Is fish oil or sardines better for dogs

Can Dogs Eat Sardines? Our Vet Explains Nutritional Pros, Cons & FAQ

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Dog owners are often on the lookout for safe ingredients and food items to incorporate into their dogs diet for several reasons. Fish are often used as an addition to a dogs diet, either as a supplement or as an alternative to mammalian meats. Theyre also often marketed as superfoods for humans, adding to their appeal as potentially amazing for pups too.

Sardines are a popular fish that are easily available in many different preparations. Cooked, non-seasoned, deboned sardines are safe for dogs to eat, either as a treat, a supplement, or as a main ingredient in a meal. Read on as we explore this fish in more detail.

The Benefits of Feeding Your Dog Sardines

Being an animal protein, sardines are considered safe for most dogs. The primary content of sardines is protein, which is always required (in appropriate amounts) in your dogs diet. Theyre also high in fats and fish oil found in sardines, which have been researched to be beneficial for dogs.

The nutritional benefits of sardines and the fish oils found in them (and other fish) have been extensively researched in dogs and have proven to be beneficial for puppies, adults, and even seniors who are on medication for certain ailments, such as arthritis.

Those benefits include:

• Improved mobility by reducing pain associated with ailments such as arthritis
• Improvements in skin and coat condition
• Improved bodily response to inflammation
• Improved nervous system development in growing puppies

This makes sardines a great and usually safe addition to your dogs diet as either a treat, supplement or even as the main ingredient in a home-cooked meal.

The Cons

Despite their benefits, sardines are not entirely risk-free for dogs. Like all fish, their bones are a potential choking hazard, and the harder bones may even perforate other areas of your dogs digestive tract. Therefore, its best to serve deboned sardines to your pup.

In addition, dogs (even those on a raw diet) should not be fed raw sardines. Some species of sardines are anadromous (fish that swim upstream to breed). If this fish is served to dogs raw, it can cause salmon poisoning disease or Elokomin fluke fever in dogs. Despite the name of the former disease, it is not caused exclusively by salmon, nor is it a type of poisoning. While many species of sardines may not cause these diseases, the risk of feeding your dogs these fish raw is usually not worth it.

Finally, though relatively rare, some dogs may have a food allergy to sardines (or other fish). Though not immediately life-threatening or common, dogs with an allergy to a certain protein are best when theyre not fed that protein, as they often develop rashes, bald spots (alopecia), discomfort, and itching.

Preparing Sardines for Your Dog

You should always consult with your vet before adding any ingredient to your dogs diet, especially if they are diagnosed with an ailment (such as diabetes, renal issues, or a digestive issue such as pancreatitis). Even for dogs that are apparently healthy, a clean bill of health is necessary by your vet prior to offering them sardines, especially if you plan on incorporating sardines as an ingredient in their meals rather than just a treat. Obesity is an ailment that is often overlooked and should be discussed with your veterinarian, as it may not allow the inclusion of certain ingredients in your dogs diet.

After your vet has said it is safe to feed your dog sardines, its best to feed them cooked, deboned, unseasoned sardines. Canned or fresh sardines can be used for this purpose.

The bones in canned, pre-cooked sardines are usually soft and arent considered a choking hazard for your pup. The bones in fresh sardines should be removed before offering the fish to your pup. Sardine skin is safe for dogs to consume. Sardines can be served to your dog boiled, broiled, baked, or grilled. They can also be incorporated into dog treat recipes.

How Many Sardines Should You Feed Your Dog?

When used as a treat, sardines should not be more than 10% of your dogs daily food intake.

When used as the primary animal protein or one of the primary animal proteins in your dogs diet, you should use enough sardines to prepare an adequate meal for your dog.

The amount your dog needs will factor in their breed, age, gender, exercise levels, current weight, the aim of the diet, their neuter, spay, or pregnancy status, and other factors. Therefore, it is best to work closely with your veterinarian to formulate a plan that works for your dog. When using a commercially available diet with sardines, its best to follow the feeding guidelines labeled by the manufacturer. Ensure the diet complies with standard regulations for dog food in your area.

Conclusion

Cooked, deboned, unseasoned sardines are safe to add to your dogs diet. Whether you incorporate sardines in your dogs diet as a temporary food item, a treat, a supplement, or a regular meal is something youd have to consider and discuss with your veterinarian.

Featured Image Credit: Audreycmk, Shutterstock

Can Dogs Eat Sardines In Oil?

As a pet parent you know that not all human foods are safe for dogs to eat, but when it comes to sardines theyre actually quite healthy.

There are, of course, certain things to keep in mind, like your dog having a sensitive stomach or weight issues, and well examine in-depth all the concerns you might have.

Well also have a look at sardines mercury and strontium content, but, given in moderation, sardines are a source of valuable nutrients for your dog.

What are the nutritional benefits of sardines for dogs?

Sardines are one of the best types of fish you can give your dog because, small as they are, they are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins B12 and D, as well as calcium, phosphorus and selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant.

Lets have a look at the benefits of feeding sardines to your dog.

• Fatty acids strengthen a dogs immune system and help prevent cancer.
• Also, omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, which is great for old dogs suffering from arthritis. They also reduce joint pain and improve mobility.
• Fatty acids help with skin issues, like dry flaky skin, and will keep your dogs coat shiny and silky.
• One of the most important fatty acids to be found in DHA, which is vital for the cognitive function. DHA is essential for puppies whose brains are just developing as well as for senior pets, as it fights cognitive decline.
• Sardines are also rich in the Q10 coenzyme, which, together with fatty acids, promotes heart health and sustains the circulatory system.
• Last, but not least, fatty acids can prevent allergies in dogs or alleviate the symptoms.
• The calcium in sardines will strengthen your dogs bones, while the protein helps build muscle.

