Meats & Poultry

High in protein and low in fat with good palatability, often used short-term when appetite is poor or during recovery from gastrointestinal upset (follow veterinary advice for any diet plan).

Supplies high-quality protein, vitamins A, D and B12 and lutein, and is well accepted as a training reward or short-term protein top-up.

Lean beef is high in protein, fairly low in fat and very palatable, so it works as a training treat or a short-term bland diet during recovery (follow veterinary advice for any diet plan).

High in protein and low in fat with good palatability, often used short term when appetite is poor or while the gut settles (any diet plan should follow veterinary advice).

Duck carries far more fat than chicken breast, and that heavy fat load easily causes vomiting and diarrhoea and can trigger pancreatitis, so it belongs in the occasional, small-serving category only.

Tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork, with good-quality protein and relatively little fat, so it works as an occasional extra or training treat.

Tripe is an organ meat: raw tripe may carry Salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens, which is why feeding it raw is debated; frequent organ meat also unbalances the diet, and commercial honeycomb tripe is usually bleached and seasoned.

Liver is extremely rich in vitamin A, so regular or large servings let it accumulate and cause vitamin A toxicity with joint stiffness and bone changes; liver is also fairly fatty and calorie dense.

Chicken hearts must be cooked through, as raw organs can carry pathogens that cause vomiting and diarrhoea; they are also fairly high in fat and cholesterol, so large or frequent servings may trigger pancreatitis, and a whole heart chokes a small dog.

Beef heart is a muscular organ meat that is high in protein but also carries fat and cholesterol, so large or frequent servings oversupply fat and calories and can trigger pancreatitis; raw heart may carry pathogens, and a whole piece can choke a small dog.

Beef kidney is an organ meat rich in vitamin A and purines, so frequent or large servings can accumulate vitamin A to toxic levels; dogs with kidney disease or a urate-related history should get none, and raw kidney may carry pathogens.

Goose meat carries much more fat than chicken breast, especially under the skin, and that heavy fat load easily causes vomiting and diarrhoea and can trigger pancreatitis, so keep servings rare, small and skinless.