# Sardines - too much sodium?



## Lauri & The Gang

I had someone ask me about using sardines in their dogs diet. I cautioned them to use them sparingly (if at all) due to the high levels of sodium.

A 3.5 oz can of Sardines in oil (drained) contains 465 mg of sodium.

The recommended daily allowance of Sodium for dogs is 26.2 mg per Kilo of weight.

So, a 60 pound dog should get about 700 mgs of Sodium per day and they would be eating about 24 ounces of food.

So, a single can of sardines - which represents only about 14% of the dogs daily food intake - gives the dog over 66% of their sodium intake.

There are other fish that are just as good with less sodium.

Sardines in oil = 132 mg Sodium per oz
Canned Jack Mackerel = 91 mg Sodium per oz
Tilapia (raw) = 15 mg Sodium per oz


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## bianca

Oh poo's, I've been giving Molly a tin of sardines 2-3 times a week  I just looked at the packaging and it weighs 106 grams and the sodium content is 159 mg. She is fed Artemis Fresh Mix large breed puppy and I can't find the sodium content on the bag. Would it be OK to give her it maybe once a week? She weighs about 24 kilos (52 pounds)


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## Lauri & The Gang

A couple times a week shouldn't be too bad. You can also rinse them in water for a bit before feeding - that may help.


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## Lucy Dog

Hey Lauri... I was actually thinking about starting Lucy on sardines maybe once a week. Nothing more, maybe less. She's never had sardines before. Do you think it would be ok to feed the whole can (3.75 oz w/ water) in addition to her kibble on the first shot or do you think that would give her the runs?


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## Lauri & The Gang

If you can find the ones packed in WATER instead of oil I would try those first ... and start with 1/2 a can (just to be safe).


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## Lucy Dog

Yeah that's what I bought the other day - packed in water.

I'll give her half the can and see how she reacts. Hopefully no pudding poo.

Should I just throw the other half out or put it back in the fridge for the next feeding? I never bought or even tried sardines before so I don't know how long they're good for.


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## bianca

Lucy Dog said:


> Yeah that's what I bought the other day - packed in water.
> 
> I'll give her half the can and see how she reacts. Hopefully no pudding poo.
> 
> Should I just throw the other half out or put it back in the fridge for the next feeding? I never bought or even tried sardines before so I don't know how long they're good for.


When I first gave Molly some, her poops were fine. Hoping Lucy's are too! I would think if you put the rest in a tupperware container it should be fine????


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## Lauri & The Gang

Lucy Dog said:


> Should I just throw the other half out or put it back in the fridge for the next feeding? I never bought or even tried sardines before so I don't know how long they're good for.


Heck, unless it's covered in green slime and trying to break out of the fridge - I'll feed anything to my guys! 

A few days in the fridge in a container or ziplock bag should be no problem.


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## Relayer

I wouldn't worry about the sodium. The dog should probably only get sardines a couple of times a week and compared to the stuff in other fish, sardines are fabulous. I buy the brands that do not taste salty to me. Max and I usually share a can, he gets about 2/3 and I get the rest.


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## Jax08

~gulp~ I just looked at the can of Crown Prince Sardines in water. 7 servings at 180 mg/serving. Jax eats a full can of it when I give her sardines. Even though I rinse them the fish still has salt in it. So unrinsed she gets over 1200 mg of sodium that day!


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## Sigurd's Mom

Well, I hope Sigurd will be okay then. He's at a boarding facility until the 29th. He is a picky eater, so I wanted to make sure he was getting at least a full meal a day while there, so I gave instructions to give him 1/2 a can with one meal a day (I know he'll eat anything in a bowl if there are sardines in it). The sardines I purchased were No Salt Added, packaged in water, but it says "This is not a salt free food." but I assume it's not as much as a package that doesn't advertise no salt added.


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## Jax08

How did you find No Salt Added? Where did you get them? All the ones available to me have salt in the list of ingredients so it must be added.


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> ~gulp~ I just looked at the can of Crown Prince Sardines in water. 7 servings at 180 mg/serving. Jax eats a full can of it when I give her sardines. Even though I rinse them the fish still has salt in it. So unrinsed she gets over 1200 mg of sodium that day!


We get King Oscar brand sardines in extra virgin olive oil, 2 layers. It contains 3.75 oz of sardines and a total of 340 mg of salt in the entire can. I can barely detect a salty taste in them. They are not cheap, but they're really good tasting. Never rinse them, nobody has ever seemed to feel bad from eating them.


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## Jax08

These are 15 oz cans. That is comparable to the Crown Prince, actually a little more per serving than Crown Prince.


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## Sigurd's Mom

Jax08 said:


> How did you find No Salt Added? Where did you get them? All the ones available to me have salt in the list of ingredients so it must be added.



I found them at a store called Meijer, but you can get them at Wal-Mart. Amazon.com even carries them (I am going to purchase them from there next time). They are called Brunswick Sardines in Spring Water, No Salt Added. I am sure the sardines themselves contain salt, but just none added.


