Are There Types of Tuna You Should Avoid?
There are a variety of different ways to enjoy tuna — but are all of them created equally when it comes to what is and isn’t safe for your dog to consume? Here’s what to know.
Canned tuna is probably the type that your dog is most likely to be eating since it’s what most of us have in our homes. To keep it as safe as possible, only feed your dog canned tuna that’s packed in water and not oil, and that doesn’t have any added salt. Albacore tuna will be fine in low amounts, but low-mercury picks like yellowfin are an even better way to go.
A bit of tuna filet will be fine for your dog so long as it’s not cooked in butter or heavy oil and doesn’t include any seasonings beyond some light salt. If you do feed it, make sure to flake some meat off instead of providing your pup with an entire filet, especially if there are bones.
If you are cooking your tuna with sauteed onion or garlic, dont offer any to your pooch as both these ingredients are toxic for dogs.
Raw fish can harbor dangerous intestinal parasites so, to be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid feeding it to your dog. This goes double if it’s raw tuna off of a sushi roll, since it may have additional ingredients that your furry friend shouldn’t be eating, such as soy sauce, wasabi, or uni sauce.
Potential Health Concerns
So long as your dog doesn’t display an aversion or any other sort of negative reaction to tuna fish, a little bit here or there is very unlikely to do any harm.
Where things start to get complicated is if you’re feeding your dog too much tuna, since some varieties—particularly albacore—are quite high in mercury. This heavy metal can be poisonous when consumed in large amounts.
While, like people, dogs aren’t going to be poisoned from a small amount of mercury consumption, their overall tolerance is likely a lot lower than humans, which means they’ll reach their limit sooner than we would.
The signs of mercury poisoning that you should be aware of include hair loss, vision problems, loss of coordination, and tremors. If your dog is exhibiting any of these signs, call or visit your vet immediately.
To be safe, keep your dog’s consumption of tuna to a minimum and feed it only as an occasional treat.
Discover delicious food your dog deserves
Additionally, whether your dog can eat tuna or not will depend on the kind of tuna you are offering. Even canned tuna can come in brine, springwater, or oil, and these methods of preservation have different caveats for your canine companion.
Not to mention, there are a number of different species of tuna swimming in our seas. So what kinds of tuna can your pup eat?
Canned tuna is a cheap and easy way for us to introduce fish into our diets, and most of us will have a can in our cupboard somewhere. But can we share tinned tuna chunks with our dogs?
Firstly, canned tuna is often meat from Albacore or Skipjack species of tuna. Of the two, Skipjack is the safer option for your pooch as it has lower levels of mercury.
However, canned tuna is often high in salt which isn’t good for our furry friends. You can find cans with no added salt though, and these are a better choice if you’re planning to share the fish with your pup.
Some canned tuna is cooked or “infused” with herbs and spices. While it might make them especially tasty for humans and great on salads, you should never feed your dog any tinned tuna that has additional seasonings and spices because they can cause illness.
Beyond the species, spices, and salt, canned tuna is also preserved in different liquids. You’ll find chunks in brine, sunflower oil, or freshwater, but which is safe for canine consumption?
Although a very small amount of tuna in brine shouldn’t be toxic, it’s best to avoid feeding it to your pooch. As you could probably guess, it contains a lot of salt which is bad for dogs and ingesting too much can cause sodium poisoning.
Tuna canned with sunflower oil is a little safer, but the best choice is by far tuna canned in spring water as it has less salt and fat compared to other kinds of canned tuna.
If you drain the fish thoroughly, it is safe to let your pooch eat a little tuna that was canned in oil. Sunflower oil is lower in saturated fat than other oils and can even offer some benefits for your dog’s fur if they eat a little.
However, consuming too much of any oil can contribute tounhealthy weight gain and inflammation. Sunflower oil contains omega-6 which is great for your dog’s health, but it must be ingested in conjunction with omega-3 to prevent inflammation and unwanted immune responses.
While eating a little tuna in sunflower oil is safe for your dog, the best choice is tuna canned in spring water.
Tuna steak is a tricky subject. Human connoisseurs will insist that bluefin is best, and we even eat our tuna raw in sushi and sashimi. But you should never let your pup eat tuna raw as it may carry parasites and is more likely to cause gastrointestinal upset compared to cooked fish. Additionally, you should never feed your dog bluefin tuna as it contains high mercury levels.
However, if your tuna steak is from species with lower mercury levels, such as Albacore or Skipjack, you can safely offer some to your pooch. These varieties are often used in canned tuna steak. If you want to offer your dog some fresh tuna steak, make sure it is cooked and served plain.
Can Dogs Eat Tuna (How Much?)
Tuna is one of the most popular seafood in the world and is extremely nutritious. Tuna provides a great source of vitamins, like vitamin B12 which is essential for the creation of DNA and anemia prevention. The high levels of omega-3 fatty acids help reduce cholesterol and the risks of cardiovascular diseases. Tuna is lean meat, which is especially beneficial to support weight loss due to its decreased levels of calories.
