When you have a Poodles in your home they gradually become a member of the family and will want a bite of everything they see you with. However, not everything that is safe for you to eat is also safe for your Poodle. This is because a dogs digestive system doesn’t absorb break down nutrients as ours and a meal that is completely healthy for us can be even poisonous to a dogs health.
With this being said we always recommend do owners to do a bit of research before feeding your Poodle anything new. A common question asked is whether Poodles can eat tuna and the answer is no, below you’ll get a more detailed explanation as to why you shouldn’t feed your Poodle Tuna.
Can Poodles Eat Tuna?
At first it might be a bit odd that Poodles shouldn’t eat Tuna because its just fish right? Tuna on its own can be a very nutritious meal as it has a low level of fat and is rich in protein with other essential fatty acids.
The Reason why Tuna is harmful to dogs is because fresh tuna has a very high level of mercury. If too much mercury is consumes it can lead to mercury poisoning and other health issues. Tuna has one of the highest mercury levels compared to other types of fish.
The mercury level in tuna is this high because mercury makes it way through the water due to various industrial activities such as coal fired stations, cooking with coal, waste incinerators etc. After the mercury is released in the water it will then start to build up in the fish. Mercury will accumulate more in larger fish that have a longer lifespan so you will notice a high mount of mercury in their tissues. Tuna can grow much larger than some other fishes and are also long living fish which is why they have the highest level on mercury.
Fresh fish is a important part of any diet because it has a lot of health benefits so we don’t want to discourage you from giving your poodle a balanced diet. There are other types of fish that have a lower mercury level and a lot safe for your poodle. You can try feeding your dog salmon, herring, whitefish, catfish, cod, flounder etc.
Can Poodles Eat Canned Tuna?
Canned tuna can be a cheap way to get your dog the right amount of protein. You may wonder what difference it will make whether it is canned tuna or fresh tuna. All tuna will have mercury in them but not at the same levels. Canned tuna will contain meat from different species of tuna such as Albacore and Skipjack. The best choice when feeding tuna to your poodle is choosing the Skipjack as it is the safe option.
You’ll also notice that some canned tuna can have a high level of salt but there will be an option for ones with no extra salt added. You should always choose the ones without any additional ingredients and spices because those added ingredients might be taste for you but toxic to poodle and can even lead to illness.
Read: Best Treats For Poodles
What Should I Do if My Poodle Accidentally Ate Tuna?
If you found out that your dog has ate a small portion of tuna without your knowledge or you’ve accidentally fed your dog tuna there is no need to worry as your dog might be just fine. Tuna isn’t exactly toxic to dogs so eating a small amount of tuna should not pose any health risk. However, the more tuna your dog eats is the more mercury that will be building up in their digestive system. If you find that your dog has ate a large amount of tuna there is a chance of mercury poisoning.
Mercury poisoning in dogs can be identified by the below symptom:
- Hair loss
- Blindness
- Vomiting blood
- Diarrhea
- Tremors
- Anxiety
- Loss of coordination
If any of the symptoms are seen in your poodle please contact your local veterinarian immediate for further assistance.
Conclusion
Everyone needs a balanced diet in order to be strong and healthy and that goes for humans and dogs the same. It can sometimes be discouraging to feed your dog fish after you see the risk of mercury poisoning. Small amounts of tuna won’t be harmful to your dog unless you do this often and we strongly advise against that. Canned tuna is the best option when looking for a safe tuna to feed your dog. We recommend choosing the ones that had no salt added because the high levels of salt can be harmful to your dogs health.