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Can Dogs Eat KFC? (Dog-Friendly Kentucky Fried Chicken List)

By Kerry
Updated on

We all love a little bit of KFC, but let’s just get one thing straight: it’s not the best idea to give your dog items on the KFC menu. 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 on a regular basis.

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 his 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, then 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. Not only that, but there’s always a risk that there will be bones inside of your KFC meal, and those can be hazardous to dogs. In addition to this, there are also some ingredients in KFC meals that 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. 

Can dogs eat kfc

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’re going to explore the different parts of the KFC menu and which parts are going to be okay for your dog. We’re going to explore some of the risks and the nutritional information for each of the food items.

Not only that, but we’re also going to explore the number of calories that you can find in every item of the KFC menu. This will give a much better indication of whether your dog can safely eat KFC chicken. It’s worth remembering two key things.

First of all, it is recommended that your dog shouldn’t eat any more than around 25 calories for every pound of weight on a daily basis.

Second, your dog should only be having snacks and treats for 10% of their daily food intake each day. 90% of your dog’s food intake needs to be their vet recommended dog food.

In writing this article, we are going to discuss two main dog breeds to illustrate the calories. The French Bulldog weighs around 25 pounds and thus should not be eating more than 625 calories every day. On the other end of the spectrum, a 70 pound labrador shouldn’t be eating more than 1750 calories every day. 

By using these references, you can assess whether the food items are appropriate for your dog’s calorie intake based on their size. 

All of the things that we have 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 for your dog.

Should My Dog Have KFC Chicken?

If your dog has eaten some of your KFC chicken, you need not worry. It is indeed safe for your dog to eat KFC chicken, but they shouldn’t be having the batter. It’s best to give your dog the chicken breast if possible. You should ensure that you get rid of any batter and any bones inside of 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 will be cooked in a deep fat fryer, then covered in pepper, salt and all sorts of other ingredients. Sometimes the chicken is coated in traces of onion, and this is 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 keep this in mind.

Naturally, the chances are slim that the traces will be toxic to your dog since there will be such a small amount of it remaining. It may still result in an upset stomach for your dog though, and it’s definitely not healthy for your dog. It is for this reason that your dog should only be eating 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 are giving your dog a piece of the KFC original recipe chicken, that is 390 calories – 62% of a French Bulldog’s 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’re giving your dog popcorn chicken then that’s 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 totally fine. With that being said, 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 pooch.

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 of 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 is very slim. It’s certainly best to avoid the risk, however. 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 Chips? 

If your dog eats a couple of fries from KFC, it’ll probably be fine. 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 pooch.

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 wasn’t enough already, you’ll 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?

It’s usually okay to give your dog a little bit of mashed potato, 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. It is rather high in calories though, and it contains a lot of nasty trans fats, salts and other artificial ingredients that are no 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 then that’s fine, but it’s best to avoid making it into 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 leftovers from the chicken and the scraps from the oil fryers. 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 is likely going to 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 and 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.

Can dogs eat kfc. Gif1

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.

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About the author

Kerry

Kerry White is an avid dog lover and writer, knowing all there is to know about our furry friends. Kerry has been writing for PetDT for three years now, wanting to use her knowledge for good and share everything she can with new dog owners.Kerry has two dogs herself - a German shepherd called Banjo and a chocolate labrador called Buttons. Kerry knows more than anyone how adjusting to new life with a puppy can turn your life upside down, and she wants to ease some of the burdens through her articles.