Can dogs eat salmon?

Indeed, salmon is a fish that dogs can eat, since it does not contain any substance that is toxic to your body. In addition, it has a large number of nutritional benefits, making it perfectly suitable for dogs.

Salmon is a fish that can be included in the diet of dogs, whether they are fed with homemade rations or fed with feed, in fact, it is increasingly common to find feed for dogs that contain salmon on the market. However, before offering this fish to dogs, it is important take into account a number of considerations to prevent your contribution from generating unwanted effects on your health.

We tell you more details about whether dogs can eat fish? in the following AnimalWised post.

Salmon is a fish that is part of the regular diet of people, not only for its appreciated flavor, but also for its good nutritional value. In dogs, salmon also provides a series of nutritional benefits, which we mention below:

• It is a blue fish, whose fat is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: These essential fatty acids contribute to the development of the nervous system in puppies, act as natural antioxidants, improve skin and coat health, and prevent heart and immune system diseases. Salmon oil for dogs can be used to supplement these fatty acids in the diet of our pets.
• It’s a food rich in protein: which also have a good biological value for being of animal origin.
• Provides minerals: as phosphorus, selenium, iodine and potassium.
• offers a significant contribution to almost all group B vitamins: including B12, niacin, B6, thiamin, riboflavin and folates, as well as vitamins E and vitamins D.

Do not hesitate to take a look at the following post about Vitamin B for dogs: dosage, benefits and uses.

As we have already mentioned, you can include salmon in your dog’s diet in two different ways:

• With commercial feed: that include salmon as a source of protein
• With a homemade portion: in which you include salmon along with other raw materials (vegetables, carbohydrates, etc.) to achieve a balanced ration.

In the event that you decide to prepare a homemade portion with salmon yourself, it is important that you take into account the following recommendations:

• select a fish as cool as possible.
• debone carefully The whole piece of fish: The bones of the salmon are considerably large, so you want to make sure that there are no bones left in the piece of fish that you are going to offer to your dog.
• cook the fish steamed, grilled or baked: Being a fatty fish, you do not need to add oil to cook it.
• In case your dog follows a barf diet: It is important that freeze the fish before contributing it, to avoid possible infectious and parasitic diseases associated with the consumption of raw fish. Current legislation recommends freezing fish at -20ºC, for 24 hours, to guarantee its safety. However, since domestic freezers tend to have a lower power, it is advisable to freeze the fish for 2-3 days.
• Combine the salmon with other raw materials to achieve a balanced ration: if you do not have experience in preparing homemade rations, it is a good idea to consult a veterinarian/nutrition specialist, in order to avoid the problems that can arise from an unbalanced diet.

Before concluding this section, it is important to note that although dogs can eat fresh salmon (preferably cooked), In no case should they consume preparations made with salmon. such as smoked salmon, marinated salmon, salmon pâté, etc. because these products contain salt, spices and additives that can be harmful to the health of our pets.

We already know salmon is a dog-friendly food, but how many times can I feed my dog ​​salmon? The truth is that salmon is one more source of protein than dogs can routinely consumeas long as it is supplied in adequate amounts.

The daily amount of salmon that you can include in your dog’s diet will depend on different factorssuch as your age, your physiological state and your level of activity. All of these factors affect the energy your dog needs to consume on a daily basis to stay healthy.

Therefore, it is essential that before including this or any other food in your dog’s diet (especially if you intend to offer it regularly), consult a veterinarian / animal nutritionistwho will be able to detail the amount that you must give your pet to guarantee a diet according to its needs.

Feel free to take a look at the following AnimalWised post on salmon oil for dogs: dosage, benefits and uses.

The consumption of salmon can be associated with a series of health risks for our dogs, especially if the recommendations that we have mentioned throughout the article are not followed. These are the side effects of salmon for dogs:

• anisakiosis: like other fish, salmon can be parasitized by nematodes of the genus Anisakis. To avoid the risks associated with the consumption of parasitized fish, it is important to cook the fish or freeze it before offering it to our pets. In the previous sections we detailed how to cook salmon for dogs and how to freeze it.
• Pathogenic microorganisms: In addition to parasites, salmon may contain pathogenic microorganisms such as Enterobacteriaceae, Aeromones, etc. that can be the cause of food poisoning. For this reason, it is also important to cook or freeze the fish before including it in the dog’s ration. Check this post on Parasites in dogs: types, symptoms and treatments to learn more.
• thorns: the spines of the salmon can get to have a considerable size. If we do not remove them before offering the fish, they can be stuck at any point in the digestive tract of dogs and cause alterations of various kinds.
• Fat: Salmon is a fatty fish (it provides about 12 grams of lipids per 100 grams of edible portion), which means that it has a higher energy value than white fish. That is why, if it is offered in an excessive quantity, it can favor the appearance of overweight.

Although salmon is a suitable food for dogs, there are certain exceptions in which its contribution is not recommended:

• Dogs that require a low-fat diet: as is the case of dogs with obesity, with gastroenteritis, IBD or pancreatitis.
• Dogs with allergies or food intolerances: however, there are salmon-based hypoallergenic feeds that are perfectly suitable for dogs with these disorders.

Do not miss Can dogs eat tuna? to have more information on what fish can be given to a dog.

If you want to read more articles similar to Can dogs eat salmon?we recommend that you enter our Home Diets section.