Naturally, you want to share everything you eat with your loving dog. But you have to choose very intelligently what will be beneficial for your dog and what will be dangerous for dogs’ health. Suppose you are cooking shrimps for yourself. And suddenly, you look at your dog that is also waiting for the shrimps by smelling aroma of shrimps. At this point, you must have questioned yourself that can dogs eat shrimps The answer is yes; the shrimps are Ok for your dog. But it would be best if you always cooked the shrimps properly while serving them to your dog.
What are shrimps?
Shrimps are the decapod crustacean, which means that the shrimps have ten legs. They are generally found in saltwater, And this food is worldwide famous. Shrimps are part of many cosines. These are used as the replacement for other meats. The shrimps are not only full of taste but also full of nutrients. So, eating shrimp will give you a delicious taste and give you and your dog some health benefits.
Nutritional value of shrimps
The shrimps have a great nutritional profile. They have essential vitamins and minerals which give you and your dog good health. The number of calories in one serving of shrimps is about 85 grams are 84. Other essential nutrients present in the one serving of shrimps are as follows:
- Fat: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Sugars: 0g
- Vitamin B-12
- Sodium: 292mg
- Niacin: 11%
- Selenium: 48%
- Iron: 15%
- Zinc: 9%
- Magnesium: 7%
- Vitamin B12: 21%
- Phosphorus: 12%
Are shrimps safe for dogs?
Yes, the shrimps are acceptable for the dogs to eat. But when you give shrimps to your dog, the shell must be removed entirely as the shrimps must be well cooked. The shrimps are an excellent source of vital nutrients like vitamin B-3 and vitamin B-12, phosphorus, magnesium, and other nutrients. So, the shrimps can give your dog good health if given in moderation and cooked form.
Nutrient in shrimps which provide health benefits to the dog
There are many nutrients in shrimps that can provide several health benefits to the dogs. following are the health benefits offered to the dogs by eating shrimps:
Glucosamine
The glucosamine is made with the amino acid glutamine and glucose sugar so, it is also called amino sugar. Glucosamine is helpful to repair the cartilage and maintain the excellent health of joints. If the cartilage is healthy, the dog will feel active, which will increase the dog’s mobility. The cartilage present in the joints acts as a cushion between the two bones. It will serve as a shock absorbent.
Dogs can naturally produce glucosamine in their body, but by adding glucosamine-rich foods to your dog’s diet, you will improve the dog’s mobility by making the dog’s joints healthy.
Antioxidants
The antioxidant property in a portion of food makes it suitable to fight against the free radicals produced. The antioxidants are beneficial to fight against cell damage. And it slows down the aging process in your dog and lets your dog feel active and energetic.
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant present in the shrimps, which gives a pink color to the meat. This antioxidant is effective in the following cases:
- Strengthen the immune system
- Decreases the joint pain and inflammation
- Relief from the dry eye condition
- Slows down the aging process
Proteins
The shrimps are a good source of proteins. By adding the shrimps to your dog’s diet, you are adding a considerable amount of proteins to your dog’s diet. It will increase the muscular strength of the dog.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is present in the shrimps. Vitamin B-12 plays a vital role in the metabolism of the dog. Vitamin B-12 also plays an essential role in proper brain functioning.
These are some significant benefits provided to the dog by adding shrimps to the diet. But it does not mean that you can give too many shrimps to your dog, or the shrimps can not cause any health issue to the dog.
Warnings about shrimps for dogs
There some points you must keep in your mind while sharing shrimps with your dog as follows:
Raw shrimps
The raw shrimps are never recommended to give to your dog. Not only the shrimps, but you should avoid any seafood to give to your dog in raw form because the raw shrimps or any other seafood could contain the parasite like some worm which can transfer to your dog’s body by eating raw shrimps. And these parasites can be dangerous for dog’s health. You should only provide the properly cooked shrimps to the dog. If your dog has engulfed the shrimps in raw form, you can find the following symptoms on your dog:
- Fever
- Distended abdomen
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
if you observe these symptoms in your dog, quickly take your dog to the vet for treatment.
Remove shells of the shrimps
The shells of the shrimps must be obliterated because the shells of the shrimps can be dangerous for the dog as it could be hard for the dog to digest. Or it can also cause the blockage in the food pipe of the dog.
Allergy
It could be possible that your dog has an allergy to shrimps. So you should first confirm from the vet that your dog is not allergic to the shrimps if you have consulted the vet before giving shrimps to the dog. And you find the following symptoms in your dog after eating shrimps. It will ensure that your dog has an allergy to shrimps.
The symptoms of shrimp allergy in the dog are:
- Rash
- Facial swelling
- Difficulty in breathing
- Irritated skin
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
How to serve shrimps to your dog?
When you prepare shrimps for your dog, keep in mind that you have appropriately cooked the shrimps to ensure that no microorganism or parasite is left alive in the shrimps. It would be best if you always kept the shrimps plain. Do not add seasonings like onion and garlic to the shrimps because these ingredients are toxic for the dog and can cause serious health issues.
FAQs
Is it safe for dogs to eat heated shrimp?
Yes, it is entirely safe for dogs to eat cooked shrimp. Make sure that your dog does not have a shrimp allergy. So, that eating shrimp can not cause any health issues to the dog.
What happens if my dog ate shrimp?
If your dog does not have a shrimp allergy, there is no need to worry if your dog has eaten the shrimp. But if your dog gets ill after eating the shrimps. It means that your dog has an allergy to shrimps.
What if my dog ate shrimp tail?
Eating shrimp tail is not suitable for your dog. If your dog has eaten the shrimp tail, it can cause blockage in the food pile of the dog.
What if my dog has eaten some shrimp shells?
Eating the shrimp shell can be dangerous for your dog’s health. As the cover is hard and it can cause choking in your dog. It can also lead to a digestive problem because it is hard for the dog to digest the shell.
Conclusion
Shrimps are a protein-rich food. And it also contains many vital nutrients. So if you are giving the shrimps to your dog, you are providing your dog several health benefits to the dog. You have to keep in mind some points while giving shrimps to your dog.
And before giving the shrimps to your dog, you must consult the vet to ensure that your dog is not allergic to shrimps and how much shrimps are suitable for a dog. It will remove the doubt in your mind related to the effects of shrimps on your dog.
