Eating salmon has many benefits for people and their four-legged friends. Salmon is packed full of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and is a great source of digestible protein. Your dog will benefit from having salmon added to his diet.
What Is So Good About Salmon
Salmon supports a good immune system, decreases inflammation, promotes a healthy coat and skin. Salmon is full of essential fatty acids. The fats in salmon (omega 3’s and 6’s) are great heart-healthy fats.
Salmon will also benefit a dog who suffers from allergies. Those omega 3’s will help with dry, itchy skin.
Is Salmon Safe For My Dog
Salmon is a safe healthy food for your dog. Cooked or canned salmon is a healthy addition to your dog’s diet. Feeding raw salmon has some concerns.
Raw salmon can contain the parasite Neorickettsia helminthoeca that can cause salmon poisoning disease in dogs. Symptoms include upset stomach, diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Cooking salmon or using canned salmon is recommended by many vets.
Purchasing Quality Salmon
I always look for brands that are sustainable and harvested in a way that encourages preserving the salmon’s habitat.
Buying wild caught salmon is important because the salmon are eating a natural diet which encourages the fats in their body.
Farm raised salmon eat grain-based foods and studies have shown that they contain fewer essential fatty acids. Farm raised salmon also contain Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCB’s) which are known carcinogens.
My Dog Tucker
My dog Tucker was originally my mother’s dog. She was a lover of Jack Russell’s and had gotten him via a rescue for the breed.
Tucker had terrible skin issues from day one. His skin was red and scabby from his scratching. My mother took him to several vets, tried a variety of medical procedures and fancy shampoos.
This caused numerous “discussions” between us with me literally begging her to take him off commercial foods. While she did upgrade his food he remained on a grain-based commercial diet.
When my mother passed in 2012 Tucker was already twelve years old and just as red as ever. Not wanting to traumatize him too much more, as coming to my farm was already a big change, I began to switch him to a higher quality diet. One of the foods I emphasized in Tucker’s new regiment was salmon. I also began using fish oil in all my dog’s meals.
Tucker’s skin problems cleared up within a months’ time. I believe the salmon strengthened his immune system and supported a healthier skin and coat. He passed recently at the age of 18 of old age. But his skin and coat remained clear right up till the end.
Tucker’s Salmon Dog Treats
These treats make a great cookie. I make these in a pan so that I can cut them in various sizes for my diverse dog population.
Tucker’s Salmon Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Salmon In water
- 2 Sweet Potatoes Medium-sized Boiled & mashed
- 2 Cups Potato Flour
- 1 Cup Rolled Oats
- 2 Eggs Large
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×10 cooking pan
- Add salmon, mashed sweet potatoes and eggs to a bowl and stir together.
- Add flour and oats and stir till they are mixed together.
- Put everything in your pan and press down so that it is even. Smooth till about ¼ inch.
- Cook for 30 minutes until they are light brown on top.
- Cool and then cut into squares.
- Store in the refrigerator. They don’t have a long shelf life so feed within a week or freeze them for later.
