Are you thinking of feeding your dog some trout?
Straight to the point: This type of fish can kill your canine.
The fact is raw or under-cooked trout may expose your dog to Salmon Poisoning Disease (SPD) which, left untreated, is usually fatal.
You read that right!
Rainbow trout in particular often carries the same deadly parasite also found in salmon. This bacterial fluke can easily be fatal for your dog.
At the very least, you must take steps to minimize the very real risks.
Never Feed Your Dog Raw Trout (cooked only)
There is, unfortunately, a major lack of awareness about this member of the salmonid family.
Trout is a fish that is prone to the Rickettsial parasite or Nanophyetus salmincola.
These bacterium are downright dangerous for dogs!
Cooking Prevents SPD
Thoroughly cook trout and it’s likely your dog won’t suffer from Salmon Poisoning Disease.
In fact, they could benefit. After all, fish is super healthy when all goes well.
Canines can consume trout for its rich potassium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein. It also happens to be low in contaminants.
So, you see, it’s not all bad news. Avoid the serious downside and trout is outstanding for furry friends (not a fish story)!
Flukes Are Fatal For Fido
Too many dogs have died (usually 7 to 10 days later) following salmon or trout consumption.
And the thing is death usually doesn’t occur before terrible bouts of diarrhea, vomiting and elevated fever. Your animal would suffer a lot.
So it’s worth repeating…
Never feed raw trout!
Avoid feeding your dog this fish if you are extremely concerned about SPD. It’s a judgement call, but one thing is certain:
You will need professional help (and fast) if your dog gets sick. Antibiotics could be urgent and possibly anti-parasitic drugs that only your vet can advise you on.
Deciding For Your Dog
You can feed your dog reasonable portions of cooked trout provided it is fresh.
Let’s remember that it is the parasites that are so darn hazardous for hounds – not the fish itself.
Nevertheless, it is understand that many pet parents skip trout and other Salmonids altogether.
We personally have elected to avoid this family of ray-finned fish. It’s a conservative approach with trout.
On the other hand, that doesn’t mean all types of fish need to be scary for your dog. Tuna is one example.
The Bottom Line
Be very careful when feeding your dog trout. This fish should certainly be off limits in raw form.
Do not underestimate how serious, even fatal, SPD can be for your animal.
It cannot be stressed enough:
Trout’s fluke parasites can cause a painful death for a poisoned pet dog.
Do not be misled by the name Salmon Poisoning Disease — it applies to trout as well.
My dog ate a small portion of a trout from our pond. What should I watch for and if she shows any signs of illness what should I do?
I did not know about SPD. This article was very informative. I will pass this information on. Thank you!
This is good info. I wanted to verify that trout carried the same parasite as salmon. We have a creek bordering our property that gets stocked with trout every year. Despite my best efforts, they still end up down there every now and again and consequently they have the opportunity to get some trout no matter what I do.
So what I really need to know is what the very first signs of SPD are. Is there a way to tell from the fish or from the carcass if it had the parasite? Are there any home remedies that might help?