As someone who just absolutely loves to cook and experiment with new dishes, I for one have a knack for cooking up some delectable seafood dishes. The question that stands, however, is that even though my family and friends can enjoy a good calamari meal, can the same be said for my canine companion? Would it be ideal or safe to give my dog some squid during those meals that include a squid dish? The puppy makes me hard to refuse, but I must always put my dog’s health and safety above all else!
So, Can dogs eat squid?
Technically, the answer to this question is yes. If you happen to give your dog a small piece of squid or calamari as a nice treat or maybe even catch your dog swiping a bite from the dinner table, then there isn’t anything at all to worry about. Squid itself is not inherently dangerous to our dogs, however, as with all things in life there are repercussions that arise when dog owners forget the fact that our dogs are sensitive creatures, especially when it comes to human food.
The Benefits of Feeding Squid to Your Dog
If you do decide to feed calamari to your dog, you should definitely stray away from the cooked or fried versions of this dish. However, if you give your dog the raw version, there are quite a handful of health benefits that your dog will reap! Below are some of the health benefits your dog can get from eating squid:
- Abundance of vitamins. Squid contains various vitamins such as vitamins B3, B12, and B2 which are important in keeping your dog’s body healthy. Vitamin B3 is essential in helping stabilize the fluctuating sugar levels in your dog’s body. Vitamin B2 contains the compound called riboflavin which definitely helps the heart function normally and keeps it healthy. Finally, vitamin B12 acts as a shield for your dog’s heart as it lowers the risk of your dog contracting any heart diseases and keeps it functioning properly.
- Significantly improves heart health. Calamari or squid contains potassium, a nutrient that helps in enhancing the normality of your dog’s heartbeat. It is also worth mentioning that the vitamin E found in squid also helps in preventing different heart diseases. If there’s one thing for sure is that the heart is one of the most essential parts of the body, and we must do all we can in order to keep it functioning properly while also keeping it healthy. This statement goes not only for us humans but most especially for our dogs as well!
- Helps in maintaining weight and fitness level. The majority of dog owners in America have pet dogs that are well over the normal healthy body weight. So, if ever you notice that you need to control your dog’s weight, or at least maintain his healthy physique, squid or an occasional calamari dish would definitely help in this case. Squid is quite low in fat and cholesterol, meaning this dish would help in preventing your dog from getting obese! Uncooked squid is also low in calories! A single 100g serving of squid only contains 1.4 calories! This is definitely a nice food to give to your dog in order to keep his weight in check.
- A pretty good source of protein. It is pretty much common knowledge that protein is an important part of our dog’s balanced diet. A proper diet with all the required nutrition and vitamins is what makes your dog grow into a strong and energetic canine. There are substantial amounts of protein that can be found in most seafood, with calamari and squid being a prime example in our situation. Protein is important as it improves the production of the much-needed hormones and bodily chemicals that are essential in the development and overall growth of your dog!
- Contains appropriate levels of copper and zinc. Squid has just the right amount of copper in order to be useful to your dog. The main purpose of copper is to stimulate the body into making more red blood cells which in turn will help in the overall health of your dog. Zinc is a mineral that is not only important to us humans, but to our dogs as well! The main property of zinc is that it aids the body in fighting the external bacteria and organisms that could potentially cause harm. Zinc can be found in quite copious amounts in squid. The mere presence of zinc in your dog’s body will improve his immune system and hopefully prevent any future contraction of diseases.
The Risks of Feeding Squid to Your Dog
As with all things in life, you should be careful if you ever decide to feed calamari or squid to your beloved canine companion. Though it has been mentioned that squid isn’t necessarily a toxic food to your dog, that doesn’t mean that is purely and absolutely safe that you feed it to him on a daily basis or at regular intervals. Even though it would seem like a great idea to treat your dog with squid on regular occasions, it’s worth noting that doing so would have adverse effects on your dog.
Whenever you introduce a new food in your dog’s diet, regardless if it is squid or not, it will most likely cause somewhat of an effect on your dog’s digestive tract. This is mainly due to the fact that our dogs have very sensitive stomachs and react differently to new foods that have just been introduced to them. This is why it is imperative to your dog’s health that you only feed small amounts of squid to him and on very rare occasions.
It is also worth mentioning that as a proper and caring dog owner, you should keep a close eye on the reactions of your dog when eating new foods or trying out some squid. If you notice any form of a negative reaction such as choking, vomiting, etc. you should most definitely stop feeding that particular food and bring your dog to a professional veterinarian just to stay on the safe side.
As mentioned earlier, it is important to know how the squid or calamari will be prepared. Frying or cooking the squid will add on unnecessary fats and calories while also making it unhealthy for your dog and will end up having a negative impact on the overall health of your dog due to the added saturated fats, calories, and salt.
Lastly, as with many other types of seafood out there, squid contains high amounts of copper and the like. This, in turn, would make the idea of an everyday squid buffet for your dog an absolutely negative experience for him.
Conclusion
In conclusion, at the end of the day, it is always up to the loving dog owner to decide and think if it is proper to add squid to a dog’s diet. Squid can be quite healthy when served in its raw form, but can also be detrimental and dangerous to a dog’s health when cooked, seasoned, or deep-fried. So, if you ever find your dog snatching a piece of squid from the dinner table, you can be rest assured that he is indeed safe and won’t experience any major side effects. Just be sure to not let it happen too often!
Also like to read:
Can Dogs Eat Sushi with squid?
