There is a reason why restaurant leftovers come home in "doggy bags." In the dog owning community, 34% of dog owners and 35% of veterinarians--yes, the dog health experts!--admit to feeding their dogs table scraps on a weekly basis.
You probably already know not to feed your Fido chicken bones, chocolate, and alcohol, but did you know that there are many more edibles on your plate that you should abstain from feeding your pet? Furthermore, many of these toxic treats are seafood. Seafood dishes are seemingly safe, boasting high omega-3 fatty acids, low fat content, and high levels of protein. But before you give your dog your leftover seafood, be mindful of these three things.
Give a Dog a Bone?
Some of the most popular seafood dishes are prepared by keeping the entire fish intact, instead of filleted. These dishes, which usually consist of bony fishes like trout, bass, and sometimes salmon, are not good leftover choices for your pet. Even if the bones are small, they can still get caught in your dog's throat or cut your pet's intestines. Unless you can successfully remove the bones from a whole-fish dish, give your dog a different bone-free treat.
Your Dog's Stomach is Not "Tougher" Than Yours!
If you have ever gotten sick after a round of sushi or under-cooked oysters, you know how painful the results of that meal can be. The same bacterial species found in a bad fish plate can not only make you ill, but also your dog.
Admittedly, this is a difficult truth to understand, seeing that dogs frequently gnaw on filthy toys, eat feces, and lick improper body parts. Believe it or not, your dog's stomach is still sensitive to fish-borne infections that can result from eating sushi, under-cooked fish, and worms found in fish. If your fish dish did not end well for you, do not feed it to your dog on the assumption that your pet's stomach is somehow more resilient than yours. It is not. Give your dog a break and throw it away; your dog will thank you, and you won't have a big mess to clean, either.
Don't Poison the Dog.
Health care professionals warn against eating too much of certain fish species, like swordfish, mackerel, and albacore tuna, because of the high levels of mercury that these fish contain. Mercury poisoning is not just a concern for your two-legged family members; your dog is also susceptible.
Occasional high-mercury fish leftovers will not harm your dog, just as occasional enjoyment will not harm most people. Yet, consider your dog's weight; if you have a small dog, your pet is more susceptible to mercury poisoning than a larger dog. Use your best judgment and, if you do not feel comfortable determining what a "safe" level of mercury-rich fish would be for your dog, skip the handout altogether.
For more information, contact Grove Center Veterinary Hospital or a similar location.
