Dogs love fish. But other kinds can be dangerous for them. In this article we will answer the questions:  can dogs eat raw fish and what kind of fish can I give my dog. Before you give your dog raw fish, you need to know clearly which type of fish is safe and which should be treated or not fed to the pet at all. The pet owner needs to know how many times a week to give his dog or puppy fish and in what quantity. A balanced diet affects not only the health and appearance of the dog, but also has a direct bearing on his behavior and mood. Chewy and Stella dog food retailer click here to read offers pet owners a great fish diet and good nutrition filled with many healthy elements.

Can dogs eat fish?

The energy values of fish products can replace meat in a dog’s diet. But should you feed your dog fish?  After all, overconsumption is bad for his health, leading to metabolic disorders, kidney problems and kidney disease. Yes, you can feed fish to your dog, but it’s important to stick to the proper portion. Don’t feed fish instead of meat more than twice a week. Keep portion sizes in relation to your dog’s weight.

For example, a small dog breed Yorkshire Terrier suffices for a healthy diet of 20 grams of fish per day 1-2 times a week. An average dog breed needs 30 grams per day, which should be divided into two meals, as in the case of a small breed. And a large dog, for example a Caucasian shepherd dog, should be fed twice a week with 100 grams of fish portion in the morning and in the evening.

What kind of raw fish can dogs eat?

On the shelves of stores now you can find a variety of varieties of fish, which will supplement the diet of the animal and make it healthier. So before deciding whether to give your dog raw or cooked fish, you need to decide what kind of raw fish is safe for your pet in principle. Most veterinarians and breeders are of the opinion that for a dog’s proper diet, fish such as:

1. Salmon. High in B vitamins, fluoride, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and calcium.
2. Trout. Has fatty amino acids that are essential for your dog’s coat. Like salmon, trout is high in B vitamins, which are necessary for gastrointestinal function, NHS, and heart function.
3. Sockeye. Sea fish Nerka contains fluorine and phosphoric acid, especially necessary for the formation of skeletal tissues. Useful for puppies and pregnant bitches.
4. Pink salmon. Promotes elimination of toxins from the body, strengthens the immune system.
5. Chum salmon. Improves eyesight, strengthens dogs’ teeth.
6. Coho salmon. Reduces the risk of cancer, supports the dog’s immune system.
7. Chinook salmon. Prevents the development of vascular diseases. Chinook salmon should not be given to dogs with enteritis or gastrointestinal problems.
8. Sturgeon. High content of vital minerals and vitamins. Easily digestible, it improves joints, hair and teeth, and is a natural preventative for heart disease.
9. Saida. Contains easily digestible protein, fats, vitamins A, B, E, minerals that affect the organs of vision, musculoskeletal system.
10. Pikefish. Reduces the risk of cancer, supports the cardiovascular system.
11. Hake. Low-calorie fish product, easy to digest. Suitable for dog breeds prone to obesity. Sea fish contains vitamins A, B group, macronutrients and trace elements. Hake should be offered to dogs in boiled form. Puppies should not receive this type of fish.
12. Sea bass. Medium-fat variety of fish. Sea bass can be added to the dog’s diet under one condition. It is necessary to remove the fins, which will harm the health of the pet, as they are poisonous.
13. Atlantic cod. These fish can easily replace meat, because of the large amount of protein. Thanks to its fat content of more than 15%, it is suitable for the diet of large breeds of dogs living in the street, nursing and pregnant bitches, and puppies for good growth. Fish is rich in omega and animal fats.
14. Halibut. Like Atlantic cod in terms of fat content belongs to the fatty type. Nutritional value is similar to meat, so also suitable for growing puppies, pregnant dogs and street dogs. But it is not recommended for dogs with gastrointestinal problems.
15. Flounder. Also an approved fish product for dogs. Almost similar in properties to halibut, only it should be fed 1.5 times more.
16. Capelin. Although it is forbidden for pets to eat capelin raw, because of its thiaminase content, it can be eaten boiled. Because the harmful enzyme thiaminase is destroyed at high temperatures.

Red varieties are preferred, as well as, the inhabitants of the oceans and seas. It is better to give up river fish. See more about great VICTOR Dry Dog Food which releases Select Ocean Fish Formula.

Before giving fish to the dog, the fish product should be pretreated:

• Deep freezing followed by defrosting and scalding with boiling water.
• Boiling for 15-20 minutes, without salt or spices.
• The fish is cleaned of scales, bones and insides are removed, and only then is it fed to the pet.

