Fish is a good source of protein for both dogs and humans alike, and it should be included in your dog’s diet. But does that mean that fish should be fed to our dogs raw? NO. You might be cooking, and your dog will beg, and you will be tempted to toss your dog a bite of raw fish while you are preparing it, but no, you should do that; you can wait till you are done preparing the meal before you feed your dog fish.
Most dogs can’t resist the smell of fish, and most dogs eat it, making it a common ingredient in our dog foods. Fish is high in healthy protein and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, both essential to dogs. Is it safe for dogs to eat raw fish? The short answer is maybe, depending on the type of fish. But it is mostly recommended that we do not feed our dogs raw fish because there are more disadvantages than advantages.
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Is Raw Fish Safe for Dogs?
You know the saying, prevention is better than cure; it also applies to raw fish feeding in dogs. Even though your dogs can eat some raw fish, it is always recommended not to feed them raw fish. Dogs find nothing wrong with eating raw fish because they don’t know what it can cause to their health, but we humans know the effects. So it is up to us to prevent it. Not all raw fish contain harmful pathogens, which is natural.
Harmful pathogens like bacteria and parasites may always be present in uncooked fish. Not only are these pathogens detrimental to dogs, but raw fish may also contain dangerous heavy bones which can cause choking and make our dogs sick.
Maybe by luck, and your dog is unaffected by the pathogens in raw fish, there is still a possibility that cross-contamination can occur, spreading the pathogens to you. Dogs with weakened immune systems should avoid raw fish as it affects them faster than dogs with stronger immune systems. In addition, young or elderly humans and canines are at a greater risk of getting ill from the pathogens contained in raw fish.
Risk of Feeding Raw Fish to Dog
Bacteria
Most raw food that is easily exposed to the atmosphere usually contains bacteria. Raw fish also includes some potentially harmful bacteria like salmonella and listeria. This is why it is always advised to cook your dog’s fish so you can kill these bacteria in the cooking process. Although some very healthy dogs with strong immune systems may not be affected by these bacteria, don’t risk feeding your dog raw fish, even if their immune systems can protect them from the bacteria.
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Parasites
Raw fish may allow your dogs to get parasites like roundworms, flukes, and tapeworms. In some cases, some of these parasites present in raw fish might cause no harm to your dogs when digested, while others can make your dog sick, even to the extent of causing serious health problems and diseases. Salmon, the most common fish fed to dogs and other kinds of fish in the Pacific Northwest region, can have some deadly parasites that cause salmon poisoning and other related diseases. Raw fish exposed to this parasite can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, swollen lymph nodes, weakness, and dehydration. If left untreated, it can lead to the death of our canine companion.
Heavy Metals
Another reason you should avoid feeding your dogs raw fish is that they contain heavy metals such as lead and mercury. If your dog is fed a large amount of raw fish, these heavy metals can build up in its body, leading to toxicity or other health issues later on.
Bones
This is the most common risk that people know of when feeding their dogs raw fish. The small bones in fish are mostly sharp, and dogs can easily chew them, but digestion is the main risk. It might be hard for dogs to digest these sharp bones, which can choke them, suffering injuries to the oesophagus and stomach, and there is also the risk of these tiny bones getting caught on their way out while dogs are pooping.
However, some dogs may not suffer any paining while pooping because gastric acids may have softened the bones and then digested by the body. However, most dogs will experience difficulty digesting fish bones, and you would even notice them coughing while chewing them.
How Much Raw Fish Can Dogs Eat?
If you want to be safe, the best way to feed your dog fish is to cook it and remember not to add any ingredients, sauce, or seasoning. But if you still like to feed your dog raw fish, ensure the type of fish you are feeding your dog is safe to eat raw and clean. Avoid feeding fish like salmon, as wild-caught fish swim upstream and contain a deadly parasite.
Delicious human raw fish preparations like sushi, sashimi, and poke bowls are not ideal for dog consumption because other ingredients used to prepare these dishes may be harmful. But plain, raw, sushi-grade fish is considered safe for consumption in small amounts. Whether cooked or fed raw, it is important not to think that fish can serve as a complete meal but to think of it as a diet topper or treat. In addition, always remember that any food you feed your dog should be free of salt, seasoning, sauces, added fats and other ingredients like onions.
If your dog gets sick from eating raw fish, here’s what to do.
Some dogs with strong and healthy immune systems can tolerate the risk of digesting raw fish, but some will get sick. As soon as you notice any sign of illness developing after you feed your dog raw fish, it is recommended that you contact your vet immediately. And if it is raw salmon your dog ate, even before your dog starts showing signs, be sure they visit the vet as soon as possible.
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