Can a dog choke on sardines bones?

Fish bones are a valid concern, but not when it comes to sardines. Canned sardines have very small and soft bones, so most dogs wont have any trouble chewing them. If you manage to buy raw sardines, you might get some that are a bit larger than canned ones.

Now, if you have a small dog or one that has trouble chewing, you might want to exercise caution and remove the spine. Or you can cut the sardines in smaller pieces and theres virtually no risk for a dog.

Can dogs eat sardines in olive oil? Is it better than sunflower oil?

If you want to feed your dog sardines, look for ones that are packed in water, which are the healthiest option. However, most of the sardines at the supermarket are usually packed in oil. On the whole, oil is not dangerous for dogs, but you might want to avoid giving your dog too much fat.

As a rule, fats should account for 10-15 % of your dogs diet.

Olive oil is better than sunflower oil as it offers more health benefits. For instance, olive oil is rich in antioxidants, but you wont find any in vegetable oil. More important, olive oil contains monounsaturated fats, which have anti-inflammatory properties and promote heart health. Sunflower oil contains polyunsaturated fats, which can cause heart disease and inflammation.

If you are concerned your dog is getting too many fats in his diet, you can remove the sardines from the can and put them on a paper towel which will absorb much of the excess oil.

If you manage to find sardines in water, make sure to read the label and see about the salt content. Look for a product with no salt, flavorings or preservatives. This is why you should avoid sardines in brine, too much salt for a dog.

As for sardines in tomato sauce, again read the label carefully as some of the ingredients might not be healthy for your dog. Generally speaking, you should avoid giving your pet any commercially available sauce. Most of them are full of salt, sugar and loads of chemicals.

Are sardines in any way bad for your dog?

Sardines can become a problem if your dog already has a lot of fat in his diet. Its not just about the dog gaining weight, but also about potential stomach issues. Too much fat can give dogs diarrhea. If you notice your dog has loose stools after eating sardines, cut the fish serving in half and see if theres an improvement.

Too much fat can also cause pancreatitis so keep away from sardines in oil if your pets had similar problems before.

What about mercury and strontium?

In recent years, theres been a lot of talk about fish being dangerous because of its high content of mercury. This is a serious concern as our oceans are becoming more polluted, but sardines are among the safest fish out there.

The reason is pretty simple, sardines are quite low on the food chain and have a rather short life-span. Small fish, caught when very young, simply dont have the time to accumulate much mercury in their bodies, so theyre pretty low risk.

As far as strontium is concerned theres a risk of a radioactive isotope accumulating in your dogs body. Its not a high risk, but there are serious concerns regarding the sardines caught in Japanese waters, near Fukushima, site of the 2011 nuclear disaster.

Strontium accumulates in the sardines bones, so that delicious treat might contain the dangerous isotope Sr 90.

The danger is low, but keep in mind that this nasty isotope can accumulate in your dogs bones as well. The problem is that canneries are not required to specify on the label where the fish was caught and you certainly dont want to feed yours radioactive elements.

To avoid such a risk, try looking for sardine cans that specify where the fish comes from or, better yet, buy them raw from a local fishery. You can also buy a bag of frozen sardines, which will last you a long time.

What is the difference between sardines and pilchards?

Many pet owners are confused when it comes to sardines. Are they the same thing as pilchards? The answer is yes and no!

Technically, both terms refer to small fish belonging to the larger herring family. The European pilchard can be found in the Northeastern parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The term sardines refers to small fish of the herring family that can live in all the oceans and seas around the world.

In the UK fish industry, for instance, sardines are classified as small pilchards.

Basically, theres not much difference between the two or none that matters to your dog!

Is it ok to feed my dog sardines everyday?

Theres no reason why you shouldnt feed your dog sardines every day, but it will have to be in a very small amount. Theres no such thing as opening a can of sardines and saying Here you go, Fido. Dinner is served!

For one thing you need to keep in mind that one measly sardine packs some 25 calories and 175 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. The fatty acids are not a problem, but the calories are, especially if your dog is prone to obesity.

How many sardines can your dog safely consume depends on his weight.

• A very small dog, weighing less than 5 lbs shouldnt get more than sardines per week.
• A dog weighing between 6 and 15 lbs can be fed four sardines per week, while a middle-sized dog (25-50 lbs) can be treated to 8 sardines per week.

Many pet parents like to cut the sardine in small pieces and mix it with the dogs regular food to add more flavour. If youre having sardines for dinner (and you should once in a while), theres no problem throwing one to your pet.

If youve never fed your dog sardines before, start with a small piece and see if your dog has any kind of a reaction. Increase the amount once youre sure your pet doesnt have a problem with them.

Tip: Dont throw away the water in the can. You can pour it over your dogs kibble to make it more palatable. Also, if your dog needs to take some medicine you can crush the pills and mix them with sardine water and your pet will lap that in an instant!

Closing Thoughts

Sardines are safe for dogs and have many health benefits, mainly because they are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. Although sardines in oil are not harmful to your dog, its best to give him sardines packed in water or even raw ones.

Dont overfeed your dog sardines, as too much fat might cause him problems and make him gain an extra pound. If served in moderation, sardines will help keep your dog healthy and his coat looking splendid! Oh, they also make him smarter!