{"id":1938,"date":"2021-04-02T11:41:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T11:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging2.kipandtwiggys.com\/?p=1938"},"modified":"2022-09-18T12:51:25","modified_gmt":"2022-09-18T12:51:25","slug":"prawns-for-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kipandtwiggys.com\/prawns-for-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Prawns for Dogs (by Jo the Vet)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Does your dog simply LOVE seafood? Does he go crazy for fishy food or treats? Or are you looking for something you can use as a high-value reward, that also has many health benefits? Prawns might be what you’re looking for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But where do prawns come from? Are they safe for dogs? And how should they be prepared? These are all questions we will discuss, so that you can decide whether prawns are the treat for you and your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Key facts<\/span><\/h2>

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Prawns are extremely nutritious for dogs, and naturally contain high levels of protein, phosphorus, iodine, antioxidants, B-vitamins and omega oils.<\/p>

Prawns can benefit your dog’s brain health, thyroid health, skin health and joint health when fed in moderation. They are also an excellent training treat. <\/p>

It can be difficult to find ethically sourced prawns from MSC certified fisheries, and many east Asian produced prawns exploit human rights and damage the environment.<\/p>

Prawns are available dried or fresh, with or without the shell, but the safest way to feed your dog prawns is with the shell off (including the head, legs and tail), and thoroughly cooked or boiled. Shells can cause blockages and gastrointestinal perforations, and raw prawns can carry harmful pathogens.<\/p>

Remember to clean the area and your hands after handling shellfish, to prevent yourself from being affected by potential pathogens.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What Are Prawns for Dogs?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prawns are harvested from all over the world. They can be farmed, caught with nets or caught via in-shore or ocean trawls. Even though farmed prawns are more sustainable in terms of avoiding depleting wild stocks and preventing ocean destruction, excessive use of chemicals and antibiotics in farmed prawns is common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prawns from China, Vietnam and Thailand are unfortunately poorly farmed, and are not an ethically-responsible choice when it comes to avoiding human rights abuse and minimising environmental impact. Greenpeace released a report in 2015 about dodgy prawns, and developed this infographic to help you make wise prawn buying choices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Source: Greenpeace<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the labelling on prawn products is often relatively poor, and it is sometimes difficult to be confident about the traceability of a product. So when you buy prawns, always look for whether the manufacturer is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified. This means all of their prawns have come from MSC sustainable fisheries and responsible suppliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prawn treats for dogs can vary tremendously, depending on the manufacturer and processing that they have gone through. You can buy whole dried prawns with shell on, and dried prawns with the shell off. Prawns are usually dried in a commercial drying chamber, which ensures that all the nutrients are retained in the prawn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rationale behind dried prawns is that they can last much longer than fresh prawns, and don’t require any special cooking at home before opening the packet and giving one to your dog. Crustacean shells also contain glucosamine, which is a precursor for joint cartilage, but there are both benefits and downsides to feeding prawns with shells, which we will discuss a little bit further on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also buy raw prawns which you prepare and cook yourself. If you wish to prepare your own prawn treats, it is always recommended to de-shell prawns, including head, tail and legs, and fully cook or boil them before giving them to your dog. It is not necessary to de-vein them. They can then be given as part of a meal, individually as a snack, or cut into tiny pieces for high-reward training treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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not recommended RAW<\/h3>

raw feeding prawns<\/h4><\/div>

Some people who feed their dogs raw food advocate feeding raw whole prawns to dogs. However, while prawns provide plenty of nutrients in this natural form, they can also be very harmful. For example, the shells could perforate the gut or pathogens could make your dog ill. We would therefore discourage people from raw feeding their dogs prawns with the shell on.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Benefits of Prawns for Dogs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are multiple health benefits which prawns provide for dogs. They help promote healthy brain function, thyroid function and joint health, as well as being a nutritious food source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Key benefits<\/h3><\/div>

Joint Health<\/strong>
Prawns contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids which are proven to improve joints.<\/p>

Nutritious<\/strong>
Prawns contribute to healthy bones (including teeth) and efficiently functioning kidneys. <\/p>

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Prawns contain many natural compounds. They are naturally very high in iodine; a mineral which is vital for thyroid and brain health. However, balanced dog foods should contain enough iodine for your dog if he has no problems, so in this instance, additional iodine does not make a difference. But if your dog has an underactive thyroid, he may benefit from prawns being added to his daily diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega-3 & Omega-6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

