Seafood is healthy for humans because it contains essential vitamins and minerals. Regularly eating seafood can also improve your eyesight, give you more brain power, and promote heart health. Seafood can also make your skin and hair healthier and ease joint pain.
Undeniably, eating seafood is beneficial for humans but does it have the same effect on dogs? Is seafood safe and healthy for your furry friends? If you’re having second thoughts of whether you should add catfish into your dogs’ diets, this article is for you.
The short answer to the question posted in this article is: yes, your dogs can eat catfish. Catfish can be a healthy addition to your dogs’ diet because it contains the following:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids don’t only offer a plethora of health benefits to humans; it also aids in the overall health of your dogs. Your dogs need omega-3 fatty acids to ensure that their brains and cardiovascular systems are functioning properly. This nutrient also plays a critical role in maintaining your dogs’ vision, especially as they age.
Low In Cholesterol
Thanks to its low cholesterol content, giving catfish to your dogs as their snacks or treats can keep them healthy. Sticking to a low cholesterol diet can keep their hearts healthy, reduce their risks of obesity, and prolong their lifespan.
Low In Mercury
One of the most common concerns pet owners have when it comes to giving their dogs seafood is mercury. Most seafood contains high levels of mercury that can damage your dogs’ nervous system, cardiovascular system, digestive tract, and kidneys.
Fortunately, catfish isn’t one of them. Catfish is a freshwater fish and contains the lowest average levels of mercury (only 0.025 parts per million) compared to other seafood. As long as given in small quantities, the mercury content of catfish won’t cause any health problems to dogs.
How Much Catfish Should You Give To Your Dogs?
Ideally, you should give your dogs no more than two cups of catfish weekly. Catfish is healthy, but it should only make up 10% of your dog’s weekly nutrition. Feeding them more can prevent them from getting vitamins and minerals from other food groups, resulting in deficiencies.
How Do You Prepare Catfish For Your Dogs?
When it comes to preparing catfish for your dogs, steaming and boiling the meat are your best bets. Avoid putting any seasoning or additives to the seafood as these can cause diarrhea to your dogs.
After steaming or boiling the catfish, let it cool for a few minutes and remove all of the bones. Go through the meat several times to ensure that there are no bones as these can be a choking hazard, especially for puppies or small-breed dogs.
Are There Any Other Serving Ideas?
If your dogs don’t seem interested in steamed or boiled catfish, mold the meat into nuggets and bake them in the oven for a couple of minutes. You can make the treat more interesting by placing a spoonful of peanut butter in the middle of the nuggets before baking them.
You can also mix the steamed or boiled catfish into your dogs’ dry food. Simply turn the meat into a paste using a blender and mix it together with their regular food.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Catfish?
No, you should never offer your dogs raw catfish. Raw meat usually contains harmful parasites and bacteria that can cause several illnesses to your dogs. For example, raw seafood contains salmonella that can cause diarrhea, decreased appetite, and lethargy in canines.
Can Dogs Eat Fried Catfish?
No, you should never give fried catfish to your dogs. The process of cooking with oil can strip off the nutritional content of the catfish. Moreover, fried catfish contain more fats and calories, which can trigger stomach upset and obesity in your furry friends.
Can Dogs Eat The Fins, Tail, And Head Of The Catfish?
No, it’s best if you don’t feed your dogs with the fins, tail, and head of the catfish. These parts are harder to chew and swallow and can become a choking hazard to your dogs. In worse cases, these parts can cause intestinal blockage and splinter your dogs’ intestines.
Can Dogs Eat Catfish Skin?
Yes, your dogs can eat catfish skin. As long as this is steamed or boiled properly, feeding your dogs with catfish skin isn’t a cause for concern.
Talk To A Vet First
Although catfish is generally safe and healthy for dogs, it’s still important to consult a vet. Dogs react differently to human foods, and abruptly changing their diets can cause many side effects.
By talking to your vet first, you’ll know how to properly incorporate human foods into your dogs’ diets without compromising their health and safety. Your vet can even give you tips and tricks to ensure that your dogs will actually love eating catfish!