Is fish okay?

[RD]

Dakota has developed a taste for fish. There are a bunch of perch (I believe they are perch, at least) in the marina and he has been snacking on them whenever he can catch one. I've heard that some freshwater fish is not very good for dogs - is perch okay?

If so . . . He eats the whole thing, fresh out of the riiver. Should I freeze it first? Any parts I should toss, or can he keep munching the entire fish?

Ive never fed whole raw fish before, so I have no idea what is "good" as far as fish goes.

 

[Zoom]

I don't know, but Aubrey likes to eat the minnows I use for bait when I take her fishing...

 

[Adrienne]

Gunnar just recently was switched to a fish only protein diet to try to figure out what his allergy is. He gets fresh pan fish from the cabin, and talapia about 2-3 times a week whole. I would say it is ok as long as they are smaller fish, not bottom feeders and not fed supper frequently. You can check with your local DNR to see what fish are considered ok for human consumption, if it's ok for us it's generally ok for them althoug there is a type of salmon that must be frozen before feeding due to a parasite it contains, not sure but I think it was pacific salmon but could be wrong about that!

 

[moxiegrl]

Good Question RD, maybe morty can tell u lol...

 

[filarotten]

Well Brutus and Spike love sushi. They occasionally catche catfish or Bass if the pond is low. I was a little worried about the bones, but so far no problems.

Look at it this way...plenty of fresh omegas going into the body.

 

[Bobsk8]

Perch are kind of boney. Would that be something to worry about?

 

[DanL]

No, fish bones are fine. Whole fish is great, you just need to trim off any sharp fins.

Like Adrienne said, check with your local DNR and see if there are limits on the number of fish you should eat from your local waters. Unfortunately here, with the long term pollution in the Delaware river, you can't eat a lot of fish caught out of there. There are size limits (bigger fish store more toxins) and number limits on what you should eat. Those guidelines cover a lot of the feeder basins that go into the river as well.

 

[RD]

Thank you! I will check and see what are considered okay for human consumption. I believe Perch are, they aren't bottom feeders or anything but not many people eat them because they are so bony. The dogs love the fish bones, though.

Those fins worry me, lol! I do need to cut them off before Dakota eats them. I've caught perch before and released them and every time I do, they stab me with those spikes on their dorsal fin.

 

[weylyn]

Fish are perfectly fine to feed. My dogs enjoy whole fish.

Here is something to keep in mind, though:

"When feeding whole fresh fish (especially fish that you just caught from a lake!), it might be worthwhile to cut open the belly and check for hooks swallowed into the stomach as well as hooks in the throat or mouth. If the fish has any sharp spines (like catfish or the dorsal fin on bass), you should cut them off before feeding the fish to the dog. Avoid feeding too much carp, smelt, herring, and catfish, since these fish contain an enzyme that binds Thiamin, or Vitamin B1. They make an excellent addition to any raw diet as long as they aren't the bulk of the diet (i.e. do not feed it every day!)." Rawfed.com

 

[showpug]

Certain types of fish can be deadly to dogs. They can get salmon poisoning from it. I witnessed a few cases of this at the clinic I worked for and let's just say parvo was prettier to watch :yikes:

Here is info on it:http://www.metpet.com/Reference/Dogs/Health/salmon_poisoning_in_dogs.htm

 

[bubbatd]

sorry , but I still don't like taking chances with chicken or fish bones.

 

[pickleweed]

Salmon

I was going to ask everyone is salmon ok to feed to dogs? Like a peice of salmon fillet...not smoked or flavored.

 

[weylyn]

Thanks for pointing out that important info, showpug.

I was going to ask everyone is salmon ok to feed to dogs? Like a peice of salmon fillet...not smoked or flavored.

It depends on the salmon. Pacific salmonids carry a toxic parasite that can make dogs very sick. I avoid all salmon caught in the PacNW waters. Also, most farmed salmon contain added colors to get that bright pink/red look.

On this site, you can find what fish to avoid and what fish are best: http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

 

[showpug]

I was going to ask everyone is salmon ok to feed to dogs? Like a peice of salmon fillet...not smoked or flavored.

Salmon can be VERY deadly to dogs. I posted a link on the previous page.

 

[pickleweed]

Thanks weylyn and showpug for the link! Very important & helpful info there!

 

[pickleweed]

I found these dried salmon treats at Petco over the weekend. They're suppose to be all natural, no additives, just thin slices of salmon that have been dehydrated. Are those safe to give to my dog instead of the fresh fish? Or salmon is not safe all together? Just wanted to make sure! Thanks!

 

[weylyn]

They shouldn't be a problem, pickleweed.

My dogs have enjoyed a few meals of fresh salmon here and there, but it's expensive so I don't buy it often. I only purchase wild caught salmon from Alaskan waters and then deep freeze it accordingly. Farmed/PacNW salmon I avoid.

 

[okiegirl]

Thanks for pointing out that important info, showpug.

It depends on the salmon. Pacific salmonids carry a toxic parasite that can make dogs very sick. I avoid all salmon caught in the PacNW waters. Also, most farmed salmon contain added colors to get that bright pink/red look.

On this site, you can find what fish to avoid and what fish are best: http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Here's another good link for good/bad seafood
http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=bestandworst

 

[rowdy ridgeback]

I mix 1 Tablespoon of canned Salmon, Mackeral, or Sardines in their kibble twice a day. They love it! I have been doing this for a long time.

 

[rowdy ridgeback]

Raw Salmon is deadly. Cooked is ok. I by the canned. It is cooked.