Can dogs eat salmon?

A frequently asked question is can dogs eat salmon?

Yes, dogs can eat salmon, but you need to know a few things first before feeding your dog. Salmon is a great meal for dogs as most dogs love fish. It’s a welcomed staple in a dogs diet.

When dogs eat salmon as part of a balanced diet it provides a healthy source of protein as well as many other added benefits. Also, salmon treats are great for training and when going out going for a walk.

When dogs eat salmon

You may not know that salmon is a common ingredient in a lot of high-quality dog foods because of the overall health benefits that salmon provides.

There are numerous benefits when it comes to salmon for dogs, and it really does promote overall health and wellbeing.

Also, salmon contains many vitamins such as A, B, D and minerals such as magnesium, potassium and zinc.

Below are common benefits of eating salmon (the right way):

• Reduces inflammation that is commonly caused by arthritis
• High in protein
• Helps with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Promotes immune system support
• Improves cognitive function in senior dogs
• Boosts energy
• Promotes healthy weight loss
• Promotes healthy skin and coats
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Helps to slow cancer cell growth
• High in Omega-3 fatty acids

Fun Fact: Wild-caught salmon is generally higher in Omega-3 and is less likely to contain the nasty pollutants and other toxins found in farm-raised salmon.

Dogs eat salmon as meals and as treats really enthusiastically because of the strong smell, so if you have a fussy dog it’s a great choice. A dogs sense of smell is approximately 10,000 times stronger than humans which makes the salmon even more appealing.

Salmon preparation: How can dogs eat salmon?

There are few ways that dogs can eat salmon, either as a full meal or as a treat.

Dogs can enjoy salmon a few ways including:

• Freeze-dried
• Dehydrated
• Cooked

Freeze-dried salmon

Freeze-dried is a process in which the moisture is extracted from the food via freezing. When done correctly is a great healthy option for your dog. Freeze-drying is a common technique to ensure that the nutrients (and flavours) are preserved.

Dehydrated salmon

Dehydrated foods generally have a longer shelf life due to the process of removing the moisture and bacteria. This process still locks in the nutrients and flavour and is a great option if you are wanting to remove bacteria from the fish and have a longer shelf life.

Can dogs eat salmon raw?

The short answer is NO, or at least “not without risk”. There are high-risk factors for ingesting raw fish which can make your dog extremely ill.

That said, dogs are far more capable of dealing with bacteria and parasites from raw meats and fish than we are.

Raw salmon may contain parasites and bacteria that can cause poisoning.

Salmon (salmonid fish) and other anadromous fish (fish that swim upstream to breed) can be infected with a parasite called Nanophyetus Salmincola. … The danger occurs when the parasite itself is infected with a rickettsial organism called Neorickettsia Helminthoeca. It’s this microorganism that causes salmon poisoning.

source VetMD

Signs of salmon poisoning:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Swelling of lymph nodes

If you suspect that your dog may have salmon poisoning or signs your dog is in pain, take your dog to your vet clinic.

Also raw and undercooked salmon not only can cause severe illness and could be fatal but also the salmon will have many small bones that can damage your dog’s digestive system and also cause choking.

Can dogs eat salmon heads?

Salmon heads must never be fed cooked, and when fed raw can suffer the same issues as raw salmon.

On the other hand, salmon heads are a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and bone matter. The gnawing action of bones, even the softer bones in salmon heads, can benefit your dog’s teeth as well as provide bone support.

When feeding salmon (if you choose), or salmon heads, it’s important to supervise your dog to make sure the bones don’t cause choking or intestinal obstruction. If your dog is a gulper it might be worth avoiding such a risk.

Can dogs eat salmon skin?

Salmon skin is good for dogs, but due to the reasons above in regard to dogs eating raw salmon, it might be worth cooking first.

It’s a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, much like salmon itself, and also contains vitamins B and D, and essential minerals including selenium. In short, it can be very beneficial to your dog!

But (and there’s always a but!) you need to consider how much salmon to feed your dog, as too much salmon of any form can be detrimental for a number of reasons (excess vitamins, potential toxins etc).

Moderation is always a good option, and some salmon skin once or twice a week is a great treat with loads of nutrition!

Can dogs eat salmon cooked?

Yes! Our dogs can eat salmon cooked, and their health can benefit from it too!

The great thing about salmon fillets, like the ones you can buy in Coles and Woolies, is they rarely contain bones. Cooked bones are a definite no-no for dogs, even the more delicate bones found in salmon.

Personally I love salmon and often eat it once or twice a week. On these days my dog will also get served up at least half a fillet complete with skin, of course broken up and thoroughly checked for bones by myself.

How to cook salmon for dogs

There are so many ways to cook salmon and the best part is that when you are cooking salmon for yourself you can cook some extra for your dog to have.

Your dog can enjoy salmon baked, fried, grilled, poached, broiled and any other way you can think of. Just remember that when you cooking your salmon not to prepare or cook it with other ingredients that are harmful to your dog, such as onions, tomatoes, avocado etc. If you are after a healthy oil to cook with, consider coconut oil for dogs.

So can dogs eat salmon? Yes, they can, next time you’re looking for a healthy meal to give your dog, consider salmon. I hope you’ve found this article helpful.

Hugs,

Gina & Maisy