Can dogs eat sardines? If you’ve recently added sardines to your meals in order to take advantage of these dinky nutritional powerhouses of the sea, maybe you’ve also wondered if your dog can enjoy some. If humans can eat sardines, can dogs safely eat them too?
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat sardines. As a small fish, sardines are low in mercury. They also pack a ton of Omega 3 fatty acids and are a great source of protein.
Just make sure that you only feed your dog cooked sardines, and avoid serving up any preserved or smoked sardines that might have been prepared with additional ingredients that could prove harmful.
As always, you must ask your regular vet before sharing any human food with your faithful canine, including fish. Here’s what you need to know about sardines and dogs.
How Are Sardines Good For Dogs?
Sardines are small fish that offer big nutritional advantages. They’re a great source of protein, they’re low in mercury, and they also provide high amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, the vitamins B12 and D, plus amino acids.
These benefits can help out with your dog’s immune system and improve the condition of their coat.
Sardines are also a relatively cheap fish, which means they can be a cost effective protein replacement for any dogs who develop allergies to meat.
How Can I Safely Give Sardines To My Dog?
When serving sardines to your dog, always serve plainly cooked sardines. Raw fish in general could pose a risk of listeria or salmonella, so it’s best to stick to cooked fish for your dog. Keep things plain and steam or poach the sardines in just water; avoid adding extra ingredients.
It’s also worth avoiding canned and jarred sardines that might have been preserved with ingredients that could harm or upset your dog.
Before serving sardines to your dog, flake them with a fork to make sure that you get rid of any bones that could pose a choking hazard.
When it comes to figuring out how many sardines you can safely feed to your dog, the answer will depend on a number of factors including your dog’s age, weight, breed, and nutritional needs. Your vet can help you figure out a safe and healthy amount to feed to your dog.
Has your dog ever eaten sardines? Do they like any other types of fish? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