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## Jax08

Meijer!! Geesh...haven't heard that name since I moved from Michigan! I can still tell you where the one in Muskegon is after 20 years! LOL

I think I've seen the Brunswick in Topps or Walmart.


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## Relayer

Those are big cans!! Max's twice a week servings are along the lines of 2.5 oz each. That is a lot of sodium.


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## Jax08

I give her sardines once a week and tilipia once a week. Just for the O3"s but then I read that the tilipia is farm raised so feeding for the O3 is pointless because they are fed soy! Arrghhh!! And it's all from China!


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> I give her sardines once a week and tilipia once a week. Just for the O3"s but then I read that the tilipia is farm raised so feeding for the O3 is pointless because they are fed soy! Arrghhh!! And it's all from China!


And it's a fresh water species that can contain parasites that will live in the dog if not cooked.


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## Jax08

that I've never heard and I doubt Lauri has either. Or else freezing it kills it.


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> that I've never heard and I doubt Lauri has either. Or else freezing it kills it.


Tilapia is a fresh water carp species. All fresh water fish are suspect in terms of parasites if not cooked. I don't know about freezing... only know the tables that are available for pork and trichinosis on freezing. I would not feed my dog uncooked fresh water fish, ever. You can get nice cheap salt water fish like croaker or sheepshead if you want raw fish and safe.


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## Jax08

Well...there's a whole lot of people that feed tilapia.

Anyone on the east coast that can get me a case of sardines or herring? THAT would be grand!


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## onyx'girl

I wonder if you can get the same omega's with chicken eggs? I don't feed canned jack mackeral or sardines any more because of the packaging and where they come from. I have chickens and the dogs get eggs a few times a week. Every day they get Salmon oil gelcaps and green tripe or yogurt. I just don't see the need to feed fish if it is so questionable. I do get catfish and feed it in frozen nuggets. Sometimes the dogs eat it, sometimes they pass on it.


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## Jax08

No. I don't think you can. Here's a link for food nutrition. There is a farm on the way to work that says they have free range eggs for $2/dozen. Good price but I'll have to ask if they still feed corn.

Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Beef, bottom sirloin, tri-tip roast, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, roasted [URMIS #1429]

I really miss Michigan right now! I remember going to Muskegon and Grama getting huge fish! I have no idea what they were but it was right on the docks somewhere.


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> Well...there's a whole lot of people that feed tilapia.
> 
> Anyone on the east coast that can get me a case of sardines or herring? THAT would be grand!


I'm not one of them and I wouldn't eat that crap myself, even cooked to a crisp. They feed those fish chicken crap... literally... it's like a cycle of feeding. The chicken and duck pens are just above the water. Said poultry is fed the garbage they get, they poop in the water and the fish (in their fetid pools) eat the crap. Perfect, eh? I'm not making this up. Also, it is a well documented fact that fresh water fish are not safe for raw consumption... and I'm a huge sushi fan! Salt water fish good, not fresh water. I'll take the sodium laden sardines any day. They don't have the mercury and other bad accumulated chemicals either.


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## onyx'girl

Jax08~come and visit! Though I won't feed my dogs fish out of any Great lakes, too many heavy metals....I hate that we fear fish farms because of the diet they get/antibiotics and free "range" fish because of polution. Then the cold water or Eastern fish because of packaging or transport...nothing is SAFE!!


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## Jax08

Crazy isn't it!! And I see the Asian Carp are making their way into the lakes now.

I liked your area of Michigan when I was down that way...like mine (Silver Lake) better though! LOL At least until they ruined it and turned it into a true tourist trap! Last time I was home was 1997! Grama died and I haven't been back since.


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## Relayer

onyx'girl said:


> Jax08~come and visit! Though I won't feed my dogs fish out of any Great lakes, too many heavy metals....I hate that we fear fish farms because of the diet they get/antibiotics and free "range" fish because of polution. Then the cold water or Eastern fish because of packaging or transport...nothing is SAFE!!


How about some fresh cooked smelt?? They're young so they shouldn't have a lot of heavy metals yet. I remember eating them in michigan and loved them.


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## Jax08

mmmm...smelt! I found a frozen bag at Topps and called my Mom...who is NOW in Kansas! She drooled too! We used to keep Mom busy cooking them and we'd eat them as fast as they came out of the pan.

My dogs won't eat them unless it's cooked...which defeats the purpose.


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## Relayer

Cook 'em and feed 'em... eat them too!! They are great. My grandfather used to make them and I still remember how yummy they were. Is there such a great reduction in the Omega 3's if they are cooked? Maybe just a mild simmer for the dogs and fried like we crave them for us?


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## Jax08

I don't know how much of a reduction in O3 it would be. I can't even find them anymore. I got that one bag and haven't seen them since.


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## onyx'girl

We use to go to Silver Lake when we didn't have kids! We had a dune buggy and a boat, so the best of both, but had to have two vehicles to tow up. 
My DH fishes every weekend, bluegills,bass and perch...much better than smelt. But the nutritional value isn't there and the dogs won't eat it. DH makes wonderful lightly breaded fried fish, and as long as he makes it outside, it is fine. Inside smell somehow lingers to my walk in closet, how odd that it does that? We had BLT's tonight, guess what the closet smells of?


