# Do you feed trout to your dogs?



## rucker105

Do any of you fisherman/women out there feed fresh caught rainbow trout to your dogs? I want to cook some of the fish for myself, but thought Zeke might enjoy a raw fish head or two, since I won't be eating those. He does have a sensitive stomach, so I'd probably just start with one fish head, and go from there.

If you have any good trout recipes for dog or human, I'd love to steal them!


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## Barb E

Nope, not here in the NW!! No raw trout or salmon

Salmon Poisoning Disease 


This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian. 


Fishing can be wonderful recreation, but sharing the catch with your dog can be an act of kindness that kills. 
Salmon Poisoning Disease is a potentially fatal condition seen in dogs that eat certain types of raw fish. Salmon (salmonid fish) and other anadromous fish (fish that swim upstream to breed) can be infected with a parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola. Overall, the parasite is relatively harmless. The danger occurs when the parasite itself is infected with a rickettsial organism called Neorickettsia helminthoeca. It’s this microorganism that causes salmon poisoning. 

“Salmon poisoning occurs most commonly west of the Cascade mountain range,” says Dr. Bill Foreyt, a veterinary parasitologist at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He adds, “Canids (dogs) are the only species susceptible to salmon poisoning. That’s why cats, raccoons and bears eat raw fish regularly with out consequence.” 

Generally clinical signs appear within six days of a dog eating an infected fish. 

Common symptoms of salmon poisoning include:

vomiting 
lack of appetite 
fever 
diarrhea 
weakness 
swollen lymph nodes 
dehydration 
If untreated, death usually occurs within fourteen days of eating the infected fish. Ninety percent of dogs showing symptoms die if they are not treated. 
Thankfully, salmon poisoning is treatable if it’s caught in time. A key to its diagnosis is telling your veterinarian that your dog ate raw fish. If you have a dog that wanders, or raids trashcans and you are unsure of what it’s eaten; consider the possibility of salmon poisoning. Salmon poisoning can be diagnosed with a fecal sample or a needle sample of a swollen lymph node. Detecting the parasite’s eggs as they are shed in the feces confirms its presence. The rickettsial organism can be detected in a needle sample from a swollen lymph node. The combination of symptoms, and the presence of parasite eggs or the rickettsial organisms, are enough to justify treatment. 

Given the severity of the condition, treatment is relatively simple. Your veterinarian will prescribe an antibiotic and a “wormer”. The antibiotic kills the rickettsial organisms that cause the illness, and the wormer kills the parasite. If the dog is dehydrated, intravenous fluid are given. Once treatment has been started, most dogs show dramatic improvement within two days. 
Next time you are fishing or purchase raw salmon and you hear the familiar begging whine of your dog, ignore it. They may not understand it, but not sharing the fish is the best thing for them. This will save them from suffering salmon poisoning, and save you from a veterinary bill.

This Pet Health Topic was written by Sarah Hoggan, Washington State University, Class of 2001.

Washington State University assumes no liability for injury to you or your pet incurred by following these descriptions or procedures. 


http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/salmon.aspx


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## jake

Best recipe for trout(love it) cook the day caught in egg wash flour dip-pan fry.My mouth is watering.Never had a dog interested in head or guts but neighborhood cats thought it was xmas when we gutted them.


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## Barb E

> Originally Posted By: ttalldogBest recipe for trout(love it) cook the day caught in egg wash flour dip-pan fry.My mouth is watering.Never had a dog interested in head or guts but neighborhood cats thought it was xmas when we gutted them.


On a campstove at the campsite just a stones throw from where it was caught!!!


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## rucker105

thanks Barb E.! I thought I remembered hearing something about this but was having a hard time looking it up online. I couldnt remember if it only applied to salmon.

I hope Zeke doesnt throw a temper tantrum when I tell him he can't have any


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## rucker105

And that recipe does sound delicious! But first I have to get out of this cubicle and get out to the lake to catch some trout. Hopefully I'll catch something tonight since I've been skunked the two times I've gone fishing this season!