Some seafood is great for dogs, but what about tuna? Is canned tuna just as good as fileted fresh caught tuna? And how safe can we feel if our beloved furry friend eats tuna on accident?
Tuna can be good for dogs in moderation. Like everything tasty, moderation is key. Tuna contains many vitamins and minerals that are essential for a dog’s physical well-being. On the other hand, if tuna isn’t properly prepared or eaten in strict moderation, it could cause problems or pose threats to your dog’s health.
Overall, if your dog eats a little bit of tuna they’ll be ok, but other fish could benefit your dog more. Too much tuna can create drastic and expensive health issues for your cherished pet.
Protein is paramount in a dog’s diet, and tuna is a profound source of it. The amino acids eaten by dogs come from protein which develops healthy fur and skin. The high levels of proteins are main avenues for a dog’s strong muscles and overall healthy immune system. Fish is one of the best places for dogs to receive their protein, next to other meats like chicken, beef, duck, and pork.
Tuna is a lean fish that is low in trans fats. These “bad” fats come with an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. Furthermore, dogs can have a hard time digesting trans fats. This is why we shouldn’t feed meat fat to our dogs. The good news is, half a fillet of tuna contains 43 grams of proteins compared to a measly 2 grams of fat.
Omega fatty acids found in tuna help with the creation of hormones in dogs that regulate blood flow. Since omega-3 isn’t created naturally in a dog’s body, it has to be supplemented through fish, like tuna, shellfish, or flaxseed.
Omega-3 can be found over the counter in tablet form as an extra supplement as well. Why opt for a pill when this nutrient can be given to dogs in a tasty fish they will appreciate? Omega-3 is considered one of the good types of fat that help support brain and eye development for puppies and reduce inflammation caused by arthritis in elderly dogs.
There is a downside to the overindulgence of Omega-3s, however. While these vitamins are considered to be generally safe, high doses could cause side effects that result in diarrhea, vomiting, flaky skin, and nasty fish-like doggy breath. These are fatty acids, after all, and dogs have a sensitivity to too much fat in their diet. Excessively feeding dogs tuna could result in pancreatitis if these early symptoms are ignored.
Fish bones from tuna can cause a choking hazard for dogs. If the bones make it past the esophagus, the tiny sharp ends could lacerate the fragile tissues in the digestive tract. As you can imagine, this could be extremely painful for them to endure. These bones could get stuck along the way, which can cause serious gastrointestinal issues.
If the bones puncture the organs or obstruct the course of digestion, they will need to immediately be taken to an emergency veterinarian for treatment. Home diagnosis could be easy to do. If they swallow sharp bones, their appetites will decrease, and they will be unable to get comfortable. Some dogs develop a fever or may wince or growl when touched on the stomach.
Tuna contains higher levels of mercury than most other types of fish. Mercury is a pollutant found in our oceans that is consumed by fish. Since tuna are fish that can live long lives in the ocean, they absorb higher concentrations of mercury than other fish.
Consuming too many fish with high mercury content could have poisonous results. In the long run, mercury poisoning can manifest itself as kidney damage, blindness, and hair loss in dogs. However, very small portions and sparse feedings of tuna won’t carry a significant risk of mercury poisoning.
Tuna are saltwater fish, after all. Too much salt intake for dogs can cause water retention. Even in humans, overly ingesting salt can be toxic. Our dogs’ bodies work similarly, except their bodies are much smaller than ours.
If they eat too much tuna, their cells will increase fluid intake to compensate for the increased sodium. Once salt intake becomes too much and develops toxicity, they could begin vomiting, tremoring, and experiencing seizures. Excessive salt intake could also lead to more critical ramifications, like hypertension, heart disease, and kidney failure.
If you feed your dog canned or packaged tuna, you should opt for the version that comes packaged in fresh water instead of salted water. Ultimately, your dog will be happier and healthier if they consume fresh, cooked, filleted tuna.
Dogs should never be fed raw tuna. Always thoroughly prepare tuna by washing and cooking them at an approved temperature before offering it to your dog. Many humans have a sensitivity to uncooked or undercooked tuna as well, which is why we use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of our meats. This same precaution should be used for our dog’s food.
All raw fish could be contaminated with harmful bacteria like salmonella or listeria. These pathogens can make your dog and other members of your family extremely sick with food poisoning. Food poisoning can be evident with vomiting and reduced appetite, and could even rear neurological symptoms like tremors, lack of coordination, and collapsing.
Moreover, dogs with salmonella could experience scarier symptoms, like miscarriage, and gastroenteritis. There are over 2,000 types of salmonella, and age can be a risk factor for dogs. Younger and elderly dogs have underdeveloped or deteriorating immune systems which can make prevention and healing more difficult.