Read This Before Feeding Your Dog Salmon!

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Are you thinking of feeding your dog some salmon?

Can I Give My Dog Salmon?Here’s the deal:

The nutrients are super beneficial, but there are also serious concerns when it comes to canine consumption.

This particular fish, while very healthy, can also be extremely poisonous for dogs.

Salmon Poisoning Disease (SPD) is easily fatal. Never feed your dog salmon in raw or under-cooked form.

Parasites and other harmful bacteria are a very real possiblity.

Dogs Can Eat Salmon (with proper preparation)

Fresh, well-cooked, boneless and small portions are essential.

Salmon is great for brain health, the immune system and it also reduces joint inflammation. And these attributes are applicable to dogs.

But again, you must be super careful by sharing responsibly!

Not Cooking Can Kill

Certain parasites cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. That is scary enough but with salmon as well as trout such a scenario can be downright deadly.

Neorickettsia helminthoeca is the micro-organism linked to Salmon Poisoning Disease. These particular parasites (Rickettsia) can literally kill your dog.

Check out this hard-hitting truth-telling video!

Play it safe. Proper preparation is a must!

Fish in general, but salmon especially, needs to be well-cooked in order to kill off any harmful parasites and bacteria that may be present.

Safe Salmon is Super

Let’s look at the positives now…

Served right, salmon will help your dog maintain a healthy skin and coat. It may even reduce skin irritations. Meanwhile, the Omega-3 fatty acids fortify the immune system.

Elderly dogs, and those suffering from arthritis, may greatly benefit as well.

The reason?

Salmon can reduce inflammation and joint stiffness.

And developing puppies can also eat this fish for brain health; just what a puppy needs early on!

How Much Salmon To Feed?

Regarding portion size…

Give your dog a weekly serving that doesn’t exceed 2% of their body weight. For example, a 20 pound pooch should not eat more than 6.5 ounces of Salmon.

Water, Brine or Oil?

Spring water is better than brine or oil when feeding a tinned salmon. One advantage to going this route is the bones can usually be eaten.

Cooking And Other Tips

Use virgin olive oil or quality vegetable oil when cooking fresh salmon. This will combine with the fish’s natural oils which is arguably healthy.

What’s 100% certain is this:

Under-cooked salmon is too risky. And don’t forget to remove bones. Get rid of the skin as well as it is extremely high in fat.

Besides salmon, sardines and tuna are great for dogs. They also contain Omega-3 fatty acids and can compliment kibble.

Diarrhea And Dehydration

Again, raw salmon may trigger vomiting or diarrhea or worse.

Keep fresh water close by and encourage your dog to drink in case of such a scenario.

Dehydration is a real concern.

Get your vet’s help ASAP if you suspect that your dog has a salmon-related sickness.

The Bottom Line

Take precautions and your dog can eat salmon.

The omega-3 fatty acids, protein and other nutrients are excellent for canines — when you do it right.

Be sure to avoid serving this fish raw or under-cooked. Also, remove any bones.

Dogs are at a high risk for Salmon Poisoning Disease. As such, please ensure your pet’s well-being with proper preparation.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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22 thoughts on “Read This Before Feeding Your Dog Salmon!”

  1. Is there a reason for the 2% of body weight weekly rule? Why this specific number?

    1. Hello Bear. It’s just a rule of thumb. Many dogs can handle more than 2% of body weight. The key is to start with small salmon portions and stick to the safety guidelines. Thanks for visiting!

  2. I have an extremely fussy Yorkie. I’ve tried every kind of dog food on the market. I did find a homemade recipe which includes brown rice, carrots, peas, green beans, squash and hamburger. He will eat it when I first make it, but doesn’t seem to care for it after that.

    Today I made the same recipe except I used 1/2 can of canned salmon. I’m not sure how he will adjust, but he did eat some today. I am hoping I can feed it to him daily without being concerned about the amount of salmon. I used 1 can of carrots, 1 can of peas, 1 can of green beans and cut up 1/2 a squash with cooked brown rice.

    I am hoping he stays interested in the salmon/rice mixture. Any suggestions for an extremely fussy Yorkie? And does my homemade dog food with salmon pass as far as safety and nutrition?

