Can Dogs Eat Seafood like Shrimp and Tuna?

You may want to set aside a few shrimps for your dog. This is because shrimps can provide some health benefits to your pet.

Can Dogs Eat Shrimp?

Rich in Nutrients

Aside from being delicious, shrimp is also packed with nutrients such as phosphorus, vitamin B12, anti-oxidants and niacin.

Phosphorus is required for healthy bones, Vitamin B12 improves the dog’s gastrointestinal health and metabolic processes, anti-oxidants help reduce brain aging and fight free radicals and niacin or vitamin B3 is important for proper energy production, enzyme function, chemical signals, blood circulation and other processes.

Shrimp is also low in carbohydrates, fat and calories, so it’s a good option for dogs on a diet. Just keep in mind that shrimps are also high in cholesterol.

Feed shrimp to your dog occasionally as too many shrimps can cause an unhealthy increase in the cholesterol level of your dog’s diet.

Can You Give Raw Shrimp to Your Dog?

You should cook shrimp before giving them to your dog as raw shellfish contains harmful pathogens. Remove the shell as it can be a choking hazard and obstruct your dog’s throat.

Steamed shrimp is actually the best option for your dog as breaded or fried shrimp has unnecessary oils and fats that can harm your pet.

How Much Shrimp Should You Give to Your Dog?

Moderation is very important when adding a new treat or food to your dog’s diet. Keep in mind that each dog is different and that some may react in a different way to shrimp than others.

Giving one or two shrimps to your dog is usually enough. If you have a small dog, just give him a partial shrimp as a precaution.

In case you want to add shrimp to your pet’s diet on a regular basis, you should consult a veterinary nutritionist or veterinarian first. They can give you advice about the right quantity for your dog or any possible health concerns.

If your pet shows symptoms of illness or intestinal discomfort, stop giving him shrimp and your veterinarian if the symptoms worsen.

Can Dogs Eat Tuna?

Tuna is safe for dogs. Moderation should be observed as too much tuna can harm your dog. Eating it in the wrong forms can also become a health hazard. Dogs can eat raw or cooked tuna fish.

If you want to give raw tuna fish to your dog, you should remove all the bones first. Canned tuna should be packed in water, not oil.

This is because oil will add useless calories to your pet’s diet that will result in not only obesity, but also inflammation of the dog’s pancreas. This problem requires immediate surgery.

Canned tuna with added flavorings like spices should be avoided as much as possible since dogs cannot digest spices well. Don’t give your dog tuna that has been made with garlic or onion as these are very dangerous for dogs.

How Much Tuna Should You Give to Your Dog?

Since the mercury levels of tuna are higher than most fish, you should give very small amounts of tuna to your dog on rare occasions.

Since canned tuna contains high levels of sodium, which can be lethal to dogs if eaten in large amounts, you should give tuna to your pet in small amounts and on rare occasions.

You should observe the short-term reactions of your dog after he consumes tuna for the first time to ensure that he can handle consuming tuna without any side effects.

Some dogs show problematic symptoms due to high levels of protein in tuna. Other dogs will become gassy due to the high fat levels present in tuna.

However, this will happen if you give canned tuna that was packed in olive oil to your dog. As mentioned earlier, don’t give feed your dog canned tuna that’s packed in oil.

Slice the tuna into small pieces and give 1 to 2 pieces to your dog once in a while as a treat or include it in one of their meals.

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Benefits of Tuna

Tuna is rich in lean protein, which promotes muscle growth. It’s also low in fat, which is a great thing as fat can cause a lot of health problems in dogs.

Tuna is packed with essential vitamins for dogs like vitamins B12, B6 and B3. It also contains essential minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and selenium.

Tuna is rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammations, itchiness, the risk of blood clot and arrhythmia, improve the skin condition of your dog, regulate cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular health and dog eyesight.

Is Canned Tuna Good for Your Dog?

We covered the benefits and precautions you should take when giving human foods to your pet, but we didn’t give delve deeper into the canned variety.

While you can give canned tuna to your dog, it is not really good for them. As such, they are not a good food item for your dog.

Canned tuna will make a delicious treat for your dog, but the ASPCA recommends feeding only a small amount of tuna to your pet. Moderation should always be observed.

Canned tuna contains high levels of mercury and sodium, which should not be present in your dog’s diet in large amounts. This is because mercury and sodium are not good for your dog’s blood stream and general heart health.

Dogs can process a small amount of these elements, but a sodium buildup will cause hypernatremia. Diarrhea, vomiting, seizures and coma are some of the symptoms of this condition.

Hypernatremia is caused by excess sodium that has accumulated in the body over a long period of time. It won’t be caused by one can of tuna.

Can You Give Canned Tuna Juice to Your Dog?

This is one of the most common questions asked by dog owners. Canned tuna can be packed with various accompanying juices. The question is whether your dog can eat this too or not. The answer really depends.

Tuna served in brine or water is fine for dogs to eat, but you have to be careful if the one you have is packed in sunflower oil. If you give your dog too much, it will be hard for them to digest it and they may suffer from stomach upset.

Avoid canned tuna with tomato sauce, spices or other semi-exotic flavorings. Spicy ingredients are not good for dogs as their stomachs are not used to these.

Upset stomach and diarrhea are just some of the consequences of giving spicy foods to your dog. Garlic, onion and tomato flavorings are toxic to dogs, so don’t get a canned tuna meal that contains these ingredients.