatively high in fibre, which can aid in your dog’s digestion;
- boiled sweet potato slices.
Tip: fruits or vegetables should be cut into very small pieces.