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## Jax08

Sounds like someone put the ductwork in wrong! :rofl:


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> I don't know how much of a reduction in O3 it would be. I can't even find them anymore. I got that one bag and haven't seen them since.


Publix market here in FL has them almost year round. I've been very tempted to get some. I'm not sure what you meant by "defeats the purpose." If raw is all you'll feed, salt water fish is the only logical answer. Lightly cooked smelts seem reasonable to me.


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## onyx'girl

It is an addition and the closet is the farthest away room in the house...I don't understand it a bit. Maybe because it is in the northern part? No clue to the rhyme or reason...


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> Sounds like someone put the ductwork in wrong! :rofl:


Hey... I'd rather have my clothes smell like a BLT than fish!! :rofl:


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## Jax08

Cooking the food depletes nutrients and enzymes.

I'd have to call Mom to find out how to cook them! I think she just rolled them in flour.


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## Jax08

onyx'girl said:


> It is an addition and the closet is the farthest away room in the house...I don't understand it a bit. Maybe because it is in the northern part? No clue to the rhyme or reason...


I'd be careful what I cooked! Aw...what did you have for supper last night? sniff sniff...fish? Was that it? LOL


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> Cooking the food depletes nutrients and enzymes.
> 
> I'd have to call Mom to find out how to cook them! I think she just rolled them in flour.


Yes, but you feed sardines and they're cooked. I don't think of my fish additions as strictly "raw." It's just a different high protein source and the omega 3's. We feed plenty enough raw meat and organs to feel fine about the diet. I think my grandfather just rolled the smelts in flour that was enhanced with some salt and pepper. Fried them at like 350 degrees till they floated. I'm craving some RIGHT NOW!!!!


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## Jax08

That sounds like what Mom did too! What part of Mi were you in?

I'd love to find some raw herring or sardines. But I guess unless I take a 4 hour trip it ain't happenin'.


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## Relayer

Jax08 said:


> That sounds like what Mom did too! What part of Mi were you in?
> 
> I'd love to find some raw herring or sardines. But I guess unless I take a 4 hour trip it ain't happenin'.


My grandfather was from Detroit, but we visited the UP a lot when I was young. Somehow he got them when he moved to sarasota FL and made them for me, but I was a puppy... so hard to say where he got them. A lot of big city fish markets get fresh raw sardines in season. I used to see them in the italian areas in NYC all the time, when I lived there.


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## Jax08

I see there is a seafood place around the corner from where I work but right below that link was a really nice letter from the FDA on all the nasty things that were going on in there.


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## onyx'girl

LOL Jax!!
We use corn meal or the Zatarans Louisana coating but DH is all about rubs and such, have a nice old electric fry pan dedicated to fish. Outside cooking always! Unless it storms...


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## Jax08

Yeah! Make him cook outside! Those Michigan winters aren't THAT bad! :rofl:

Off to bed for me. Must work tomorrow...at the office. Ick!


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## Relayer

onyx'girl said:


> LOL Jax!!
> We use corn meal or the Zatarans New Orleans coating but DH is all about rubs and such, have a nice old electric fry pan dedicated to fish. Outside cooking always! Unless it storms...


Good for the clothes!!!  I remember living in New Orleans and there was a place that served the very best fried seafood in town. Uglischeglish's (spelling??) and everyone knew you had eaten there if you had!! Worth the smell!! I miss that place terribly.


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## Lauri & The Gang

My dogs have been eating their fish raw (except the canned Jack Mackerel) ever since I started feeding raw - over a decade ago.


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## onyx'girl

Do they still like it when offered, Lauri? 
My dogs aren't fans of fish unless its partially frozen or salted(canned). 
I wont give salted just to feed fish. We get a lot of variety freshwise with the sustainable selections yahoo group.
Karlo use to gulp it down, but his tastes have matured with his age. Barely touches it, I put it on top of the RMB's to coax him.
LOved banana's too, not any more


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## natalie559

Lauri & The Gang said:


> The recommended daily allowance of Sodium for dogs is 26.2 mg per Kilo of weight.
> 
> So, a 60 pound dog should get about 700 mgs of Sodium per day and they would be eating about 24 ounces of food.


Hi Lauri. Wanted to slightly correct the info above. According to NRC's nutrient requirements of dogs, dogs need 26.2 mg sodium to per kg of body weight *to the .75 power* per day. Adding in that fact changes the daily requirement of the nutrient. Using your example, a 60# dog would actually need 310.6mg sodium per day, not 700.

But most foods are naturally high in sodium and my understanding is that the higher sodium from natural foods is okay unless the dog has a health issues that called for a sodium reduction.

Using Penny's diet as an example, which only includes 6 oz fish, her weekly sodium requirement is 2570mg and she receives 9828mg.

One high sodium item many don't realize is turkey necks. They have 154mg per oz! That's even more than the sardines!


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