Ensuring your doggo’s optimum health requires the feeding of a balanced diet that includes a range of essential nutrients which can be found in different types of dog foods, treats and supplements. Fish and seafood products are rich in many key nutrients that are essential for both the healthy development and maintenance of the body’s systems as dogs progress through their lives and into mature age. Fish products are the ideal supplement to provide the essential fatty acids and many key vitamins necessary for growing dogs as well as the maintenance of good health into mature age.
Is fish good for dogs?
Can dogs eat fish? Yes, absolutely! Seafood products are packed full of essential nutrients for dogs. Fish is both perfectly safe and very nutritious for dogs to consume as part of a balanced diet. Key nutrients found in fish products include omega 3 fatty acids (more on this below) as well as beneficial proteins, amino acids and vitamin D. Collectively, these nutrients are important for the early development of muscles, eyes, heart and the brain. Later in life these nutrients work to support joint and teeth health and can have incredible results in promoting good skin & coat condition, whilst also reducing itching.
However, certain sources of seafood are preferable over others. Low temperature dehydrated fish dog treats are an optimum way to include the benefits of seafood in your dog’s diet. This process ensures that all of the key nutrients and oils are maintained in the fish, which would otherwise be lost through the application of heat during the cooking process. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feed cooked fish, however it’s worth noting that while cooked fish such as tinned sardines provide a good source of protein, these types of fish products don’t have quite the same nutritional value.
While fish itself is not harmful to dogs, but the way we prepare it can cause problems. Fish cooked in too much oil can cause upset in dogs and can even lead to illness. Salt and seasonings may also cause serious health problems for dogs, especially if they contain toxic ingredients, like garlic. In summary, it’s important to ensure that fish in your doggo’s diet is natural and additive free.
Fish and Omega-3s
While fish products are rich in a range of nutrients, perhaps the most important is omega 3 fatty acids. These nutrients are essential for the healthy development of the body’s tissues and are an invaluable supplement to combat challenges associated with ageing and poor or declining joint health.
In our previous article, ‘Fats for Dogs and a Balanced Diet’ we discussed the role that Omega 3 fatty acids play in canine health and wellbeing;
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to the building of healthy cells and are a key component in the structure of the cell wall. Therefore, these nutrients are essential for healthy tissue growth, especially the development of the eyes and brain which have higher levels of the omega 3 called docosahexaenoic acid (or DHA). These nutrients are also anti-inflammatory and therefore dietary omega 3 supplementation is also found to be helpful in assisting the symptoms of arthritis and other joint conditions.
In addition, Omega 3 can also be found to strengthen the immune system of dogs, reduce inflammation, increase the ability to fight cancer and can benefit heart health. There is even evidence to suggest that this particular fatty acid can assist anxiety, depression and hyperactivity in dogs.
Dogs with allergies and sensitivities
Fish treats have hypoallergenic properties and are a popular choice for dogs with sensitivities or allergies. The fatty acids in seafood can be particularly effective in treating or lessening the symptoms of skin irritations and allergies. Fish is also a good alternative for dogs with food allergies to more common ingredients, like chicken. Therefore, fish may be an important component of your dog’s daily diet if they require a hypoallergenic, novel source of protein to manage medical conditions such as allergies, arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease.
Can you feed dogs fish bones?
It’s important to note that fish bones should be avoided where possible in both their raw and cooked form. Dependant on the species of fish, these bones are usually small and quite sharp, meaning that they can easily become lodged in the throat or other parts of the digestive system.
Low-temperature sardines and fish tails are the exception to the rule here. These crumbly bones are perfectly safe (and even beneficial) for doggos to consume. If in doubt, you can break up any bones with your hands before feeding – if the bones crumble or break easily and don’t have any sharp bits, then they’re perfectly safe to feed.
Shark Cartilage
While fish bones should be approached with caution, cartilage is one of the most well-known seafood supplements for dogs, particularly those needing extra joint support. This park of the shark is particularly high in glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3s which are all excellent for joint health and provide support for dogs experiencing arthritis or other joint issues. Cartilage Crispies can be fed to your doggo individually as a treat or used as a meal topper.
Fish dog treats and their (delicious) smell
The famous fishy odour that your doggo knows and loves is a consequence of the natural compounds in fish. This smell (and tasty flavour) is one of the reasons why our pooches love seafood dog treats so much. You should expect Gully Road’s seafood treatos to have a rich odour and consequently they are best fed outside (and far away from the new plush sofa)… If you’re sourcing seafood treatos from elsewhere and they don’t have an odour, it’s worth investigating why this is the case (and what unnatural additives may have made them this way). Bring on the stink!
Green Lipped Mussels
If you’re looking for a real nutritional powerhouse – particularly to treat arthritis and joint conditions – Whole Green Lipped Mussels are the answer. These tasty little treatos contain three different types of omega 3 fatty acids, including Eicosatetraenoic Acid, which is not found in other fish products and fish oil supplements. This makes mussels a powerful source of anti-inflammatory benefits and just one mussel per day is all that is needed for a 10kg dog.
A sustainable, zero waste option
Seafood for dogs – particularly Gully Road’s range of seafood dog treats – also form an important part of a zero waste, nose to tail philosophy. These products are sourced entirely from by-products of seafood for human consumption. These treats play an important part in combating food industry waste, so it’s a win-win for our ethical peace of mind as well as our doggo’s health and happiness!
How much fish should I feed my dog?
Fish products are ideal for dietary supplementation, however are not suitable as a complete food source. We recommend feeding one or two fishy treats per day to supplement a complete balanced diet, with some suggestions below;
- One whole green lipped mussel per 10kg of bodyweight for a joint health boost
- A larger, chunky chew (such as a fish tail or chewy skin scroll) fed as an enrichment treat
- Several sardines or cartilage crispies served as a meal topper
- Mission Beach Fish Jerky as a training treat (best carried in a plastic bag if you don’t want fishy pockets)
If your dog has any medical conditions or particular requirements we recommended seeking veterinary advice on how best to incorporate fish into your dog’s diet. Your vet will guide you on the amount of fish to feed your dog based on their age, weight, activity levels and medical needs.
Gully Road’s Fish Dog Treat range of optimum health (all deliciously stinky and best fed outside);
- Tasty Fish Twists
- Chewy Skin Scrolls
- Crispy Fish Rolls
- Gummy Shark Tails
- Mission Beach Fish Jerky
- Ocean Chunks
- Stinkin’ Sardines
- Queenfish Tails for Little Teef
- Whole Fish Tails
- Whole Green Lipped Mussels
- Yummy Gummy Twist
Or for a great value mixed selection;
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