They are also very high in omega-3 and omega-6, which are also known as omega oils or fatty acids. These fatty acids are natural compounds which have been scientifically proven to produce anti-inflammatory effects<\/a>, which is ideal for dogs with skin allergies or joint disease. They also enhance skin and joint health by improving the skin barrier’s defences to environmental substrates, and improving joints by making the joint fluid more viscous, thereby enhancing the joint’s ability to glide smoothly and deal with concussive forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nutritional Information (Dried*)<\/h3><\/div>
Nutrition<\/div><\/div>
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Protein<\/div><\/div>
78-80%<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Ash<\/div><\/div>
9%<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Fat<\/div><\/div>
2-4%<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Fibre<\/div><\/div>
0.2-2%<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Moisture<\/div><\/div>
6-7%<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Vitamins & Minerals<\/div><\/div>
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Vitamin B<\/div><\/div>
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Phosphorus<\/div><\/div>
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Selenium<\/div><\/div>
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Astaxanthin Antioxidants<\/div><\/div>
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Omega-3<\/div><\/div>
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Omega-6<\/div><\/div>
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*Fresh prawns have a significantly higher moisture content, and therefore the nutrients are much less concentrated than dried prawns.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prawns are high in protein, B-vitamins and phosphorus. This is good because a dog’s diet should be made up of a large percentage of protein, which is beneficial for muscle growth and synthesis of DNA. B-vitamins also have an impact on cell metabolism, brain function and energy levels, and phosphorus contributes to healthy bones, including teeth, and efficiently functioning kidneys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selenium & Astaxanthin Antioxidants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prawns are also a great source of selenium and astaxanthin antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals which can be damaging to the body, and as a result improve your dog’s immunity. They can even reduce the likelihood of developing certain types of cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The calorific content of prawns has not been established, however, they are very low in carbohydrates, meaning they are also low in calories. In addition to this, they are low in fat, so they are suitable for dogs watching their waistline. However, for a low calorie, low fat treat, they are still relatively high in cholesterol, so should only be given in moderation.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The calorific content of prawns has not been established, however, they are very low in carbohydrates, meaning they are also low in calories. In addition to this, they are low in fat, so they are suitable for dogs watching their waistline. However, for a low calorie, low fat treat, they are still relatively high in cholesterol, so should only be given in moderation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeding Guide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no set quantity of prawns that a dog should or shouldn’t have in a day, and stating a number of prawns would be unreliable, since a king size prawn is tens of times bigger than a standard small prawn. There will also be a large variation between how many prawns a small breed dog should have versus a large breed dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to this, dried prawns are significantly more nutrient-dense than raw or cooked prawns, which still contain a lot of moisture, and therefore should be more moderated than others. In other words, the larger the prawn, the more dried it is, and the smaller your dog, the less prawns you should feed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as a general guide, a dog’s diet should be made up of at least 90% nutritionally-balanced commercial dog food. Therefore, the remaining 10% or less can either be made up of further dog food or healthy treats. Since prawns are relatively healthy, you can give them to your dog daily (if your wallet allows!) but as we’ve repeatedly advised, they should only be given in moderation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Disadvantages & Risks of Prawns for Dogs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Beware the Shells!<\/h3>

While this may be contentious with some folk in the raw feeding community, we believe that shells pose an unnecessary risk to dogs and do not<\/strong> recommend feeding prawns “shell on”.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Prawns do come with quite a few inherent risks, and therefore you should be vigilant when feeding them to your dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though they can be bought both fresh and dried with shells on, this does not mean the shells are safe. The shells do provide a great source of glucosamine, but you can also provide your dog with glucosamine through feeding joint supplements or grinding up the shells of the prawns. Crustacean shells are notoriously indigestible, hard and sharp. This mean they can be traumatic to your dog’s guts if they swallow fragments of them, and potentially cause perforations. They can also cause a blockage, however it’s uncommon for your dog to swallow a piece big enough to for this to be the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to this, all types of shellfish can pose a health risk for infectious diseases. Raw prawns can carry many different types of pathogens which can cause your dog to have a nasty bout of vomiting and diarrhoea. These can only be killed off via a thorough cooking process. As a result, you should be cautious with both raw and dried prawns. Farmed prawns are less likely to carry pathogens than wild prawns, as they are treated with chemicals and antibiotics frequently. However, this also poses environmental concerns and health concerns for your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, since they are usually a novel protein for dogs, dogs don’t tend to suffer from shellfish allergies; but humans can. We can also be affected by the pathogens that affect our dogs, so prawns can pose a risk to us owners too. Therefore, remember to never touch shellfish if you think you have an allergy to them, and always prepare prawns in a hygienic environment. This includes cleaning up the area your dog ate the prawns in too, and remember to wash your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>Prawns for Puppies<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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Prawns can be given to puppies, and make great high-reward training treats when cut up into very small pieces. However, puppies are still developing their natural immunity, and have very sensitive guts, so raw or dried prawns should be avoided.<\/p>

Puppies can be fed fresh prawns which have been thoroughly cooked, with the shells removed. This way they are soft, and won’t damage their delicate mouths. Also, any pathogens which could cause digestive upsets will have been killed off in the cooking process.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Alternatives to Prawns<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you like the sound of prawns, but are not quite sold on them, why not try one of these alternatives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n