We all love a little bit of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), but let’s get one thing straight: giving your dog items on the KFC menu is not the best idea. Your dog isn’t going to get any good nutrition from anything on the KFC menu, and as such, it’s not a good thing for your dog to have in his diet regularly.
In some situations, however, KFC may be one of the only options available. Perhaps you are out on a road trip, and your dog has no access to their regular food, so you need to give some to your dog. Or, you may have dropped some of your KFC, and your dog has gobbled it up before you even have the chance to take it off him.
So, we’re here to answer one important question today – can your dog eat KFC? If you don’t have the time to read, here’s the short answer. If your dog eats KFC in small amounts, they are unlikely to be harmed by it. Unfortunately, however, KFC isn’t a very good choice for your dog since it’s full of batter, and it’s fried in a way that isn’t great for a dog to consume. Also, there’s always a risk that there will be bones inside your KFC meal, which can be hazardous to dogs. In addition to this, some ingredients in KFC meals can be poisonous for your dog – for instance, garlic powder and onion. The high salt content can be bad for your dog’s stomach, too.
To learn more about why garlic and onions are poisonous to dogs, visit the article below from VCA Animal Hospitals.
Onion, Garlic, Chive, and Leek Toxicity in Dogs
Basically, it is indeed possible for your dog to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken, but it’s certainly not a good idea to give your dog a KFC on a regular basis. It should be a last resort if possible, and you should get rid of things like the batter and any bones before giving your dog some KFC.
If you’re looking for more information, we’re happy to oblige! In this article, we’re going to dive into the different parts of KFC that aren’t very good for your dog, and the parts that just need to be removed. We’re going to illustrate ways that you can feed your dog KFC safely so that your dog can be as healthy as possible.
What Can I Feed My Dog From KFC?
So, what things are dog-friendly in KFC? In reality, you can’t really say anything from KFC is dog friendly, but there are certainly some things on the KFC menu that are okay for your dog to eat. We will explore the different parts of the KFC menu and which parts will be okay for your dog. We’re going to explore some of the risks and the nutritional information for each of the food items.
We will also explore the number of calories in every item on the KFC menu. This will give a much better indication of whether your dog can safely eat KFC chicken. Two key things are worth remembering.
- It is recommended that your dog shouldn’t eat any more than 25 calories for every pound of weight daily.
- Snacks and treats should only account for about 10% of your dog’s daily food intake. The other 90% needs to be vet-recommended dog food.
This article will discuss two main dog breeds to illustrate the calories. The French Bulldog weighs around 25 pounds and thus should not eat more than 625 calories daily. On the other end of the spectrum, a 70-pound labrador shouldn’t eat more than 1750 calories daily.
Using these references, you can assess whether the food items are appropriate for your dog’s calorie intake based on size.
All of the things mentioned in this article are there purely for information reasons. Sure, your KFC probably won’t be toxic to your dog, but it’s also not a very good choice for your dog. The batter and the bones make it an especially bad choice.
Should My Dog Have KFC Chicken?
If your dog has eaten some of your KFC chicken, you need not worry. It is safe for your dog to eat KFC chicken, but it shouldn’t have the batter. If possible, it’s best to give your dog the chicken breast. You should ensure you get rid of any batter and bones inside the meat since they aren’t very good for your dog.
It should be noted, however, that KFC chicken doesn’t have the best nutritional values. The chicken is cooked in a deep-fat fryer and then covered in pepper, salt, and all sorts of other ingredients. Sometimes, the chicken is coated in traces of onion, which can be toxic if your dog eats it in large amounts.
While removing the batter is better for your dog, there’s always a chance that the onion powder and salt will be left over on the chicken, so it’s best to use caution.
Naturally, the chances are slim that the traces will be toxic to your dog since there will be such a small amount remaining. However, it may still result in an upset stomach for your dog, and it’s definitely not healthy for your dog. For this reason, your dog should only eat KFC if there’s nothing else in it.
What about the calories? Well, if you feed your dog 3 KFC chicken wings, that’s 210 calories. For a French bulldog, that’s 34% of his daily intake. It’s 12% of a labrador’s intake.
If you give your dog a piece of KFC’s original recipe chicken, it will have 390 calories—62% of a French Bulldog’s daily intake and 12% of a labrador’s daily intake. The calories are the same if your dog has 3 pieces of KFC chicken tenders. If you give your dog popcorn chicken, it will have 446 calories—a whopping 71% of the French Bulldog’s daily calories!
Now, there’s nothing wrong with giving your dog KFC chicken; you just need to make sure that you get rid of any of the batter and the bones. This is not healthy for your dog and it could even block their arteries if it’s given to your dog in large amounts. Not only that, but the batter can raise your dog’s cholesterol, and it’s especially hard for your dog to swallow and digest it.
Can I Give My Dog KFC Popcorn Chicken?
If you give your dog a small amount of KFC popcorn chicken, it will probably be fine. However, there are a lot of calories in KFC popcorn chicken, and that is not good for your dog! If you give a small dog like a French bulldog some popcorn chicken, that’s a tremendous 71% of their calorie intake for the day. It’s a staggering amount of calories, and it’s certainly not good for your dog.
