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I just read through a link on another post about raw feeding & saw that the author of the raw feed FAQ mentions feeding whole raw fish 1-2 times per week for both cats and dogs.
Dose anoyone out there feed raw fish? I am wondering if it is really safe, due to mercury? I love to fish, but I limit my intake of fish meat due to the mercury warnings. I have read (on my local G&F site) that a person should limit their intake of fish to two meals per week (low mercury fish) or once-twice per month if you're eating a high mercury fish. I catch low mercury species such as rainbow trout and small bullhead catfish. Even still, I wonder if any fish is good for cats and dogs, as they are much smaller and I would think that mercury levels would build up quicker in them than in a human? Or do their systems have a way of dealing with the mercury in fish?
Just wondering if anyone has any firsthand knowledge about this? If fish really is safe for cats & dogs I will probably start to set aside some of my catch for my pets.
I personally do not feed raw fish, though I do everything else raw. Mercury aside, the parasites are what worry me. If you dissect a piece of raw fish, you can usually see parasite eggs or the actual long wormy looking parasite. I've found more than my share in raw fish! You can always freeze the fish first to kill the parasites, but I still don't trust it. I do give PC canned sardines in olive oil (good for his coat), anchovies, canned salmon, and raw, frozen spelt. That's the only raw fish he gets. He also loves sushi (I know, weird dog) and gets that about once a month.
If you catch your own, I'd feel much better giving that to my dog. I just don't trust supermarket fish, esp. since most of it comes from a farm and not a real body of water. Makes me wish I knew how to fish!
This is much debated. On the one hand, many supporters say raw fish is a great diet for both dogs and cats and is much better than processed food. On the other hand, raw fish caught wild can contane parasites. Also it depends largely on what type of raw fish you are feeding your pet. Salmon for isntance is really bad raw or so i have read. I personally would not do it. There are other ways to give your pet a healthy meal without the need to feed them raw food.
That's true raw fish may contain parasites that can harm anything that eats them, the same with raw meat. Freshness or salt water vs. fresh water makes no difference. Sushi chefs train for years just to recognize the parasites and avoid them.
Freeze any fresh fish first... one or two weeks, I forget. I just feed canned sardines to my dogs.
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