Putting the question to rest: can a dog eat raw fish? Yes, they can! In the same way that raw fish is safe for your dog, it is also safe for most humans. People, however, tend to be terrified of parasites and raw fish.
Parasite fear is widespread among human beings. However, for thousands of years, humans and other animals have consumed raw fish without any ill effects.
Because of the omega-3s, many raw feeders include fish in their dog’s diet as a supplemental protein.
This is why fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are so popular. It’s also true that eating raw fish can expose you to parasites. although it is a risk that can be reduced to a manageable level.
Raw Fish For Dogs
Raw fish is a healthy addition to the diets of most canine companions. You won’t have to worry about parasites if your dog’s immune system is strong.
However, extra caution may be required if your dog has a compromised immune system. Or if your dog, or any dog in your home, has a persistent worm problem… If so, perhaps fish are to blame.
If that’s the case, read on to learn how to lessen the likelihood that your dog will contract parasites.
Benefits Of Raw Fish For Dogs
Dogs need raw fish for the same reasons that we need it for our own health (immune and cognitive). Moreover, it greatly improves the condition of their limbs, skin, and hair.
This is due to its high levels of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids, which occur naturally in the food.
The brain and the eyes are two of the many nutritious parts of a whole fish. They both function as secreting organs and can be thought of as multivitamins provided by Mother Nature.
Parasites In Raw Fish
These parasites tend to be the most widespread in raw fish.
Flukes (Trematodes)
It is not uncommon to find flukes on the skin or inside the organs of fish. Generally speaking, they don’t pose any danger to canine companions. However, there have been reports of Pacific Salmon harboring flukes that can cause poisoning in dogs. A
The Neorickettsia helminthoeca organism causes salmon poisoning, and recently the California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a warning to dog owners about the risk of infection.
Canines are the only mammals that can contract flukes. Predators such as cats, bears, and wolves are immune to the disease that affects dogs, coyotes, and wolves.
For the most part, flukes can be seen with the naked eye, so if you feed Pacific salmon, you won’t have to worry about missing any of them.
They have a flattened, ribbon-like shape, or else an oval or wormlike one. If you find them, cooking the food will kill them and prevent infection.
If your dog eats Pacific salmon or trout and develops symptoms like fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness, and rapid weight loss, you should take him to the vet immediately.
Roundworms (Nematodes)
The size of a roundworm (2 mm in diameter and 25-150 mm in length) is comparable to a strand of human hair. There is a white, translucent sheen to these veins, and they run perpendicular to the fish’s muscle striations.
However, farmed salmon is very unlikely to have roundworms whereas wild salmon may.
It’s unfortunate that farmed fish can be contaminated with growth hormone residues and other drugs used for disease prevention.
Large corporations that also make cattle feed and recycle human foods often own these hatcheries.
These fish likely have damaged cholesterol and trans fatty acids because they are fed recycled, rancid foods.
For this reason, wild salmon is still preferable to farmed salmon as a source of nutrition for your dog.
Tapeworms (cestodes)
The greatest risk from eating raw fish is getting tapeworm. Fish have tapeworms in their digestive systems and other body cavities.
If you want to keep your dog safe from these parasites, you can only give him the fish’s meat and leave out the organs.
How To Get Rid Of Parasites In Raw Fish
A lot of people, including your vet, will tell you that it’s not safe to feed your dog raw fish because of parasites. You can easily protect your dog from parasites in raw fish by freezing it.
Most of the fish you purchase is either already frozen or will be purchased in the frozen state. The only way to be sure there are no parasites in the fish you feed your dog is to freeze it for a week before serving.
How Long To Freeze Raw Fish
The Food and Drug Administration recommends the following freezing methods for fish because they “are sufficient to kill parasites.”
- Put in the freezer and keep at a constant -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) for a week.
- Put in a freezer until it reaches a solid state at a temperature of -31 degrees Fahrenheit (-35 degrees Celsius), then store it there for 15 hours.
- Put in a freezer and freeze at -31 degrees Fahrenheit (-35 degrees Celsius) until solid, then store for 24 hours at -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) or lower.
Which Raw Fish Can I Feed My Dogs?
Any oily fish, including:
- Salmon
- Trout
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Smelt
- Sardines
- Anchovies
Green-lipped mussels are another great seafood option that can be added to your dog’s (raw) diet. They are packed with glucosamine and chondroitin that occur naturally and do wonders for your joints.
:strip_icc()/dog-licking-a-caught-fish-by-a-lake-674481647-ac87830bd0f442dfa4210939c3f31437.jpg)
Caution: if your dog has a shellfish allergy, you shouldn’t feed it green lipped mussels. Unfortunately, my current Boxer, Wally, is allergic to shellfish, but his predecessors, Missy and Buzz, enjoyed them without any adverse reactions.
An interesting fact is that you can only see them in the clear waters off the New Zealand coast. But have no fear; you can also get them in the good ol’ USA!
How Much Raw Fish Can My Dog Eat?
Feed your dog about 10 percent of its total daily calorie intake in the form of raw fish.
Two green-lipped mussels per day are safe for large dogs, one per day is fine for medium-sized dogs, and half a daily serving is fine for small dogs.
Bonnie & Clyde’s wild-caught fish oil is a good example of a high-quality fish oil that can be safely given to dogs at the rate of 1 pump per 20 pounds of body weight. When first starting your dog on fish oil, give him or her about half of the recommended daily amount.
The oil is very concentrated and rich, so giving too much could cause stomach distress.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Fish Bones?
While it’s true that raw fish bones are softer than cooked ones, anyone who’s ever eaten fish knows that it’s important to pick out any small bones before diving in.
