How to feed your dog fish. What kind of fish can be fed to a dog without fear

Fish can be given to dogs, but only in moderation. She cannot completely replace meat products, because despite the beneficial properties, fish and other seafood in large quantities lead to serious health problems.

The benefits and harms of seafood

Marine (ocean) fish contains easily digestible proteins, as well as vitamin A, D, E, phosphorus, iodine and other useful trace elements, amino acids. Feeding animals with seafood has a positive effect on the condition of wool, skin, helps control weight, strengthen joints.

Dog breeders are concerned about another question: “How do thiaminase and trimethylamine oxide affect the dog’s body?”. To answer the question, you need to understand the concepts.

Thiaminase- an enzyme found in fresh fish, which, when ingested, destroys vitamin B1. The greatest amount of the enzyme is found in the entrails and in the fish heads. Thiaminase is found in sardine, carp, chebak, roach, tyulka, chub, bream, perch, eelpout, smelt, herring, pike, sprat, capelin, crucian carp, minnow, ide, herring, whitefish, sardinops, sardinella, burbot, chukuchans, lin , hamsa, catfish, smelt. But the listed types of fish can be given to a dog after heat treatment, because the thiaminase enzyme is destroyed by high temperatures.

Trimethylamine oxide- a substance that binds iron and brings it into an indigestible form. As a result, the animal may develop iron deficiency - anemia, and change the color of the coat. Trimethylamine oxide is found in capelin, pollock, hake, blue whiting, polar cod, haddock, hake. During heat treatment, trimethylamine oxide is destroyed.

In addition to thiaminase and trimethylamine oxide, some varieties of fish, such as horse mackerel, whiting, mackerel, sardine, tuna, contain histamine. When feeding raw fish, the dog can get poisoned.

There are also varieties of fish that contain poison (poisonous and poisonous). They should not be given in any form. But the species containing poison in the blood serum - eel, lamprey, carp, tench, can be present in the dog's diet, but only in boiled form.

Remember, excessive and frequent feeding of fish to dogs leads to hair loss, rickets, urolithiasis, metabolic disorders and other diseases.

What kind of fish can be given to dogs

You can give the following varieties: hake, capelin, cod, pollock, croaker, bearded vulture, triggerfish, sea bass and crucian carp, sea burbot, haddock, zuban, sprat, bumper, greenling, otoperka.

Fish waste can be fed to a dog, but only if they are of high quality and in small quantities. Overfeeding fish waste can lead to health problems for your pet.

Many people ask the question “Can a dog have herring?”. On the one hand, herring is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which has a positive effect on the condition of the coat, but on the other hand, it is not recommended to give pickled herring to a dog, because it contains salt. Although some dog breeders occasionally feed their pets (3-4 times a month) a small amount of lightly salted herring as a source of salt, as well as to regulate the cycle in females in heat. Salted herring should not be given at night.

Ready-made canned fish intended for humans should not be given to dogs, because they contain spices, lower-quality canned food contains preservatives and other additives.

What other seafood can dogs

Not all pets love seafood, some eat only certain types of fish, others are happy to eat delicacies, but it should be remembered that such seafood causes diarrhea when raw. Therefore, squids, crabs, crayfish, oysters are given only in boiled form.

Natural boiled crabs can be included in the diet, but not in large quantities and if the pet does not have allergies. But crab sticks are not allowed for dogs, because there is absolutely no crab meat in them. Crab sticks are made, at best, from white fish, but often the basis is soy, with the addition of starch, which is harmful to dogs and various flavors, dyes, preservatives.

Lobsters (lobsters) should not be given because of their high content of cholesterol and sodium. Regular feeding of lobsters will cause kidney problems, and too much lobster at one time will lead to poisoning, which in turn can lead to more serious consequences - coma and death. By the way, among all crustaceans and mollusks, shrimp contain the most cholesterol.

Puppies do not need to experiment with seafood at all.

In general, feeding with delicious seafood may seem ridiculous, because the price for them is quite high and not a single dog breeder will specially introduce such seafood into the dog’s diet, with the exception of those who live by the sea (ocean) and have the opportunity to buy inexpensive fresh seafood. But even so, delicacies should be given in smaller quantities than fish.

How to give fish to a dog

Fish can be given to a dog no more than 2-3 times a week, in a purified form. The share of fish in the diet should not exceed 30%, while it is not salted, no other spices are added, it must be frozen, and the river fish is also boiled. In raw form, it is possible, but not recommended, only frozen sea fish.

Dogs of small breeds should be given chopped and carefully deboned or minced fish.

Puppies and adult dogs that have not previously eaten seafood are accustomed to a new product gradually, giving small amounts to the main food and monitoring the reaction of the body.

