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Chicken hearts

Susanna

Well-known member
Have you ever feed your dog chicken hearts?

I was shopping today and in the meat department I saw a package of chicken hearts for $1.50 a lb. For such a great price, I wanted to buy it to give to Brian mixed with his kibble and also for treats. The problem is that they grossed me out so badly that I convinced myself that they aren't good for him, I guess since I wouldn't eat them myself.

Are chicken hearts ok to feed to dogs?
 
I feed my dogs raw chicken and turkey hearts. I buy premade frozen raw food so it is ground with veggies. It looks pretty gross, red and bloody when thawed, but the dogs love the stuff.
J.
 
I havent seen chicken hearts in the shops but I buy lambs hearts for my dogs (who currently eat part raw & part kibble) - if I saw chicken or turkey hearts in the shops I would definatly buy them as they love lambs heart.
 
I've bought different kinds of hearts, including chicken hearts, for my dogs and they LOVE them! And they're always cheap ;)
 
My understanding is chicken hearts are actually really good for them and are often fed as a natural supplement for dogs with murmurs. There is a substance found naturally in the chicken hearts that is really good for them and costs a lot more to buy as a supplement (Taurine).

http://www.carnitine-taurine.com/

The idea grosses me out too, but Lucky's dad has a murmur, so I'm thinking it might be a good idea to start both my guys on supplements, including the chicken hearts.
 
We rotate our dogs' raw food diet daily, and when we serve chicken, we add an ounce of chicken hearts per ten ounces of meat. We do it as a supplement to support the dogs' hearts. I think the best supplements come from the organs of animals -- especially the ones which relate to the health issues of the dogs -- but my bride warns that too much organ meat is not a good thing. So we limit the chicken hearts to 10% of the weight of the meat.
 
We got a small pack of dehydrated chicken hearts at puppy class. They were probably the only thing I've ever known Max NOT to eat.
 
Do you cut up the hearts, or feed it whole?

We feed chicken hearts whole. They weigh about a quarter to three-eighths of an ounce each. We also feed beef heart -- when we feed raw beef -- which we cut into pieces weighing about a half ounce each. My bride taught me to use a small digital scale for all food preparation. It was not my idea, but it does make for uniformity of servings.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that hearts can be both rich and fatty. I know they would not be recommended for overweight dogs and also should not be fed in large amounts. Chicken hearts or smaller pieces fed occasionally is one thing but never a whole large heart. Dogs often love them but they should be fed in moderation.
 
OMG - could you imagine the state a cav would get into if they were allowed a whole beef heart or something - would look like a road crash I'd say!!:D:yuk:
 
:lol:

Beef hearts are HUGE. Hearts are mostly muscle and I know they have some good stuff for both dogs and cats in them. I was once at my vets when someone was there with a really fat cavalier and announced they fed the dog half a lamb heart daily :eek: in addition to its regular meals!
 
Holy moley - the Cav would nearly be the same size as one of those things! :eek:

Years ago (when I was a child), I remember giving beef hearts, tongues and other offal to big labs as a treat. They loved them but they were enormous! The butcher used to give them to my parents for free - do they still do this if you ask? even if they don't, I'm sure they are cheap!
 
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