Dog guide
Chicken liver for dogs: how it compares with beef liver
Chicken liver for dogs is a common treat, and most dogs can have it in small amounts, the same way they have beef liver. Per 100 grams, USDA lists raw chicken liver with less vitamin A and far less copper than raw beef liver. Both are rich, so either one belongs in a small corner of the treat budget.
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Chicken and beef liver, side by side
Owners who ask about chicken liver usually want to know how it stacks up against beef, since beef is the liver most treat bags hold. USDA keeps a separate entry for each, so the comparison can come straight from the source instead of from a marketing claim.
Raw chicken liver and raw beef liver, per 100 grams
| Per 100 g, raw | Chicken liver | Beef liver |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 119 kcal | 135 kcal |
| Protein | 16.9 g | 20.4 g |
| Fat | 4.83 g | 3.63 g |
| Vitamin A | 11,100 IU (3,300 µg RAE) | 16,900 IU (4,970 µg RAE) |
| Copper | 0.492 mg | 9.76 mg |
| Iron | 8.99 mg | 4.9 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 16.6 µg | 59.3 µg |
| Folate | 588 µg | 290 µg |
These are figures for fresh liver with its water still in. Freeze-dried or cooked liver has lost water, so its numbers per gram run higher. We do not convert them for you, because that would be our estimate rather than USDA's.
Where the two livers differ
Vitamin A is the row most vet sources talk about. In the USDA tables, chicken liver carries about two thirds of the vitamin A that beef liver does, gram for gram. That is still a large amount for a small piece of food.
Copper shows the widest gap. Beef liver lists roughly 20 times as much copper as chicken liver in the same weight. Chicken liver, for its part, lists more iron and about twice the folate.
Protein and calories sit close together, with beef a little higher on both. Put plainly, neither one is the "light" liver. They are two rich foods with different strengths, and a dog on a measured treat budget can have either.
Why liver stays a small treat either way
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, treats of every kind should stay within 10 percent of what a dog eats in a day, with complete and balanced food making up the rest. It also suggests giving high value, high calorie treats less often.
Liver adds the vitamin A question on top of calories. The Merck Veterinary Manual sets a dog's vitamin A requirement at 3,333 IU for each kilogram of diet, with harmful levels sitting many times above that. VCA's page on vitamin A poisoning in dogs links most cases to raw liver or vitamin A rich supplements fed over several weeks to months.
A few small pieces a day, counted inside the treat allowance, is a different thing from liver as a daily side dish. Our treat budget calculator does that math from the calorie number your vet gives you. If your dog eats a prescription diet or has any liver history, ask your veterinarian before chicken liver joins the routine.
Raw chicken liver
Raw chicken liver is part of many raw diets, and it needs the same care as any raw meat. The FDA tested pet foods and found the raw ones were the likeliest to turn up harmful bacteria, and its page gives handling steps for homes that feed raw. Those steps matter for the people in the house as well as the dog.
Cooking chicken liver at home
Cooking is the simplest way around the raw question. Simmer or bake the livers plain until cooked through, then cool them and cut them into small cubes. Leave out salt, butter and seasoning. Onion, garlic and chives are on the ASPCA list of people foods pets should not get, so a portion from a dish cooked for people is the wrong source.
Cooked liver is soft and keeps only a few days in the fridge. Many owners cook a batch and freeze small portions. For how the other forms of liver handle, see raw, cooked or freeze-dried liver.
Turkey and other poultry livers
Turkey liver comes up in the same searches. USDA lists raw turkey liver (FDC ID 171486) at 26,900 IU of vitamin A per 100 grams, more than either chicken or beef in those tables. So the small-portion approach applies to it just as much.
What we sell, and what we do not
We do not make or sell chicken liver treats. Liver Treats sells one liver: freeze-dried beef liver from a Pennsylvania farm, dried in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania. If chicken liver has gone well for your dog and you want a liver that rides in a pocket without a cooler, the beef liver bag below is one ingredient and breaks by hand into small bits.
Sniff and Shift also has a longer beef liver vs chicken liver guide if you want more on the two side by side. For beef liver on its own, read is beef liver good for dogs.
Our liver is beef liver
One ingredient, beef liver, in 1.5, 3 and 6 ounce bags. It is not chicken liver.
Chicken liver questions
Can dogs eat chicken liver every day?
A small piece inside the daily treat allowance is a different thing from a daily serving of liver. VCA keeps all treats under 10 percent of calories, and vet sources link vitamin A trouble to heavy feeding over time. Ask your veterinarian before liver becomes a daily habit.
Can dogs eat raw chicken liver?
Many raw feeders give it. Raw meat can carry bacteria, and the FDA's page on raw pet food lists handling steps for the whole household. Wash hands and surfaces after preparing it.
How do I cook chicken liver for my dog?
Simmer or bake it plain until cooked through, cool it, and cut it small. Skip salt and seasoning, and keep onion and garlic out of it, as the ASPCA advises.
How much chicken liver can a dog have?
There is no gram figure from USDA or VCA for chicken liver alone. Work from the treat budget instead: no more than 10 percent of daily calories for all treats, with liver as a small part of that. Our calculator shows the arithmetic.
Can dogs eat turkey liver?
Turkey liver is another poultry liver owners feed. USDA lists it with more vitamin A per 100 grams than chicken or beef liver, so keep pieces small and occasional.
Is chicken liver or beef liver the better treat?
Neither wins on every row. Per USDA, chicken liver has less vitamin A and much less copper, while beef liver has more protein and B12. Pick the one your dog does well on and keep the portion small.