Sometimes dogs refuse to eat fish, in which case there is no need to insist. If the animal refuses such food, then fish oil or meal can be given as supplements (adults 50 grams, and puppies 20 grams per day).

Some animals have loose stools and allergic reactions after eating fish. Therefore, when introducing seafood into the diet of a pet, one should monitor the reaction of his body.

In the photo - it is DIOCTOPHYMA RENALE, which my colleagues extracted from the kidney of a 10-year-old staff. The length of this "handsome" 109 cm!

In the photo - it is DIOCTOPHYMA RENALE, which my colleagues extracted from the kidney of a 10-year-old staff. The length of this "handsome" 109 cm!

So the summary: raw river fish should not be given to dogs! Boiled - you can. Because helminths and their eggs die at a temperature of 100 degrees.

Bones from boiled river fish, of course, must be chosen.

2) Is it possible to give raw sea fish to dogs?

Anisakid helminths are common in marine fish. The infestation of sea fish, especially imported (Norwegian, Dutch), reaches 80% (hello to lovers of fresh fish sushi!) For prevention, fresh sea fish must be boiled well. At a temperature of 100°C, the worms and their larvae die.

So you should not give raw sea fish to dogs. Boiled - you can. Not every day, 1-2 times a week. Of course, we select the bones (this is how I remind you, just in case).

2015-12-09

For good nutrition of dogs, it is very good to feed the dogs with fish at least once a week. Of course, it is more expensive and more troublesome than meat, but if there is such an opportunity, then you should not miss it.

The benefits of fish

• Complete proteins. They are up to 97% in fish, for comparison: in poultry meat up to 93%, in beef up to 85%.
• Fish contains essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fats, the latter are necessary for the full functioning of the heart and brain.
• Microelements accumulate in fish tissues - B, Li, Fe, Cu, Ca, P, F, Mg, Mn, Se, I, K, Co and Br.
• Fish also contains animal lecithin.
• Vitamins A, D, K predominate in the liver of fish, B1 and B2 - in muscle tissue, B12 - in the internal organs of fish.

Manufacturers of ready-made dog food have long understood the benefits of fish and produce food for animals prone to allergies, with gastrointestinal problems, in the rehabilitation period after surgery or a serious illness.

Destroyers" of useful elements

Pike, herring, bream, herring, sprat, carp, roach, capelin, sardines, smelt, sea catfish contain thiaminase. It destroys the vitamin. Alternatively, you can use benfotiamine and it is well absorbed.

Trimethylamine oxide - converts iron into an indigestible form. Contained in the cod group: cod, saithe, whiting, haddock, blue whiting, pollock, silver hake. With a significant proportion of these fish in the diet of dogs, it is necessary to use iron-containing preparations.

If fish is boiled (20-30 minutes), thiaminase and trimethylamine oxide lose their activity. Dogs on natural food still need vitamin and mineral supplements, so the danger of these substances is small.

Harmful elements

Sr, U, Pb and Hg are dangerous not only because of their toxicity, but also because they are poorly excreted from the body. Predatory fish accumulate mercury more than others. And the older they are, the higher the mercury content. Hg risk group: ocean herring, king mackerel, halibut, eel, some types of sea bass, tuna. If you cook fish from this list, then choose young and medium-sized ones.

Toxic compounds

Scombroid poisoning occurs when dogs are fed fish of this family (yellowfin tuna, mackerel, bonito, swordfish) and causes poisoning with toxins, primarily histamine. It is formed during bacterial decomposition during improper storage of fish products, but without visible signs.

Dioxins- highly toxic products of industrial pollution. They accumulate in the body for a long time.

Chlorobiphenyls- a very toxic substance, very poorly excreted from the body. There is a version that the source of chlorobiphenyls is food for artificially grown salmon.

poisonous fish

In our waters, some fish of the carp family are especially dangerous, poisonous during the spawning period. These are Khramuli, Madder, Ottomans, Marinki. The poison is contained in the caviar, and in marinka, the poison is also in the peritoneum. But it's better not to risk it. In addition, there are other poisonous fish, for example, in the sea bass, glands with poison are located on the dorsal and other fins.

“There is only one freshness - the first, it is also the last”

Naturally the fish must be of good quality. Fish oil is very valuable, it contains vitamin F (this vitamin is responsible for the health of the skin and the elasticity of blood vessels, prevents the formation of blood clots). But it easily oxidizes and the fish spoils. Therefore, it is important to be able to choose a quality fish product.

Signs of freshness of chilled fish: gills pink or red, may be evenly covered with a small amount of mucus; bulging and transparent eyes, when pressed, there should be no dents, the carcass bends without a crunch; fresh fish has almost no smell.

The freshness of frozen fish is more difficult to determine. Frozen, gutted fish without heads may be expired (previously chilled). Sections of the bones then are thick yellow, gray and blue, and should be white or slightly yellowish.

