Can dogs eat tuna like cats?

Have you ever wondered if dogs can eat tuna fish as cats do? The quick answer is yes, they love eating fish, plus tuna is one of their favorites. That said, is it good for dogs to eat tuna? Every dog lover worries about their four-legged friends, and always wonders if what they eat might be harmful to their health. In this article, we will inform you of the benefits of tuna fish for dogs, how to choose the right tuna before feeding your dogs, and how to feed your dog properly. Let’s begin!

What are the beneficial nutrients of tuna fish for your dog?

Yes indeed, you can feed your dog tuna, as it can provide many good nutrients for your pet. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of tuna fish:

1. Protein

Firstly, tuna is very low on calories and fat, which makes it one of the most pure-protein foods your dog can eat. Here are the 2 main advantages of a balanced protein diet:

• Prevents high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues.
• Help your dog to grow muscles and stay in good shape.

2. Omega-3

Tuna is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids:

• Help your dog have a healthy and smooth coat.
• Prevent the coat’s inflammation.
• Prevent your dog from itching skin.
• Improve eyes’ health.

3. Vitamins

Lastly, tuna fish contains plenty of vitamins:

• Vitamins B3, B6, and B12. These vitamins will give your dog energy and provide a strong immune system.
• Magnesium prevents stress.
• Potassium supports the normal functions of cells, nerves, and muscles.
• Selenium helps clean the body with antioxidants.
• Vitamin D helps absorb calcium, which strengthens the bones and teeth.

5 tuna species that are good for dogs

There are more than 20 different species of tuna in the oceans. Here’s our top 5 species of tuna that are safe for your dog to eat:

• Yellowfin tuna
• Albacore tuna
• Bigeye tuna
• Bluefin tuna
• Skipjack tuna

Please take note that even though tuna is very healthy, it can also have loads of mercury compared to most other fish. The tuna species that are the most susceptible to carry important amounts of mercury are the Bluefin and the Bigeye fish.

Types of tuna you can feed your dog

Tuna is prepared and cooked in many ways. Let’s see the 2 main types of tuna fish to look out for your doggy:

1. Cooked tuna fish

First and foremost, you have to wash your tuna. Once that’s done, you cook it at a high temperature so it can kill the bacteria. That said, be careful to not overcook your tuna! Finally, you can feed your beautiful dog with this yummy dish, enjoyment is guaranteed.

2. Canned tuna fish

Canned tuna is the easiest option as it can save you a lot of time in the kitchen. As canned tuna is often submerged in oil or water, you should read the ingredients on the can if you decide to buy some for your dog. Also, make sure that it is free of any sort of additives.

Can I feed raw tuna fish to my dog?

Raw tuna contains lots of dangerous bacteria and viruses that can make your dog sick. Moreover, it also has an enzyme called thiaminase which will make him or her inactive. Therefore, raw tuna fish is not recommended in any circumstances.

That said, some people give raw tuna in minimal amounts to their dog and never had a problem. Nevertheless, we still don’t recommend it. If you decide to go ahead with raw fish, make sure you have deboned the tuna before giving it to your dog (the same applies if you cook it).

How much tuna should you feed your dog?

You might wonder how much is tuna good for your dog? There is no real quick answer to that question since it mostly depends on your dog’s weight. If you give too much tuna to your dog, it can endanger its health since tuna sometimes contains too much mercury, as we previously explained.

In order to keep your dog healthy and happy, please follow our guideline below:

• • If your dog weighs around 20 pounds, you can give one can of any tuna species every 3 weeks. However, if you feed albacore tuna to your dog, feed it to your dog every 10 weeks.
  • If your dog weighs around 40 pounds (medium-size dog), you can give one can every 9-10 days. However, if you feed albacore tuna to your dog, feed it to your dog every 4 weeks.
  • If your dog weighs almost 90 pounds or more, one can of tuna fish every 5 days is good enough.
  • If your dog weighs over 150 pounds (extra-large dog) you can feed tuna every 3 days. For albacore tuna, feed it to your dog every 9 days.

And there you go! After reading our guide, we hope that all your questions have been answered and that your dog will be happy with the new item on the menu.