Salmon is considered a healthy treat for our canine pets. It is high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein and is beneficial to your dog’s coat, eyes, teeth, nails, and heart. Recognizing the benefits of salmon, many dog food manufacturers added salmon to their products. However, the level of omega-3 fatty acids dogs get from these products is generally lower than when salmon is directly included in the dog’s diet. So if you want your dog to get all the healthy benefits from salmon, you might want to adapt a few changes in his diet. Here are some ways to do it.
- Feed him canned salmon. There are lots of canned salmon brands you can try. To be on the safe side, you can ask your veterinarian which brand is the best to purchase. But generally, canned salmon has around 700 mg omega-3. If it is his first time to try salmon, consider giving your dog a small amount of salmon flakes, so you can see whether salmon appeals to his taste. You can blend salmon with his meal if you want. Gradually increase his intake if the dog seems to like salmon.
- Consider some salmon recipes. Take a break from canned products and try cooking meals for your dog. One of the easiest meals to do is salmon roll. To do this, prepare two cups of canned salmon, eight ounces of low-fat cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon of beef broth, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, and ½ cup of chopped pecans. De-bone the salmon and mix it with beef broth and cream cheese. Refrigerate for around one hour. Next, roll the salmon mixture into a log shape and cover it with parsley and pecans. Cut it into small pieces and serve the rolls to your dog.
- Give your dog salmon supplements. Salmon supplements come in the form of oil. Oil can either be in a capsule or a bottle. Whichever you purchase, you can add oil to your dog’s meals.
- Make salmon part of the reward system. If you are practicing a reward system in training your dog, you can give salmon as a reward. This way, you can increase his salmon intake, while he gradually gets used to the taste of salmon.
- Observe the dog’s reaction to salmon. At first, your dog may have unpleasant reactions to salmon. The reactions vary from dogs to dogs, but they usually include diarrhea. Don’t worry, though. They usually wane as the dog’s digestive system gets used to salmon.
Always include your veterinarian whenever you are making changes in the dog’s diet, most especially if you want to increase his salmon intake. The veterinarian knows exactly how much omega-3 fatty acids the dogs needs and how much salmon he has to consume. Avoid making guesses. Although you cannot go wrong with giving your pet salmon, it is much better if you have the medical and expert guidance of a veterinarian. He can also measure the progress of your dog and can determine whether further changes have to be made.