Can dogs eat smoked salmon?

In this article we will answer the query, “Can dogs eat smoked salmon?” along with some other questions like is salmon safe for your dog? How can you feed salmon to your dog safely? And how much salmon is safe for your dog to consume?

Can dogs eat smoked salmon?

No, dogs cannot eat smoked salmon. It is not safe for your dog. Smoked salmon have many potential pathogens that can badly affect the immune system of your dog and cause deadly diseases. 

One of the diseases is salmon poisoning. Besides this smoked salmon has a high amount of salt content in it and it can cause dehydration in the body.

Is smoked salmon safe for your dog?

No, smoked salmon is not safe for your dog. Following are the reasons why salmon is not safe for your dog:

Choking

Fishbones are not like other animal bones. They are small but they can cause choking in your pet. If your dog cannot chew the fishbones it is a greater chance of choking in your dog. If it passes the esophagus it can obstruct the intestine which is a painful condition for your dog.

Seasonings

Seasonings are not healthy for your dog if added to any food. The most common seasonings in our home are garlic and onions. Garlic and onions are toxic for your dog and they shouldn’t be consumed even in fewer quantities. If you have a pup then consuming a single onion is capable of causing toxicity in your dog.

Sodium poisoning

It is also termed salt poisoning. Salt poisoning is common in dogs who consume human food daily. The salt requirement of humans is high as compared to dogs. 

If your dog consumes smoked salmon which you have made for yourself then surely your dog can suffer from salt poisoning.

Following are the signs and symptoms of salt poisoning:

  • Headaches
  • Upset stomach
  • Dizziness

Smoked salmon has pathogens

Smoked salmon has a small number of pathogens in them. It is because smoke is not a good preservative and it cannot protect the smoked salmon from pathogens. Consuming such kinds of seafood can cause problems for your dog. 

Smoked salmon has a low amount of pathogens as compared to raw salmon or undercooked salmon. Salmon skin may have some pathogens.

Dehydration

Smoked salmon has a high amount of salt in it which can cause dehydration in the body. It happens because sodium controls the flow of water in and outside the cells. 

If the amount of sodium increases outside the cell then the water from inside the cells moves out causing dehydration in the body.

So far we have discussed the harmful effects of smoked salmon on your dog’s health? Now let’s dive into the details of what is salmon poisoning?

What is salmon poisoning?

You must have heard about salmon poisoning in dogs. It is a very deadly disease and your dog if not treated can die in 14 days. It affects the canines.

Cause

Salmon poisoning is caused by Neorickettsia helminthoeca, which is a bacterium that resides in a parasite called  Nanophyetus salmincola

This parasite is ingested by salmon and the bacteria in it reside in salmon. When your dog consumes salmon this bacteria is capable of causing a deadly disease in your dog.

Signs and symptoms

Following are the signs and symptoms of salmon poisoning in your dog:

  • Fever
  • Weakness
  • Discharge from the eyes and nose
  • Lethargy
  • Depression
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration
  • Loss of appetite
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Prevention

Nobody wants to lose their beloved family member. So you must save your dog from such a deadly disease. Please do not allow your dog to eat raw salmon as well as undercooked salmon. You should be aware of what you are giving your dog.

How can you safely feed salmon to your dog?

You should feed fully cooked salmon to your dog. It is healthy for your dog. There are a few things you should keep in mind while giving cooked salmon to your dog:

  • The first thing is it should not have any added salt in it. Salt can cause dehydration in your dog.
  • The second thing is you shouldn’t add any kind of seasonings like onion and garlic. Onions and garlic are toxic, even consumed in small quantities.
  • The third is to remove all the bones before giving cooked salmon to your dog.

How much salmon can you give your dog?

Salmon is healthy for your dog. You should feed 10g of salmon every 450g of your dog’s body weight. It should be given once a week and not more than that.

Other FAQs about Smoked Salmon that you may be interested in.

Can you eat smoked salmon without cooking it?

Can you eat cold-smoked salmon without cooking it?

How to can smoked salmon

Does smoked salmon go bad?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the query, “Can dogs eat smoked salmon?” We also discussed what are the harmful effects of smoked salmon? What is salmon poisoning? How much salmon should you give your dog? And how can you provide salmon to your dog?

References

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/can-dogs-eat-smoked-salmon#can-dogs-eat-smoked-salmon

https://www.purepetfood.com/help/can-dogs-eat-salmon

https://wcvm.usask.ca/learnaboutparasites/parasites/nanophyetus-salmincola.php

https://strydomwebdevelopment.co.za/can-dogs-eat-smoked-salmon/