Forbidden varieties of fish

The following fish are contraindicated because of their thiaminase content:

• Carp: bream, crucian carp, bleak, roach, tench, redfin, roach, ide, chub.
• Herring: sprat, herring, sprat, tulka.
• Pike.
• Cods: burbot, saffron cod, pollack, saithe, putassu should not be offered to the dog either.
• This also includes all representatives of anchovy and perch fish.

Families containing trimethylaminoxide, which leads to anemia, iron deficiency: cod and herring. High content of histamine in mackerel, blue whiting, tuna.

Salted fish, such as herring, is strictly forbidden to give dogs. Smoked and fried fish is also harmful to dogs, regardless of the variety.

Also, there are poisonous species that are rarely found in stores. These are khramulya, puffer fish, Balkhash marinka. During spawning, there is poison in the spawn. When poisoning occurs and there are symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting blood, medical attention is definitely needed.

It is believed that canines should not eat river fish because of helminths and parasites. If properly processed, after pre-cleaning, river fresh fish is allowed to pets, but it is better to prefer sea fish.

Canned fish and crab sticks are strictly forbidden to pets. Canned fish contains very high amounts of spices, fat, preservatives and food additives. Crabsticks contain starch, soy, dyes, and other ingredients that are prohibited to animals. Better buy lovely ORIJEN Six Fish Grain-Free Dry Dog Food from a reputable manufacturer to avoid the risk of choosing the wrong fish read more about ORIJEN.

What are the dangers of fish?

Because of the content of thiaminase, histamine and trimethylaminoxide.

• Thiaminase belongs to the group of antivitamins, promotes the destruction of vitamin B1 in the body of dogs. This enzyme breaks down under the influence of high temperatures, when boiled for twenty minutes. But, even after boiling, it is not recommended to add the seafood to the food.
• Trimethylaminoxide is a substance that leads to iron deficiency anemia. However, the content in the fish is so low that it is necessary to eat a meal containing trimethylaminoxide all the time. Despite this, veterinarians recommend avoiding feeding banned varieties.
• Histamine is a poisonous substance that causes the pet’s skin to become covered with a red rash and the coat to become dull, stiff, and sometimes yellowish dandruff.

How to keep fish safe

Having determined what kind of fish is allowed for dogs, you need to know how to give it. First, any type of fish is pre-frozen. Before giving the fish to the dog, it is thawed at room temperature, scalded with boiling water and fed to the animal. Cleaning is a must. After the fish has defrosted and been boiled, the head, fins and tail are cut off, and the scales are removed.

Can dogs eat fish bones?

No, removing fish bones from the product is mandatory, for this purpose large fish are cut up, the backbone is removed and the bones are carefully selected. There is information that fish bones are good for dogs, so the cleaned fish is put through a meat grinder along with them.

Large breeds should not be given defrosted, uncleaned fish cut into pieces. Fish products should in any case be peeled before they are given. The dog may choke on the tough parts, the scales may stick to the palate or tongue, and the bones may get stuck in the throat or damage the gastrointestinal tract.

As for heat treatment, fish, if the owner wishes to treat the pet to a boiled meal, is boiled for 20-30 minutes in water, without salt or added spices. After which, it is allowed to cool and fed to the pet in a cooked form.

Puppies and pregnant bitches should be given approved species of fish with caution. In rare cases, animals are allergic to fish products, which can lead to Quincke’s edema.

Can dogs eat raw fish skin, heads?

What kind of fish is better to feed to pets, raw or boiled? Raw saltwater fish is good for adult dogs. But you can feed the fish product only after it has been frozen and thoroughly cleaned, heads and fins are removed. Fish skin is an excellent source of Omega-3 acids. Raw fish skins may contain parasites, so it is best to give pre-cooked fish skins. Puppies and small breeds are better served with boiled fish, not raw, carefully selected from bones, preferably sea fish.

It is not recommended to offer fish to animals more than three times a week in any cooking method. It is forbidden to mix it with meat the seafood goes in a separate feeding, as a main dish (at least 50% of the total single ration).

Despite its nutritional properties, fish can be a source of various diseases in dogs. When treating your pet, you should use approved varieties of fish, but cleaned of bones. If the pet only eats dry food from reliable suppliers, then fish should not be fed to him. The loving owner needs to know if it is okay to feed his dog dry and natural food at the same time.