However, cooked bones become more abrasive and brittle. The bones in raw fish are softer and easier to chew.
Thus, most canines can safely consume raw fish bones. In the same way, dogs don’t chew very thoroughly, meaning the tiny bones remain in the fish even after being swallowed.
Frozen Fish For Dogs
Even though it’s not fresh, some people give their dogs frozen fish. This is a risk-free strategy that could reduce your dog’s appetite.
In addition, feeding your dog raw fish that is still frozen can alleviate concerns about choking hazards. This way, the frozen meat and the bones can be eaten together as one crunchy morsel.
Canned Fish For Dogs
You can also feed your dog canned fish like salmon, sardines, or mackerel. If you’re going to eat canned fish, get the kind packed in water rather than oil because it has less salt.
You can supplement your dog’s diet with omega-3 oils to provide him with the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.
Since fish oil isn’t the best choice due to a number of factors, you may want to look into alternatives like green lipped mussel oil, which is sustainably farmed and contains a wider variety of fatty acids that aid in inflammation management.
It’s recommended that you feed your dog raw fish occasionally. As long as you make sure it’s been frozen for long enough, you shouldn’t have to worry about parasites.
Should I Feed Raw Fish Whole, Ground, Air-Dried, Canned Or As An Oil?
These are all viable alternatives.
When it comes to feeding fish, whole is best in my book, followed by ground, air-dried, canned, and fish oil.
Really, it’s all up to your own tastes and the extent of your resourcefulness.
If I run out of whole raw fish and am waiting for an online order to arrive, or if I can’t find whole fish at the store, I’ll give my dog single-ingredient fish treats, like those made by Real Dog or Icelandic .
My previous dogs, Missy and Buzz, loved sardines and Bonnie & Clyde’s wild-caught fish oil, both of which come in a can. Both are excellent choices, but unfortunately my current dog, Wally, is allergic to sardines and anchovies.
Wally can’t consume Bonnie & Clyde’s fish oil because it contains sardines, anchovies, and mackerel as ingredients.
Where To Buy Fish For Raw Dog Food
Depending on where you live and the store’s inventory levels, raw fish may be available at your local grocery store.
Here in North Carolina, for instance, the only fish option is raw rainbow trout, which can be purchased at Harris Teeter.
Fortunately, you can find raw fish at a number of the raw dog food stores that operate exclusively on the Internet.
That’s the case, for instance:
- Miami Gets Its Raw Diet From Raw Feeding
- Crude Meat for Fido
- The Carnivorous Animal I Keep as a Pet
- Today’s Hare
Green lipped mussels and smelts, in addition to ground salmon, ground and whole thread herring, salmon chunks, mackerel, sardines, and smelts, are available at Raw Feeding Miami.
Raw Paws Pet Food offers a variety of raw meats for your pet, including ground Atlantic salmon, beef, and mackerel, as well as whole smelt.
Ground lake herring, whole lake herring, whole sardines, ground lake trout, whole lake trout, and ground lake whitefish are all available at My Pet Carnivore.
Whole sardines, ground sardines, ground Atlantic herring, ground sardines and bone, green lipped mussel powder, and dehydrated ground salmon are all available at Hare Today.
Which Fish Is Not Good for Dogs?
Large raw fish, such as tuna or shark, should not be fed to dogs on a regular basis.
This is because larger fish typically contain more harmful substances like metals and toxins.
A minimum of three weeks of freezing time is required before feeding your puppy or puppies any raw Pacific fish, such as salmon.
Specifically, it has the potential to be infected with a parasite that can kill a dog. The parasite can be killed by freezing, but to be on the safe side, you shouldn’t feed your pet any raw fish from the Pacific.
Dogs with fish intolerances shouldn’t eat fish that triggers their condition.
These include seafood like salmon, sardines, anchovies, and green-lipped mussels for my dog Wally.
Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe With Fish
Using raw fish, here is a super simple raw dog food recipe for your pet.
The primary component is a balanced raw meat diet for canines. Because it already contains the three main components of raw dog food—muscle meat, secreting organs, and raw meaty bone—it is considered complete and can be fed to dogs without further preparation.
I used rabbit grinds from Raw Feeding Miami in this dish.
I combined them with rainbow trout I bought at a grocery store and Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm.
Dehydrated vegetables and medicinal herbs make up Paradigm. It’s easy to incorporate nutritious plant matter into raw dog food because it only needs to be rehydrated with warm water.
You can easily substitute other complete grinds for this one if you prefer.
Complete grinds from Raw Paws Pet Food or Raw Feeding Miami, for instance.
A word of advice: if you use the link I provided, you can get 10% off your order from Raw Feeding Miami. You can also get 15% off your order from Raw Paws Pet Food by using my affiliate discount code, K9Savings.
Raw Fish for Dogs: Bottom Line
An average of 10 percent of your dog’s daily ration should be composed of raw fish, as it is a vital component of raw dog food. That’s because it’s great for your brain and joints because it’s a natural anti-inflammatory food.
Feeding fish entails:
- Whole
- Ground
- Air-dried
- In a can, or
- As an oil
If you’re fortunate enough to live close to the water or a supermarket with a good fish selection, you may have your pick of a wide variety of fresh fish.
However, if you prefer to feed your dog raw fish, you can find sardines, smelt, herring, trout, mackerel, salmon, and even green-lipped mussels at any of the several raw dog food retailers in the United States.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t eat any Pacific fish raw unless it has been frozen for at least 3 weeks. In order to eliminate a parasite that can be fatal to dogs, that measure has been put into place.
Fish people, rejoice! Is there a specific fish that your dog loves to eat? Comment down below and tell me!