The ocean is home to a bevy of delicious but weird-looking food. And believe it or not, some of this food can be eaten by dogs.
So yes, dogs can eat squid – as long as it’s prepared in a dog-friendly way.
Read on as we discuss why it’s a great idea to feed dogs squid!
The health benefits of squid
Squid contains many nutrients every dog needs to stay healthy and happy.
Protein
One of the best things about squid is that it’s rich in protein.
Dogs require protein for the development and maintenance of muscles, skin, nails, hair, blood, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.
The canine body also breaks protein down to create amino acids, which help generate the energy dogs need to survive and stay active. High-energy breeds can especially benefit from eating squid.
Minerals
Squid boasts a wealth of minerals essential to dogs.
It’s particularly rich in copper, a mineral that plays a role in cardiac and immune function; the formation of hemoglobin, bone, and myelin; the development of connective tissue; and the production and function of various enzymes.
Squid is loaded with phosphorus. This mineral is crucial in many functions and tissues. It’s also essential for protein and amino acid production, cell growth, and energy storage and use.
Squid contains potassium and magnesium, which aid in nerve impulse transmission, osmotic balance maintenance, and other biological processes. Magnesium also helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates to provide your dog with much-needed energy.
Then there’s iron, which allows red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body; and calcium, which is important for strong bones and teeth.
Vitamins
Squid contains an abundance of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which plays an important role in cell function and many metabolic processes.
Squid also has vitamin E, whose antioxidant properties protect your dog against toxins and cellular damage caused by free radicals. It also improves their immune system’s ability to ward off diseases and infections, which helps curtail health issues such as diabetes and cancer.
Low fat
Squid is low in saturated (i.e. unhealthy) fat, so you don’t have to worry about your dog gaining unnecessary weight from eating it. Squid is an excellent food for obese dogs and dogs with diabetes, heart disease, or other issues.
Potential problems caused by eating squid
Squid is a healthy food your dog can enjoy. However, this doesn’t mean every dog can eat squid and experience no problems. After all, each dog is unique, and what’s good for one may be bad for another.
It’s for this reason you should consult a vet before feeding your furry friend any new food – whether that’s squid or kiwi. Your vet knows your dog best, so don’t dismiss any advice they give!
Here are some problems a dog may experience after eating squid:
Allergic reaction
Food allergies account for around 10% of all canine allergy cases. And some dogs are allergic to seafood such as squid.
Food allergy symptoms typically include:
- Nausea/vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Hyperactivity
- Aggression
- Itching
- Excessive grooming
- Lethargy
If your dog exhibits such symptoms after eating squid, bring them to the vet as soon as possible.
Poisoning
This problem may arise if you feed your dog raw squid.
Some dog owners put their pets on a raw food diet. Unfortunately, raw meat may contain bacteria that can harm them.
If you insist on feeding your dog raw squid, make sure the food comes from a reliable supplier. Otherwise, you increase the risk of poisoning your dog.
Or better yet, just feed your dog cooked squid.
Various health issues
There are wrong and right ways to cook squid for a dog. Eating squid that’s cooked the wrong way can lead to many problems.
For instance, squid recipes that use spices can lead to gastrointestinal upsets. Too much salt can result in salt poisoning. Deep-frying squid raises its fat and cholesterol content, which can make your dog gain unnecessary weight. And if you cook the squid using garlic or onions, you can end up poisoning or even killing your dog.
The right way to feed dogs squid
For your dog to obtain the maximum benefits from eating squid, squid has to be prepared in a way that’s appropriate for canine consumption.
Cook the squid
While you should cook squid before feeding it to your dog, how you cook squid is also important.
You can steam, roast, bake, or boil squid for your dog. Steaming is your best option as it preserves the most nutrients. Boiling is the worst as it removes nutrients from the squid. Fried squid is a no-no.
Whatever cooking technique you use, ensure you keep the squid as plain as possible. Never use any seasonings or unnecessary ingredients when cooking squid for a dog. That means no salt, no spices or herbs, no dairy. Don’t use fat or oil, either. Using seasonings or ingredients can make your dog ill. Worse, it can kill them.
So stick to plain, unseasoned squid.
Remove unnecessary parts
When preparing squid for your dog, remove the head and innards.
The head contains inedible parts such as the beak and eyes. The quill (which acts like the squid’s spine) and innards shouldn’t be eaten, either. Generally speaking, the squid parts a human wouldn’t eat shouldn’t be fed to a dog.
The muscular tube that is the squid’s body is what you should feed your dog. Dogs can eat the tentacles too; just ensure you remove the beak.
Use fresh squid
Ensure the squid you cook is fresh. If your dog eats food that’s about to go bad, they can suffer from digestive problems, leading to symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Eating expired food can expose them to pathogens that can kill them.
Moderation is key
As healthy as squid is, it’s best eaten in moderation.
Like most seafood, squid is usually contaminated with mercury. True, squid contains far less mercury than other seafood. However, feeding your dog squid frequently and/or in great quantities may still make them sick.
Slice the squid’s body up into rings, then mix a few rings into your dog’s meal. Don’t do this for every meal. While there aren’t any rules regarding how much squid a dog should eat, giving your dog squid around 2 times per week should suffice.
Consider your dog’s age
Don’t give puppies squid as their extremely sensitive tummies may not be able to handle it. They also have different nutritional and energy requirements from adult dogs.
Don’t give squid to extremely old or inactive dogs, either. They don’t need that much protein.
Introduce squid to your dog gradually
If you’re giving your dog squid for the first time, you should give them only a tiny portion of the meat. Observe your dog for symptoms of digestive problems. If no problems occur, wait a few days before giving them a larger portion of squid. Keep doing this for a few weeks so that your dog’s tummy gets used to the new food. Once you’re confident squid isn’t making them ill, you can give them the recommended amount of squid per week.
If your dog experiences discomfort after eating squid, contact your vet.
Can dogs eat squid ink?
While squid ink isn’t toxic to dogs, it doesn’t have that many health benefits to dogs. You can sprinkle some squid ink onto your dog’s food for flavor, but know that it won’t boost the meal’s nutritional value much.
Can dogs eat fried squid?
Don’t give dogs any fried food.
Fried food can upset your dog’s stomach, causing diarrhea and vomiting. Worse, it can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and pancreatitis – issues that can harm your dog’s quality of life and even shorten their lifespan.
Can dogs eat raw squid?
It’s not a good idea to give dogs raw squid or any type of raw meat, for that matter. As previously discussed, raw meat may contain harmful pathogens that can make a dog extremely ill.
Always consult a vet first
It bears repeating: always seek a veterinarian’s advice before giving your dog new food. A vet will determine whether or not squid is good for your pet and how much squid they can eat. This will prevent allergic reactions and other potential issues.
Conclusion
Squid is an excellent source of nutrients your dog needs to stay in good health. However, to guarantee your pet’s safety, make sure you prepare and cook squid in a manner that’s appropriate for dogs. And don’t forget to seek a vet’s advice before feeding your dog squid!