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Ingredient file // Animal protein

Turkey Heart

Real turkey protein, no proven heart boost

Turkey heart is the muscular heart separated when turkeys are processed. It adds animal protein, fat and iron to dog food. Its name does not mean it protects a dog's heart; no feeding trial has tested that claim with turkey heart.

What it is
The muscular heart of a turkey, separated from other giblets and used as a named animal ingredient.
Made from
Hearts removed during turkey processing
Main job
Animal protein and fat
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Raw food bacteria and turkey allergies
Not the same as
Turkey liver

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 210 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

0%

12 of the 2,523 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 6 brands. 6 wet dog food, 4 dog food topper, 2 frozen dog food.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 6.5. In the top five of 5 foods, so it is usually a supporting ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

89%

Listed before the salt in 89% of foods. In the rest it is under about 1% of the recipe.

Who leans on it

33%

of the foods that list it are from Instinct. 6 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Turkey processors remove each bird's internal organs and separate the heart during giblet harvest. Trimming and chilling turn that part of the bird into an ingredient that can also go to pet food makers.5,6,7

  1. 01 // Source Whole turkeys Processing starts with turkeys whose hearts are removed with the other internal organs.
  2. 02 // Process Giblets separated Workers separate hearts from the viscera during giblet harvest, alongside livers and gizzards.
  3. 03 // Process Trimmed and chilled The heart cap is removed during giblet preparation, and hearts go to an ice and water chiller.
  4. 04 // Output Turkey hearts Separated hearts arrive as a named animal ingredient for a pet food recipe.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

65

% protein

Protein calculated from a USDA raw turkey heart record after removing its water. It is an ingredient value, not the protein level of a finished food.

Protein 65.4%4
Fat 29.1%4
Ash 3.9%4
Iron 145 mg/kg4

These are conversions from one USDA raw food record, not a published range of pet food batches. Removing fat during trimming changes the mix; cooking changes its water content.4,6

Why it is in the bag

What the manufacturer gets

  1. 01

    Adds animal protein

    Heart contributes protein and fat. The raw ingredient is mostly water, so its weight on the ingredient list does not reveal how much heart protein remains in the finished food.4,8

  2. 02

    Uses an existing giblet

    Processors already separate and chill turkey hearts. Selling them for pet food gives that processing stream another market; the pet food industry lists turkey heart as an upcycled animal protein.5,7

How much No usual recipe percentage is published; a separate heart topper should stay within 10% of daily calories.9

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Brands say

    Turkey heart adds real animal protein

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The USDA raw record gives 16.7 g protein per 100 g, about 65% after removing water. Heart contributes animal protein, though the ingredient list does not say how much the finished recipe contains.4,8

  2. Brands say

    Turkey heart is a source of iron

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The USDA raw record gives 3.7 mg iron per 100 g of heart. That supports the narrow claim that heart contains iron; the amount a dog eats depends on the recipe's undisclosed heart portion.4,8

  3. Brands say

    Turkey heart's taurine protects a dog's heart

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    An observational series followed 24 golden retrievers with taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy. They received both a diet change and taurine supplements. Turkey heart was neither tested for taurine nor fed as the treatment, so the ingredient claim has no direct support.1,2

  4. Brands say

    Its CoQ10 prevents heart disease in dogs

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    Tufts' cardiology guide says there are no definitive studies of CoQ10 for dogs with heart disease. It gives no CoQ10 amount for turkey heart, and no turkey heart feeding trial supports prevention.9

  5. Critics say

    Turkey heart is just filler

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The USDA raw record contains 16.7 g protein and 7.44 g fat per 100 g. Heart supplies food energy and animal protein. Its actual contribution still depends on how much the maker uses.4

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    Heart is muscular tissue that supplies protein and fat. Its place on the ingredient list shows its weight relative to other ingredients when listed, but does not disclose its share of the finished food.4,6,8

  2. Q02

    Will it help my dog's heart?

    No proof

    The golden retriever study changed diets and gave taurine supplements together. It did not test turkey heart. The heart health claim needs evidence from dogs fed a measured amount of this ingredient.1,2

  3. Q03

    Can hearts be the whole meal?

    No

    A heart by itself is not a complete diet. Choose a food whose adequacy statement says it is complete and balanced, or keep a separate heart topper within the treat allowance.9

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Instinct 4
  2. Nulo 3
  3. Orijen 2
  4. Pure Balance 1
  5. Wellness 1
  6. Stella & Chewy's 1

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Turkey Liver 100%
  2. Turkey 92%
  3. Chicken 42%
  4. Carrots 42%
  5. Chicken Liver 33%
  6. Flaxseed 33%
  7. Broccoli 25%
  8. Turkey Broth 25%
  9. Chicken Heart 25%
  10. Pumpkin Seeds 25%
  11. Yeast Culture 25%
  12. Butternut Squash 25%

On the shelf

Foods that list it

12 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.

Instinct Raw Boost RawBoost+ Mixers Tranquility Recipe Dog Food Topper38.3% proteinInstinct Raw Signature Bites Real Duck Recipe Frozen Dog Food45.5% proteinInstinct Raw Signature Patties Real Duck Recipe Frozen Dog Food45.5% proteinLotus Free Range Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen Dog Food56.0% proteinLotus Free Range Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen Dog Food56.0% proteinLotus Free Range Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen Dog Food56.0% proteinNulo MedalSeries Tasty Toppers Turkey Recipe Dog Food Topper47.4% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust Duck Duck Goose Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper40.0% protein
Show 7 more Orijen Original Pâté with Liver Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinPure Balance Pro+ Performance Turkey & Chicken Recipe Cuts in Gravy Can Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Lamb & Lentils Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Adult Trim Turkey & Cod Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinWellness Core Turkey & Chicken Liver Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinOrijen Original Stew Recipe with Chicken, Turkey & Eggs Wet Dog Food61.1% proteinInstinct Raw Boost Mixers Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food Topper38.3% protein

Our read // On the bag

Read it as meat, then check the diet

Turkey heart on a label means the maker used a named part of turkey. Read its place alongside the other animal ingredients, then check the food's nutritional adequacy statement. Keep a separate heart topper small. Treat promises of heart protection as unsupported.

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in golden retrievers fed commercial diets PLOS ONE, 2018 // Journal
  2. 2 Correction: Taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in golden retrievers fed commercial diets PLOS ONE, 2018 // Journal
  3. 3 Extensive protein hydrolyzation is indispensable to prevent IgE-mediated poultry allergen recognition in dogs and cats BMC Veterinary Research, 2017 // Journal
  4. 4 Turkey, heart, all classes, raw USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28, 2016 // Government
  5. 5 Poultry Slaughter Inspection Training Participant Notebook USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2021 // Government
  6. 6 US Trade Descriptions for Turkey USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, 2002 // Government
  7. 7 Pet Food Production and Ingredient Analysis Pet Food Institute, 2025 // Industry
  8. 8 What’s in the Ingredients List? AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  9. 9 Heart Disease - Nutrition Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, n.d. // University
  10. 10 Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024 // Government
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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