You have just bought a beautiful, succulent-looking salmon from the market. You cook the fish in the manner of your preference; maybe you like to bake it or perhaps fry it after some marination. Once the salmon has been cooked, you sit down to dig in when you see your canine eying the fish too. Those sad, innocent eyes ask that you spare some of your salmon for it too.
At this point, you may be tempted to remove the skin of the salmon and give it to your dog. You know exactly how much it enjoys chowing down on the salmon because, let’s be honest, salmon skin is delicious! However, before you cave into the whims and wants of your dog, you must question, can dogs eat salmon skin? Because here lies an issue.
Salmon skin can be fed to dogs under specific conditions or else there is the risk of the dog developing health complications. Let’s look at the possible issues that need to be kept in mind when feeding your dog salmon skin.
Avoid raw salmon
Raw meat or raw skin from salmon should not be fed to your dog. This is because this type of protein can result in possible food poisoning. Certain fish like salmon, trout, and sturgeon have the rickettsia parasites that cause “salmon fish poisoning.”
This parasite can be harmful and possibly even fatal for your dog if it takes root in the stomach. Thankfully, though, this condition is treatable, provided that you look out for its signs and seek medical help as soon as possible.
Symptoms of salmon poisoning include vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, weakness, diarrhea, dehydration, and swollen lymph nodes. Take your dog to the veterinarian if it has consumed salmon and start exhibiting signs of poisoning. The treatment process is relatively simple and your dog should be able to come out of this unscathed.
Therefore, it is advised that, even though salmon skin can be fed to your dog, it should be properly cooked first. You can grill or bake it or maybe even fry it if you think your dog can handle all the extra fat. This way, the chance of your dog getting affected by the parasite will be dramatically reduced.
Also, it is possible that the salmon you buy may be affected by toxic material in the ocean. These toxins may be absorbed into the skin of the salmon which, in turn, will be consumed by your dog. There is a chance that this may affect the health of your dog too. In these cases, you can try the following:
- Buy young salmon. These salmon fish are small in size and have had relatively less exposure to toxins in the water. You can use these fish to make meals and treats for yourself and your dog without increasing the risk of toxin ingestion.
- You can buy salmon fish purchased from regions like Scandinavia and Canada. The water around these parts is relatively less polluted by toxic material because the pollution is less and these areas don’t witness a great deal of sea traffic as compared to the water around the United States, for example. Hence, salmon from these regions is relatively less likely to be toxic.
- Freeze the salmon for some time or buy already-caught salmon that has been kept frozen for some time. This process helps reduce the risk of parasite and toxin ingestion significantly.
Benefits of salmon for your dog
Salmon, if selected and cooked properly, can be a very good source of vital and healthy nutrients for your dog. However, keep in mind that oil-rich foods like salmon should not be fed to the dog in excess since this can result in complications and health issues. That being said, salmon fish is good for your dog for the following reasons:
- It is incredibly rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can be extremely beneficial for your dog’s skin and add a lot of richness and luster to your dog’s coat. A balanced inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids in your dog’s diet will have your best friend looking incredible and like a model among ordinary peasants. This will definitely make it the spotlight wherever it goes and help you come across as an expert with the skills of a wizard.
- Some dogs may be in need of salmon because of its healing properties. In fact, salmon consumption can help dogs get rid of their allergies.
- Salmon skin consumption can be beneficial in the long run and help fortify your dog’s body against terminal diseases like cancer and heart issues.
- If your dog is suffering from arthritis, it might be a wise idea to feed it salmon skin. This is because it has been known that salmon consumption can help with symptoms that are commonly associated with arthritis and similar joint issues.
- Consuming salmon can make your dog generally healthy too because its properties help boost the immune system of the dog.
- Eating salmon skin can help your pup with itching on the skin or paws. If you see it in a constant state of anguish and constantly scratching itself, you may want to give it some salmon skin or you can check for fleas.
- As strange as it may sound at first, consuming omega-3 fatty acids can actually help prevent the onset of obesity and help your pet shed those excess pounds of fat. Hence, if your dog is gaining weight, it might be a good idea to add some salmon skin to its diet.
A word of caution is to be given here. Even though properly cooked salmon can be very good for your canine, it is still rich in oil and fat. As a result, feeding a lot of salmon or salmon skin to your dog may result in a painful and possibly fatal condition for your dog, which is known as pancreatitis. So even though dogs can eat salmon skin, some moderation must be exercised, even if your friend is constantly begging you for it.
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