  3. I need help. I fed my dog some salmon and the belly of the salmon. My concern is the amount of fat. Could it cause pancreatitis?

  4. Is it OK to give dogs cooked salmon?

  5. I usually cook my salmon in a slow cooker. It’s a mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions as well as some fresh thyme for even greater flavor. It cooks for hours until the bones disintegrate upon touch. After it cools, I place it in a food processor and puree it. I then place this on top of his dog food. My dog loves it.

    1. This sounds like an excellent idea and I will consider giving it a try for my dog.

    2. NO onions for pets! Any spice should be tossed also. Plain meat or fish, simmered gently till done, is acceptable. Your pet does not know what is good or bad. Please discontinue your onions, garlic, cabbage and other gas causing veggies and no spice.

    3. Onions are very toxic for dogs.

  6. Can I feed my dog canned dog food salmon every day?

  7. My 16 year old Poodle stopped eating for almost 2 1/2 weeks and was near death. Only once I force fed him with a turkey baster and, later, the only thing he would eat on his own was salmon. That eventually led him back to dog food. He is pretty much back to normal, still active, but I still give him salmon 3 times a week.

  8. My Pug grudgingly eats salmon kibble. I found canned, boneless salmon that is comparable in price (when mixed with brown rice and veggies), to the salmon kibble.

    I am concerned though about the mercury content though. Is it safe to feed a Pug salmon every day, with a vitamin supplement? If so, how much? If not, why is it safe to feed them salmon kibble daily? Thank you!

  9. My dog has pancreatitis and I’ve been giving her some salmon, usually once a week. Is this good for her?

  10. For my dog, we have done a salmon cream with the leftover head, spine, tail and other bits of salmon. We cook it in a pressure cooker until it’s very soft. Then we use a blender to make a very thin cream. After that we freeze and cut in small cubes, and whenever we want to give some we do so piece by piece.

    When the weather is hot, we even give it cold (almost frozen). According to our vet, it’s okay but I noticed you’ve done further research. Is it a good idea to do it this way?

  11. I believe you should give salmon to your pet. It not only helps to cure skin issues but reduces the risk of heart problems among other benefits. My dog is just 2 years old and I am feeding him salmon which keeps him fit and healthy. Health experts recommend serving salmon to pets to maintain good digestion. Shop for fresh and high-quality salmon and add it to your pet’s diet plan!

  12. Salmon that has been frozen for 7 days in a domestic freezer (-18C) or 24 hours on a commercial boat, “frozen at sea” at -40C is absolutely safe to feed raw to your pet and humans too. Either method will kill any parasites the fish may have. In fact, the quality is better than if frozen in a home freezer because it freezes much faster and while the fish is at its peak freshness. This is what you are served in fine sushi restaurants and it’s considered the premium grade, even better than ‘fresh’.

    Keep in mind that wild salmon will have a much higher percentage of the important Omega-3 fatty acid than farmed. Farmed can have up to 200% more fat but just a small percentage of that fat is the healthy Omega-3. Wild is always better and it doesn’t have to be the expensive King (Spring), Coho or Sockeye. Wild Pink or Chum salmon is just as healthy though less oily than the other three species.

    I have fed my three Labradors raw salmon and other fin fish for years. They love the flavor, their coats are amazingly shining and they are happy, healthy dogs! I am a former long-time commercial fisherman and seafood company owner in British Columbia.

    1. Thank you for weighing in with solid information from your experience and expertise – always welcome in a world so afraid of lawsuits and legal consequences that typical “advice” for pets (and people) so often gets generalized and diluted to the point of not being very helpful.

  13. Rhodesian says:

    I have been feeding my dogs with a brand of food that uses salmon as a primary meat source. Never have any of the Rhodesians had a problem. Just like with anything, cook it first and cook it well.

  14. I feed my dogs salmon at least once a week. I usually give salmon oil in their daily diet to prevent skin issues.

  15. I had a dog die because someone threw raw fish over the fence. By the time it was found, it was too late. Don’t risk it, it’s a horrible, horrible death for a dog.

    1. Are you sure that someone didn’t just intentionally poison your dog?

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