Can Dogs Eat Shrimp?

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If you love to eat a lot of seafood, then you must have been interrupted by your dog while eating shrimps. Perhaps you gave them a couple of shrimps to eat, and they ended up absolutely loving it. But is shrimp good for your dog?

So, can dogs eat shrimp? Yes, dogs can eat shrimp that is plain, fully cooked, and de-shelled. However, dogs should only consume shrimps in small amounts. Also, they shouldn’t eat shrimp frequently, so feeding your dog shrimps every day is unhealthy for them.

But what parts of the shrimp can your dog safely consume, and how should the shrimps be prepared. Why can’t your dog consume shrimps daily, and why can’t they eat raw shrimp? Continue reading this blog post to learn all about that. The Best Dog Food for German Shepherd Puppy in 2020 – Buyer’s Guide

Table of Contents

Can dogs eat shrimp?

Yes, dogs can safely consume shrimp as long as they’re de-shelled, well-cooked, plain, and served in small amounts.

What are the nutritional benefits of shrimp?

Shrimp is low in carbohydrates, calories, and fat. They are high in vitamin B12, phosphorus, niacin ( vitamin B3), antioxidants, and protein.

Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal health. It is also very important for your four-legged best friend’s metabolism. Vitamin B12 plays a huge role in developing nerve cells. If a dog lacks vitamin B12, they could start losing their appetite, lose weight, feel weak, and fatigue.

Did you know that phosphorus is the second most available mineral ( calcium is number one) that is in your four-legged best friend’s body? Phosphorus is an essential mineral that is imperative to keep your dog’s health, teeth, and bones healthy.

Niacin; aka vitamin B3, is essential for enzymes to function correctly. It also crucial because it allows your dogs body to things like converting food to energy, repairing DNA, acting as an antioxidant, aiding in blood circulation, and a lot of other body processes.

Antioxidants are great because they play a massive role in fight free radicals, and are capable of reducing brain aging.

Proteins are responsible for muscle building and repairing. It also essential for keeping your dog’s organs healthy and repairing them. Proteins are also a great energy source for your beloved dog.

Can dogs eat raw shrimp?

All raw shellfish are full of pathogens ( bacteria) that could harm your four-legged best friend. Like the majority of seafood, the bacteria found in raw shrimp can cause a wide variety of different diseases.

That is why your beloved dog should never east raw shrimps. It is best to serve your dog steamed or boiled shrimp.

Avoid frying of breading your dog’s shrimp cause that is going to increase that amount of oils and fats that your dog is going to consume.

Also, stay away from garnishing the shrimp with garlic, onions, butter, or any other seasoning.

Recall that shrimp is already high in cholesterol, so there is no need to make things worse by frying or breading their small serving of shrimp.

Don’t forget to allow the shrimp to cool down a bit before you give it to your four-legged best friend.

Why you should be cautious while feeding your dog shrimp?

Shrimp is very high in cholesterol, which raises both of the good and bad cholesterol in your dog’s body.

Generally, consuming too much shrimp is going to raise your dog’s cholesterol levels too high, which isn’t good for your dog’s health. That is why you should always serve your dog a small portion of shrimp.

Keep it plain because the shrimp sauces are usually full of ingredients that could be harmful and even toxic for your dog.

How much shrimp exactly is your dog allowed to have?

It is important to note that dogs react differently to what they consume. It kind of depends on the size of your dog.

If your dog belongs to the medium or large breeds, then two shrimps every here now and then are more than enough.

If your dog is small, then try to give them half a shrimp. It is always essential to consult your veterinarian when you’re thinking of adding new food to your dog’s diet.

Always observe your dog after they eat something that they have never had before to see if they react negatively because of it.

Which parts of the shrimp can my dog eat?

Your dog should eat the entire shrimp, so I have decided to share with your which parts can they safely consumed and which are considered to be a choking hazard.

Can dogs be allergic to shrimps?

Despite all of the benefits that are packed in this healthy, yummy treat, some dogs tend to be allergic to shrimps.

However, these allergies aren’t specific to any dog breed, so make sure you give your dog a small portion of shrimp ( fully cooked via boiling or steamed, unseasoned, and de-shelled) the first time they have it.

Try to give them less than half a shrimp and observe how your dog reacts over the next twenty-four hours.

As always, it is still better to consult with your dog’s veterinarian about any concerns you have regarding your dog’s diet, especially if you’re introducing new food to their meals.

Can my dog eat the tail of the shrimp if it is cooked?

By cooking the tails, you are averting the curse of pathogens that are capable of inflecting your four-legged best friend with many diseases.

However, your dog could still end up choking because the tail could obstruct your dog’s airway. Also, the cooked tail still has sharp edges that might irritate your pooch’s upper gastrointestinal tract.

How to prepare the shrimp for your dog?

Like we’ve previously mentioned in this blog post, raw shrimp is full of different bacteria that can cause your dog to have a variety of different reasons. That is why you should always cook it before serving it to your beloved dog.

It doesn’t matter whether the shrimp you plan on feeding your dog with was fresh or previously prepared. All that matters is the shrimps’ heads, tails, and shells are removed to prevent any choking and irritation hazards.

The healthiest way to cook your shrimp is to either steam or boil it. Avoid frying or breading it cause your dog doesn’t really need to consume more oils and fats.

Steaming is one of the healthiest option for your dog. Avoid using any onions, garlic, butter, or any sort of seasoning while preparing the shrimp for your beloved dog.

To prepare your dog’s shrimps, start by boiling a pot of water. Then, add the shrimp into a steaming basket over the pot of boiling water. Next, continue steaming the shrimps until it becomes slightly opaque and it turns pink.

Don’t allow the shrimp to turn white cause that means that the shrimp is now overcooked

If this is the first time your dog eats shrimp, start by giving them only half a shrimp. If your dog doesn’t vomit, shown any signs of allergy or intolerance, and their feces aren’t diarrhea, then you could feed them the rest of the shrimp and one more the next day.

If you notice any of those side effects, then stop feeding them the shrimp and take them to the vet.

Can my dog eat the shell of the shrimp?

Just like how you’re supposed to remove the tail before your give the shrimp yo your dog, you should also remove its shell as well. When you remove the shell of the shrimp, you are capable of quickly eliminating the veins that can be seen on the back of the shrimp.

This vein is the shrimp’s digestive tract, which is going to have whatever the shrimp had eaten before they were removed from the sea and ocean. The vein could also be filled with small sand and stone particles that could be dangerous to your dog.

Also, the shrimp’s shell is considered to be a choking hazard so it should be removed anyway.

Can my dog eat the tail of a raw shrimp?

No, you should give your dogs the tail of the shrimp. If your dog swallows a raw shrimp tail, it could get stuck in your beloved dog’s airway, causing them to choke.

If dog luckily doesn’t choke on the tail, the sharp edges of the shrimp tail could irritate your pooch’s upper gastrointestinal tract.

Finally but not least, we’ve agreed that your dog should eat raw seafood whatsoever. This raw tail contains pathogens that could leave your dog very sick.