The best quality dry-frozen fish is carried directly into the sea. The fish is frozen with an air stream at -30-40 degrees. C, then glaze is applied (lower the water for 2 seconds). Ice after such freezing up to 5%. Whereas with conventional ice freezing up to 40-50%. And yet, at the factories, the fish is thawed, processed, and then frozen again. In any case, there should be no "rust" of fish meat and scales.

As for the finished fish fillet in the package, as well as products such as Portion Perch, they can contain up to 40% water, which is impossible without the use of chemicals (phosphates), as experts assure. And even if it is indicated that the manufacturer is Russian, more often it is China. And such products from China are delivered only to Russia.

When replacing meat with fish, the ratio is usually 1:2 for puppies and 1:1.4 for adult dogs. But options are possible.

Fish is definitely a very healthy product for a dog. It contains a lot of substances necessary for a predator. Therefore, many of the best dry food manufacturers include diets with ocean fish.

What matters is which fish is good for the dog and which is harmful or even dangerous. Much also depends on the frequency of eating fish.

What kind of fish is good for a dog?

Fish bones lead:

• to obstruction,
• can scratch your throat
• clog the stomach
• lead to rupture of the digestive tract.

It is better to eat only fillets or make minced meat by scrolling fish meat through a meat grinder. Canned fish should not be given to a dog at all, as they are more harmful due to the abundance of salt, carcinogens and additives.

The best fish to feed your dog are low-fat varieties of ocean and saltwater fish with few bones. This:

• cod,
• crucian carp,
• vomer,
• croaker,
• sea ​​bass,
• sea ​​burbot,
• ooperka,
• saber fish,
• triggerfish

Also, dogs are often given such common varieties of fish as pollock, capelin, hake, pink salmon.

Dangerous varieties of fish for dogs

Some types of fish are best avoided at all due to their potential danger. The reason for this is certain substances contained in the body of the fish. So

1. hake,
2. haddock,
3. saithe,
4. pout,
5. cod,
6. blue whiting and skinny herring winter catch

• four-toothed fish (dog fish, pufferfish),
• ottomans,
• balkhash marinka,
• barbel,
• temple.

Poisoning can be caused by such fish as kerchak, moray eel, sea cat, snack, sea dragon, prickly shark, sea cow, sea ruffs and gobies, river perch, spiny catfish, wart. Raw yellowfin and white-bellied flounder, as well as gobies.

How much fish should be given to a dog?

Fresh fish can be given to a dog no more than once a week. It contains an enzyme that deprives the pet of B vitamins, the animal may experience convulsions,

It is a well-known fact that meat is the best food for dogs. A few decades ago, no one really thought about the diet of the dog. Our pets received for breakfast and dinner mainly what the owners did not finish. Times have changed, and so has the attitude to feeding four-legged pets. Now dog owners carefully calculate the diet of their pets to provide them with vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

The Importance of Diet Diversity

Along with meat, fruits and berries, herbs and vegetables, gifts from fields, rivers and seas appeared in the pet menu. All these products help the dog's body to receive a set of nutrients necessary for a healthy and long life - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber, etc.

Benefit or harm

Fish and seafood are easily digestible sources of protein, vitamins A, D, E, polyunsaturated acids, and other macro- and microelements. Therefore, dog owners, for a variety of pet diets, try to introduce fish products into it. The benefits of their use are undeniable:

• thanks to the phosphorus, fluorine and iodine contained in fish, the condition of the coat and skin improves in animals, the joints and bones are strengthened;
• The high nutritional value is combined with a low amount of fat, so a fish diet is beneficial for older dogs and dogs with chronic gastrointestinal problems. In addition, with such a diet, the weight of overweight dogs is stabilized;
• low, in comparison with meat, the price reduces the cost of maintaining a pet, while the nutritional value and usefulness of the menu is preserved;
• fish is the champion in methionine content. This amino acid protects the liver from toxic effects, participates in the activity of the nervous system, affects metabolism.

However, despite the undoubted benefits, fish should be fed to the dog no more than 2-3 times a week. Fish products contain substances that, if consumed more often, are harmful to the health of pets.

Thiaminase

This enzyme, getting into the body in large quantities, destroys vitamin B (thiamine), thereby leading to beriberi in the pet. Especially a lot of this enzyme in fish entrails and heads. For this reason, you should not give your dog raw fish: carp, pike, bream, sprat, herring, perch, crucian carp, anchovy, etc.

During heat treatment, this enzyme is completely destroyed, so boiled fish of these varieties is harmless.

Trimethylamine oxide

In its raw form, this substance binds iron, causing iron deficiency anemia. With reduced hemoglobin, immunity is weakened, for this reason, the normal development and growth of puppies is impossible, and infertility may develop in an adult bitch. Trimethylamine oxide is found in large quantities in capelin, pollock, haddock, blue whiting.

