Raw fish is at risk of carrying harmful bacteria like salmonella and listeria. This is problematic for two reasons. One, it can make your dog sick, and two, according to the FDA, it can also make you and other members of your family ill.
Harmful bacteria: Dogs can contract harmful bacteria (like listeria or salmonella) by eating raw fish, which may cause vomiting, a distended stomach, and diarrhea. 3. Parasites: The largest risk of feeding your dog raw fish is intestinal parasites like roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes.
“Tuna, salmon, whitefish, cod and whiting (also known as hank) are all good fish for dogs to eat,” says Dempsey. “Purina uses fish in our foods because it is a good source of many of the nutrients dogs need,” Dempsey explains. And fish isn't just healthy for dogs—they like the taste of fish, too.
Short answer: yes they can! In fact, most dogs should be eating fish on a regular basis. Fish is one of the best ways to add “good” fats to your dogs diet. They are a nutrient dense food containing a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
Do not ever give your dog raw or undercooked salmon. It can contain the Neorickettsia helminthoeca parasite, which causes salmon poisoning disease. This disease can be fatal. In addition, raw salmon contains lots of small bones, which are brittle and can choke your dog or lodge in their stomach or intestines.
Dogs may be offered fish (such as tinned fish – sardines, tuna or salmon) as an occasional treat, but fish should not be fed constantly. Take care to avoid fish bones and choose fish canned in spring water rather than oil or brine. Dogs may also be offered a small amount of cooked vegetables such as pumpkin or carrots.
Raw and undercooked salmon can contain parasites and bacteria that can make your pet extremely sick, so be sure to thoroughly cook any salmon before feeding it to your dog.
Common signs include lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea (which may include blood), fever, weakness, enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, discharge from the eyes or nose, increased respiratory rate, increased heart rate, muscle tremors and seizures. If the infection is not treated, most dogs will die within 2 weeks.
Choosing fish
In Australia, tuna, salmon and kingfish are commonly used for sashimi in Japanese restaurants. But some of the best seafood varieties for sashimi in this country are: scallop, squid, tuna, trevally, kingfish, bream, bonito, garfish, whiting, flounder, flathead, snapper and even leatherjacket.
Bacon, Ham and Fat Trimmings
Bacon, bacon grease, ham, and fat trimmed off meat or bones contains a lot of salt and/or fat and at the least can cause indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea in both dogs and cats. These foods can also cause pancreatitis, a serious, potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas.
Any large fish with a long life span is not safe for your dog to eat. These large fish—such as swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and albacore tuna fish—accumulate heavy metals; the high amounts of mercury in their system make them dangerous for dogs.
Salmon Poisoning Disease is treatable if caught in time. If untreated, death usually occurs within two weeks of eating the infected fish. Without treatment, ninety percent of dogs showing symptoms die.
Other foods that have been recognized to cause food poisoning in dogs are raw fish, undercooked meat, and eggs.
Illness usually starts about 5-7 days after the dog eats or licks an infected fish. Despite its name, SPD is not caused by a poison. It is caused by a combination of a bacteria (Neorickettsia)and a parasite (Nanophyetus). Dogs can catch the illness very easily when they eat raw or undercooked salmon or trout.
Types of Fish That Aren't Safe for Dogs
Tilefish. Swordfish. King mackerel. Albacore tuna (canned)
Dogs can eat fish skins as long as they are properly cooked. Fish skins are chock full of protein, nutrients, and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. So go ahead and offer your dog some fish skin as a special snack.
Raw freshwater fish including grass carp, bighead carp or snakehead may carry parasites such as Chinese liver fluke, which can cause obstruction, inflammation and cancer of the biliary ducts in the liver. Chinese liver fluke contributes to the majority of local human cases of enteric parasites.
In Australia, the most common varieties you will see being used in Japanese restaurants for sashimi are salmon, tuna and kingfish. However, the best seafood varieties for sashimi in this country also include scallop, bream, whiting, flounder, snapper, squid, snapper as well as leatherjacket.
Very fresh fish that have been iced and treated with care can be served raw or cured. Just thinly slice and serve as sashimi! This fish is also excellent barbecued or smoked, just crisp the skin and serve the moist, oily and full-flavoured flesh.
Avoid feeding raw wild-caught fish that swim upstream (like salmon) as it may contain a deadly parasite. Raw fish preparations like sushi, sashimi, and poke bowls are not entirely safe. While plain, raw, sushi-grade fish is usually fine in small amounts, the other ingredients in these dishes may be harmful.
Acute gastroenteritis is the most common symptom in clinical salmonella infection in dogs. Fever, nausea, anorexia followed by vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea can be seen. Diarrhoea may vary in degree and consistency; sometimes it can also contain blood. Weight loss is most likely a result of fluid loss.
So what does a pet look like if they're suffering from salt toxicity? Common signs include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, incoordination, excessive thirst, excessive urination, tremors, seizures and sometimes death.
The best way to protect your dog from salmon poisoning disease is simple: Don't let it eat raw salmon!
Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs? Although cooked eggs can be a nutritious treat for your dog, raw eggs are dangerous. As with humans, raw eggs can expose dogs to harmful salmonella, which can then spread back to their pet parents (especially those with a compromised immune system).
Eggs should be cooked before given to a dog. Cook or boil eggs plain without oil, butter, salt, seasoning, spices, or other additives. It doesn't matter how your dog likes their eggs — sunny side up, scrambled, or hard boiled — as long as they are cooked.