corvus Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 If we go shopping and there are some small, whole fish available, I always get one for the dog. Today he had a little Red Spot Whiting, which cost me all of 85c. There is something absurdly funny about a dog walking around with a whole fish in his mouth, flopping around. I wonder if it's a dumb thing to feed him with all those little bones? I remember asking people on another forum about feeding whole raw fish and everyone said it was fine as long as it's not a species with spines on the outside. He's had salmon heads before as well, and seemed to like it, but they are kinda spooky and part of me thinks feeding a whole fish might be better. He also gets gutted Leatherjacket from time to time, which he seems to quite like. I don't give him Sardines, though, as it used to make Penny throw up. Fish vomit is NOT cool, people. What are people's thoughts on feeding raw fish? I think I read somewhere that Husky teams in Alaska get fed almost exclusively on raw salmon and were ending up with mercury poisoning or something. Maybe I made that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Not sure about the mercury, but raw fish flesh can contain thiaminase which breaks down thiamin (vitamin B1), so can lead to thiamine deficiency if you feed too much raw fish. Feeding raw fish once or twice a week, I wouldn't worry about it. I feed canned sardines once a week or so to my pup, think they're great, jam packed with nutrients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Salmon poisoning is only a problem with salmon from the Pacific Northwest of the USA. We don't have any of those problems with the salmon we have here. I've fed salmon heads before but the dogs didn't really know how to eat them. I would buy raw sardines if I came across them but I can never find anywhere that stocks them! So mine regularly get tins of salmon and mackeral instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx'sBuddy Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 i feed raw fish. pilchards are really good. i have fed tommy ruffs but i take the spines off the backbone before i give them to the dog. she gets 2 small pilchards twice or three times a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassie Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Mine get raw fish at least once a week Mainly salmon heads, but they have also had Trumpeters and Leatherjackets straight out the ocean when we've caught them. Trumpeters have spines on them, and I've never bothered to remove them. For a smaller dog I might consider it but my boys handle them just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tru Borders Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 i would sat that personally i dont think i could. i feed salmon and sardines but the thought of a big fish and all those little spikey bones would just worry me too much. i have read many posts from Dol'ers that feed raw whole .... more power to em ..... i would just be too scared ;) Of Topic....how cute are the new smilies!!! ;) :D ;) ;) :doh: ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I try to feed whole raw fish once a week Btw where did you find the Red Spot Whiting for 85c? sounds like a fantastic price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 The fresh fish store at Miranda Fair, laffi. It was a pretty small fish. The dude looked at me funny, waving this fish around and going "Just one?" I think the price was about $9/kg. Kivi made pretty short work of it, although he never manages to eat fish without rubbing it on himself so he smells like fish for the rest of the day. I guess it's probably good for his coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 The fresh fish store at Miranda Fair, laffi. It was a pretty small fish. The dude looked at me funny, waving this fish around and going "Just one?" I think the price was about $9/kg. Kivi made pretty short work of it, although he never manages to eat fish without rubbing it on himself so he smells like fish for the rest of the day. I guess it's probably good for his coat. Awesome! thanks corvus :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longdogs Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I would buy raw sardines if I came across them but I can never find anywhere that stocks them! Huski, There is a fish market on Logan Road at Underwood, near Pattons Big Gun butchers that sells whole sardines for $6 a kg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) My boy has been on a fish & kibble diet due to allergies for the last year, he has Salmon, Barramundi, Cod...whatever is on special....no issues here. Edited July 20, 2009 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillybean Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Fresh fish is fine if your dog likes them! I tried several times. I bought fresh sardines and fresh mackeral - too many of each really! Chloe just didn't know what to do with them - she carried them around, buried them, left them in the sun, chewed on them - everything except actually eat them!! End result: stinky rotting fish scattered around the yard!! Ergh She will gobble up canned sardines though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I gave each of my girls a small whiting for tea tonight. Two of them ate them with no worries, another wouldn't touch hers until I ripped it apart a bit (that was gross - fish guts everywhere!) and then the youngest just did not want hers even after I mangled it a bit. She's previously eaten fresh sardines and white bait quite happily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I would buy raw sardines if I came across them but I can never find anywhere that stocks them! Huski, There is a fish market on Logan Road at Underwood, near Pattons Big Gun butchers that sells whole sardines for $6 a kg Thank Longdogs!!! I will definitely be checking that out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 I think the copious amounts of oil in sardines used to upset Penny's tummy. She'd throw up whether they were fresh or canned. I find they are harder to get than Whiting, but they are such a good size for pets. Kivi did look a bit puzzled the first time I gave him fish, but as a pup reared on raw he's pretty game when you put a hunk of meat in front of him. But even Penny knew what to do with it and she was 12 before she was introduced to whole raw fish. I did have to help her a bit with the first couple, though. Cut the skin to make it a bit easier to chew. The only thing is she used to bury them and dig them up a few days later. Somehow rotting fish smells so much worse than rotting lamb or beef or even chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miz J Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I have been wondering about feeding whole fish!! Mine get a can of sardines once or twice a week and love them. I am wussy and give them fillets although raw. Joyce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam&Saki Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Saki's big on sardines, haven't tried many other types of fish, sardines are the most exciting thing in the world as far as she's concerned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubitty Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Mine goes INSANE for fresh fish! Seriously goes off the rails! I have started feeding raw mackeral once or twice a week and he has always had a tin of tuna or sardines once a week as a snack as well Not brave enough to try a whole raw fish on pup. Maybe when she's older! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Because Ruby's been on such a strict elimination diet, she's been eating only fish and sweet potato, and for the last few weeks, I've added one ingredient a week to see her tolerance. She's been getting white fish fillets (cooked) usually basa or whiting or similar (at about $12 per kg), plus at least two raw fish heads a week for some bones to work through. She *loves* the fish heads. I also bought one whole (cleaned and gutted) barra last weekend...at over $6 on sale, she won't be getting that often! I cut it in half so she had the back end on Saturday... Fish is great for dogs, raw is absolutely fine as long as you supervise and feed appropriate portions/pieces. Dogs can survive on fish and not much else for a few months if necessary... Ruby's now getting lard this week and so far, so good. Yay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 One of the markets here sells bag of "soup bones" (fish instead of meat or chicken) for a couple of dollars so I usually grab a bag. The cats go berserk and try to steal them from the dogs. I have to put the dogs in their crates to eat or they wouldn't get any. And even then it is amazing how LOOOOOOOOONG a cat can make it's "arms" go when they're sticking them through the bars of a crate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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