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## AK GSD

Another simple way to prepare trout is to stuff with lemon wedges and butter then wrap in foil and throw on the barbecue. No mess to cleanup from frying


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## jake

after drooling over eating a fresh caught trout-would I feed it to my dog???only if he got to it first-no problem in my mind in feeding trout.Probably would scissor off major fins first?


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## vomonyxhaus

[/quote]

On a campstove at the campsite just a stones throw from where it was caught!!! [/quote]

Yeppers!!!! Little salt pepper and buttter... Cook with head and tails intact(discard if you like after cooked) I miss eating trout


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## vomonyxhaus

Wow .... to think how many raw trout we gave to our dogs..... Never knew that it wasn't safe....


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## Barb E

I think you're ok since you're not in the NW


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## vomonyxhaus

They don't have trout here in Florida.... I was talking about when I lived in Colorado....


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## Barb E

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh - No trout anywhere? That sucks!!!
But I think you were still safe in CO, the article said paticularly west of the Cascades


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## Superhero

That article only refers to salmon. Is trout ok? My puppy has started eyeballing trout swimming in streams when we are hiking... she is getting to where she will probably start trying to catch them herself.


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## Lauri & The Gang

I would think it would depend on where you are located.


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## Gib Laut

From rawfed.com: 

"Pacific salmonids carry a toxic parasite that can make dogs very sick. Freeze _fresh_ raw salmon, steelhead, trout, and other salmonids for at least 24 hours before feeding to your dog; this thoroughly kills the parasite. Cooked salmon (or canned) is perfectly okay to feed. Fish is the only food that can also be fed cooked, as the bones remain soft and the meat keeps much of its integrity. When feeding whole fresh fish (especially fish that you just caught from a lake!), it might be worthwhile to cut open the belly and check for hooks swallowed into the stomach as well as hooks in the throat or mouth. If the fish has any sharp spines (like catfish or the dorsal fin on bass), you should cut them off before feeding the fish to the dog. Avoid feeding too much carp, smelt, herring, and catfish, since these fish contain an enzyme that binds Thiamin, or Vitamin B1. They make an excellent addition to any raw diet as long as they aren't the bulk of the diet (i.e. do not feed it every day!)."


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## Superhero

I didn't realize trout were a type of salmon, but since they swim upstream I guess I should be smacking myself in the head and saying "DUH!". 

Thanks for digging this up!




Gib Laut said:


> From rawfed.com:
> 
> "Pacific salmonids carry a toxic parasite that can make dogs very sick. Freeze _fresh_ raw salmon, steelhead, trout, and other salmonids for at least 24 hours before feeding to your dog; this thoroughly kills the parasite. Cooked salmon (or canned) is perfectly okay to feed. Fish is the only food that can also be fed cooked, as the bones remain soft and the meat keeps much of its integrity. When feeding whole fresh fish (especially fish that you just caught from a lake!), it might be worthwhile to cut open the belly and check for hooks swallowed into the stomach as well as hooks in the throat or mouth. If the fish has any sharp spines (like catfish or the dorsal fin on bass), you should cut them off before feeding the fish to the dog. Avoid feeding too much carp, smelt, herring, and catfish, since these fish contain an enzyme that binds Thiamin, or Vitamin B1. They make an excellent addition to any raw diet as long as they aren't the bulk of the diet (i.e. do not feed it every day!)."


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## JazminsMomSami

please note Gib Laut's post about freezing the fish to kill the parasite.


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## Superhero

I did. I picked up about 15lbs of trout from Costco the other day. Even though it's farmed (less nutritious, but still very healthy) I stuck it in my freezer for 24 hours before feeding any of it.

Thanks for the heads up though!





JazminsMomSami said:


> please note Gib Laut's post about freezing the fish to kill the parasite.


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