can dogs eat fish: Thinking about giving your dogfish? So keep reading our super full article and check out if fish is good and safe to feed your 4 legged children!
For humans fish is great food, super beneficial for health, but can dogs eat fish?
Can fish be harmful to dogs?
If you take a look at the nutrition chart of some feeds, you will know that fish may be part of some of them.
But just because it’s an ingredient in dog food doesn’t mean we can feed our dogs any kind of fish.
Before we question the origin of this food, as we know they may be contaminated with mercury, we need to know:
Are dogs safe to eat fish?
Offering a highly nutritious protein source for dogs makes a lot of sense.
And in this article, we will find out if the fish fits this possibility.
We will also see safety factors related to this food.
If you want to add fish to your dog’s diet, here is what you need to know.
In this article you will learn:
- After all, can dogs eat fish?
- Caring for Fish in Dog Food
- Main Benefits of Fish
- How to Give Fish to Your Dog
The answer is simple: YES, dogs can eat fish.
Fish can form the basis for a healthy and nutritious diet for your dog.
It is a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids for dogs.
Keeping this in mind, we need to make some security issues very clear.
For, the species of fish and the method of preparing this feed influences the health of your dog.
Caring for Fish in Dog Food
As we said, there are some precautions to be taken with eating fish.
For safety reasons, fish that are likely to contain high levels of mercury such as salmon and tuna should be avoided.
Some vets also indicate that dogs cannot eat raw fish.
This question is not fully accepted by 100% of professionals, but most of them are terrified that their dog will eat raw fish.
They claim that dogs can eat fish as long as the fish is fully cooked without any additional oils and seasonings can be served without problems.
In addition, raw fish may be contaminated with bacteria such as salmonella and listeria.
Regarding mercury contamination, 100% of professionals state that it is best to avoid any type of tuna.
And not even canned tuna, that seems like a bad choice to feed your dog.
Because they contain preservatives and chemical additives, in addition to the possibility of mercury contamination.
Also, be sure to offer a fish or piece of fish that contains no bones or pimples.
They can lodge in your dog’s mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines, sometimes even piercing the organ wall.
This is very dangerous and can result in a very expensive visit to the vet.
Main Benefits of Fish
As we said above, fish are sources of protein and fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids have several health benefits.
Most of them related to the inflammation reduction system promoted by Omega 3.
Many dogs have health problems caused by too much inflammation in the body.
Therefore, most of our dogs can benefit from Omega 3 rich foods or supplements containing omega 3 fatty acids.
Examples of omega 3 fatty acids include:
- ALA (alpha linoleic acid),
- EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and
- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
- Another great benefit of this element is the improvement of your dog’s coat and fur.
It decreases the intensity of most types of allergies.
Including flea bite allergies, inhalant allergies, contact allergies, and food allergies.
Omega 3 fatty acids also help lessen dry skin and dandruff and many forms of skin peeling disorders.
Using omega 3 fatty acid supplements also allows pet owners to use lower doses of cortisone and antibiotics when administering many of these skin conditions.
Note: The maximum benefits of using foods and supplements rich in omega 3 fatty acids often take 3-4 months to see the changes.
Omegas 3 also benefit the immune system in older animals and can improve degenerative inflammatory conditions that are common in older animals.
Lastly, omega 3 fatty acids can help dogs with pain-causing inflammatory problems, such as:
- joint degeneration,
- arthritis and
- kidney disease.
- Dogs with these types of problems usually require various pain-reducing medications.
And Omega 3 acids can help lower the dose of medicines.
How to Give Fish to Your Dog
To minimize the chances of mercury poisoning choose the fish correctly.
It is also necessary to cook them properly so that it is a suitable meal for your dog.
Dogs usually love the smell of fish and can devour their fish meals properly.
If you want to insert fish into your dog’s natural diet, we recommend that you consult your veterinarian so that he can prescribe the diet correctly.
The ideal amount of boneless meat for dog food is around 30 to 40% of the total diet.
As a carbohydrate source, you can use sweet potato, see here our article about Sweet Potato.
You can also use fish pieces/chips as snacks, or as a recipe for natural dog biscuits.
Important: Our content is produced by veterinary professionals and is informative.
But there are some particular issues with your dog that you should ALWAYS contact your trusted vet.
Therefore, it in no way replaces the guidance of a veterinarian.
Whenever your dog shows abnormal signs, take him to the veterinarian.
We hope that in this article you have found all the information you were looking for.
After all, your dog’s health is very important to us.
So if you enjoyed this article, help us distribute this information by sharing this article with your friends and on their social networks.
And don’t forget to leave a comment below so we can know if you are enjoying our content!
Share your experiences with us!