So that the health of the pet is not affected, this fish must be boiled.

Histamine

If the storage and transportation conditions are violated, fish can cause serious food poisoning due to the accumulation of histamine in it. An increased level of this substance causes allergies in dogs in the form of vomiting, indigestion.

Histamine poisoning can be fatal. Mackerel, horse mackerel, saury, tuna, herring, salmon are considered risk products. Of particular danger are smoked, dried, salted, canned fish. If the owner nevertheless decided to pamper the pet with such a piece, then he should make sure that the fish is not rotten.

poisonous fish

Some types of fish are strictly prohibited for dogs. These inhabitants of reservoirs are not found on store shelves, but fishermen come across when fishing on their own. These are pufferfish, ottomans, barbels, marinka, khramuli and others. Poisoning is caused by caviar, milk and abdominal films.

canned food

Canned fish products contain salt, spices, oil, preservatives that will not benefit the body of pets. Therefore, do not give dogs fish in this form.

What kind of fish to give

Secondly, there are very few bones in sea fish, which means that there is little chance that a dog, swallowing them, will injure the throat, esophagus, stomach or other internal organ.

Thus, lean sea or ocean fish with few bones is more preferable for a dog's diet than river or lake fish.

These are cod, sea bass and crucian carp, grayling, pollock, tilapia, hake, flounder. The salmon family is not contraindicated: salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, omul and others.

It is better to refrain from including fish caught in rivers or ponds in the pet menu. Inhabitants of fresh water bodies are often infected with helminths or their larvae. In addition, river fish are very bony, which is dangerous for the health of dogs.

In extreme cases, such a catch is boiled for 20 minutes before being given to the dog. Before cooking, large carcasses are cleaned of entrails and scales, small ones are boiled whole until the bones are boiled and soft. Salted fish is soaked thoroughly and for a long time before cooking.

How to feed

Include fish in the diet of puppies begin after 4 months, teaching the kids gradually. For the prevention of rickets, young animals of some breeds are shown fish oil. Due to the specific smell and taste of fish that irritate the sensitive receptors of animals, adult dogs have difficulty getting used to a new product. If the dog categorically refuses the fish menu, fish meal is mixed into the feed (no more than 50 g per day).

Before feeding, the fins are cut off from the carcass and large bones are selected. Some, especially marine, species have fins equipped with sharp spikes to protect them from enemies. Fins and bones can injure the organs of the dog's gastrointestinal tract.

Pets of large breeds are fed incompletely thawed raw fish. Such nutrition allows you to gnaw on the carcass, while simultaneously training the jaws. Dogs of small breeds are given ground fish mince to avoid injury to the bones.

Meat and fish days alternate. The share of fish products should not exceed 30% of the total daily diet. The energy value of fish is lower than that of meat. Therefore, the portion size is increased by one and a half times.

Seafood for dogs

Although not all pets love seafood, shrimp, squid, oysters, mussels are no less useful than fish. They are also rich in protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the dog's body. However, marine life fed raw to a dog can cause diarrhea and increased gas production.

Therefore, these delicacies are included in the menu in boiled form. All seafood are strong allergens, so they should be introduced into the diet of dogs gradually, observing the reaction of the body. Sea delicacies are contraindicated for puppies under 6 months of age, since their introduction into the diet can disrupt the functioning of the endocrine and immune systems.

Do not include lobsters (lobsters) in the dog menu due to their high content of cholesterol and sodium. A large amount of cholesterol adversely affects the health of pets, especially the elderly due to the risk of cardiovascular disease. With frequent and regular feeding of a dog with lobsters, the kidneys of the animal are endangered.

For better digestion of seafood, they are given to dogs along with green vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower) or with a small amount of porridge. Sea delicacies and fish are not fed at the same time with meat and dairy products.

Dry food based on fish

Fish is not suitable for dog food as the sole or main food. However, industrial dry food containing fish is balanced and safe. They are suitable for animals prone to allergies, with problems of the gastrointestinal tract, liver.

Such feed is suitable for nutrition in the rehabilitation period after an illness, with food intolerance. For the production of such products, ingredients that have not been frozen are used. Pet stores offer a variety of foods:

• ACANA PACIFICA is loaded with easily digestible proteins in sardine, flounder, herring or salmon flavors;
• BRIT care for adult dogs with salmon and potatoes, enriched with extracts from herbs and fruits;
• ONTARIO for large breeds with 7 types of fish and rice enriched with chondroitin and fish oil, seaweed and brewer's yeast;
• GO! SENSITIVITY + SHINE with salmon fillet for puppies and dogs with sensitive digestion;
• Belcando Adult GF Ocean, it includes animal protein from salmon, herring, Antarctic krill, purified salmon oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.