Can I Give My Dog KFC Chicken Bones?
Absolutely not! The real danger in giving your dog KFC chicken is the presence of bones. Some people believe that dogs can eat bones without issues, but this is not the case. When bones are cooked they can then become even more dangerous for your dog.
Why is this? Well, cooked bones are very brittle. If your dog eats chicken bones from KFC, then there’s a chance that something rather catastrophic could happen. The bones could potentially cause your dog to choke. If your dog swallows the bones, there’s even a chance that holes could be ripped inside your dog’s intestines. This is a medical emergency that could even result in death.
If your dog does eat chicken bones, though, it’s best to stay calm. The chances of your dog getting seriously harmed as a result of eating chicken bones are very slim, so it’s certainly best to avoid the risk. If your dog has eaten any kind of chicken bones, though, it’s always best to speak to your vet for further advice.
Can I Give My Dog KFC Fries?
It’ll probably be fine if your dog eats a couple of fries from KFC. Feeding your dog a few fries every now and again isn’t going to cause any issues for your pet. The problem is that they are very high in carbohydrates. Not only that but they are usually drowned in salt and oil, which is bad news for your dog.
Oil is pretty bad for your dog. The oil in KFC fries consists of a lot of trans and saturated fats. These fats are certainly not good for your dog, so they are best avoided. Not only that, but these fats can upset your dog’s stomach. For the sake of your flooring in your house and for your dog, it’s usually best to avoid giving your dog fries from KFC. The last thing you want to be doing is cleaning up your dog’s mess from the floor because they have a bad stomach.
These foods are a problem in the long term too. If you give your dog highly fatty foods consistently over a long period of time, they are much more likely to get illnesses such as pancreatitis, diabetes and obesity. It’s usually best not to give your dog KFC fries. It’s a bad habit and it’s not good for their health.
If all of this weren’t enough already, you’d be shocked by the calories. If you give your dog just one serving of KFC fries, that’s 58% of a French bulldog’s daily calorie intake – 365 calories! If you give your dog a large serving of KFC fries, that’s 480 calories. For a bulldog, that’s 77% of his daily calorie intake. It’s 27% of a labrador’s daily intake. Those are some pretty scary numbers if you’re trying to keep your dog healthy!
Can I Give My Dog KFC Mashed Potatoes?
Giving your dog a little bit of mashed potato is usually okay, so long as it doesn’t contain things like butter or cream. Unfortunately, KFC has its own mashed potato recipe. It’s heavily processed and very rich.
Thankfully, your dog won’t have any major side effects if he eats mashed potatoes. It’s not toxic, after all. However, it is rather high in calories and contains a lot of nasty trans fats, salts, and other artificial ingredients that are not good for your dog’s health in the long run.
In short, if you want to give your dog a bit of KFC mashed potato, that’s fine, but it’s best to avoid making it a bad habit.
Can I Give My Dog KFC Gravy?
It’s called a secret formula for a reason – nobody really knows what’s inside of KFC gravy. As such, it’s a good idea to avoid giving your dog KFC gravy if possible. It is widely believed that KFC gravy is made out of some of the chicken’s leftovers and the oil fryers’ scraps. This is then put into some boiling water and stock.
Basically, it’s not the healthiest thing for you or your dog!
With this in mind, it will likely be fine if you put some gravy over some of your dog’s normal food. It shouldn’t be given to your dog very often though, and you should only give it to your dog in small amounts if you are going to feed it to them.
Can I Give My Dog KFC Biscuits?
What’s in a KFC buttermilk biscuit? Well, they are processed a lot and consist of ingredients like baking powder, salt, sugar, and other artificial flavorings. Not only that, but they’re a whopping 180 calories. As such, it isn’t a good choice for your dog. Sure, it should be fine as a treat every once in a while, but they’re not good for your dog, so they shouldn’t be eating them on a regular basis.
Can My Dog Eat KFC Coleslaw?
What about a bit of slaw? Well, it’s probably not a good idea to give your dog coleslaw. It is made out of ingredients that aren’t very good for your dog’s stomach. For instance, cabbage, vinegar, dressing, and mayo aren’t very good for your dog, and they are full of fats and sugars. It’s best to avoid giving your dog any of this stuff.
What Will Happen If My Dog Ends Up Eating KFC?
If your dog has managed to get his paws on your KFC, you probably don’t need to worry. With that being said, the reaction that they have will depend not only on the dog in question, but also on the thing that they have eaten.
Your dog isn’t going to get a lot of nutritional value from KFC. It certainly shouldn’t be provided as a substitute for your dog’s regular pet food. Your dog’s pet food contains the nutrients that he needs, after all.
You need to be especially wary if your dog has diabetes or any heart conditions. The salt content is very bad for your dog. If your dog eats KFC on a regular basis, you may find that they develop health issues later down the line.
Conclusion
So, can your dog eat KFC? Well, yes, but it’s probably not a good idea. It’s okay for a treat every once in a while if all of the bad bits are removed, but it’s not good for your dog to eat it regularly.
For more information on the nutritional data for KFC visit the following link to KFC’s Full Nutrition Guide.
