Chicken Neck Question

[kristen_acri]

Another thing about Charlie is that he doesn't chew his food. I've only heard him chew a piece of a chicken neck a couple of times. The first time I gave him a whole chicken neck he took into another room and put it on the sofa! Two other times he swallowed them whole. Now I cut them into small pieces.

I wanted him to chew the chicken necks to clean his teeth.

Wondering if I should skip the chicken necks and just use a calcium supplement.

Thanks!

Kristen

 

[Dr. Jeff]

How about holding onto the chicken (or turkey) necks while he chews?

That way he won't be able to scarf them down.

 

[ginnyw]

Perhaps you can find something both bigger and flatter: I'm thinking of a chicken breast with half or so of the meat removed, or a "slab" of two or three ribs from a small animal such as pig, lamb, emu. I don't know your resources; we have a meat wholesaler that has, among other things, duck frames, duck and chicken feet and heads. Dogs all only chew enough to get stuff to swallowable size; they can't masticate. But anything they can swallow will get digested or go through the system.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hiya Ginny.

As you said, they don't usually chew their food, but I wonder what you mean by they can't masticate?

 

[kristen_acri]

Thanks @Dr. Jeff and @ginnyw -- I tried holding chicken necks for him his third week with me. He may have thought I wanted them back and let them go. Tried holding them for him this week (week 8)...dangerous for me! He's so excited and grabs to get it, grabbing my hand too. Tonight I tried turkey necks. This was a little better and chewed on it some. As soon as he got a good grip he went for the whole thing including my hand again. I have thought about flat versus round, thanks for the ideas. I'll try to cut the remaining turkey necks in half, lengthwise. I have lots of poultry tools!

Kristen

 

[kristen_acri]

@ginnyw -- letting you know that your chicken breast suggestion worked better than anything I've tried so far. The fact that it has a more square shape rather than something that could slide right down his throat made sense to me as I watched him chew, chew, chew. I can't hold onto it...he's so ravenous and the meat so slippery that it's a danger to my hand!

Thanks!

Kristen