Can Dogs Eat Fish Sticks? Everything You Need to Know

Yes, dogs can eat Fish Sticks but only in minimal quantities. Therefore, they do not offer any nutritional benefits. They might even provide health risks to your dogs in the long run as they absorb excess fat from deep-frying and the spices used to flavor them.

Table of Contents

What are Fish Sticks?

Fish Sticks are processed food made of a whitefish, such as cod, hake, haddock, or pollock. Also known as Fish Fingers, they are battered or breaded and are full of starch. They are readily available in the frozen food section of supermarkets. Fish Sticks are baked in an oven, grilled, shallow-fried, or deep-fried.

A single piece of fish sticks typically contains the following nutrients:

Calories: 142

Total Fat: 8 g

Cholesterol: 16 mg

Sodium: 240 mg

Potassium: 123 mg

Carbohydrate: 12 g

Dietary Fiber: 0.8 g

Sugar: 1.4 g

Protein: 6 g

Are Fish Sticks Safe for Dogs?

Yes, fish sticks are safe for dogs as long as they are given in minimal amounts. However, keep in mind that fish sticks do not contain any nutritional benefits and cannot be a part of your dog’s regular diet. In addition, if fed continuously, fish sticks can be a deterrent to your dog’s health.

Seasoned fish sticks should not be given to dogs at all, as they contain preservatives and additives. Avoid Breaded fish sticks as they are soaked and dipped in salt and oil, flavored with spices. Likewise, do not feed Fish sticks to your dog if they have onions or garlic. Both the ingredients are toxic to dogs.

Fish Sticks cooked at Home can be given to your dog in minimal amounts, as long as they are made with safe ingredients for your dog’s consumption.

You should not Gorton’s Fish Sticks to your dog. They are loaded with sodium, sugar, and oil. These ingredients are not suitable for your dog’s health.

Are Fish Sticks Good For Dogs?

No, fish sticks are not suitable for dogs. They are generally not toxic, but do not have any nutritional benefits either. Therefore, fish sticks can be harmful to your dog’s health in the long run.

Why are Fish Sticks Bad For Dogs?

Following are the reasons why fish sticks are bad for dogs:

Excess fat

Typically, fish sticks are battered and deep-fried resulting in the absorption of cooking oil in high amounts. This can be harmful to your Dog. In addition, regular consumption of excessive amounts of fat results in pancreatitis, indigestion, or painful bloating.

A high-fat diet can result in chronic inflammation and obesity in your dog.

Salt and Spices

There are many types of fish sticks. Fish sticks that include garlic or onion powder should be avoided since these vegetables are considered quite toxic to dogs.

Fish sticks are usually high in Salt. They are seasoned with salt for flavor. They also contain baking soda for crispness. Keep in mind that salt in high amounts can be detrimental to a dog’s health. If your dog’s salt levels are not controlled, it can lead to several health problems such as salt poisoning and even death in extreme cases.

Symptoms of Salt Poisoning

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Upset Stomach
Dehydration

How to Serve Fish Sticks to Dogs?

1) Serve your dogs a minimal amount of fish sticks without any seasonings.

2) Do not give your dogs frozen fish sticks as they are high in salt and mostly contain seasonings.

How Much Fish Sticks Can be Given to Dogs?

Fish Sticks do not contain any nutritional benefits and can even cause harm to your dog’s health in the long run. Serve fish sticks once in a blue moon, in minimal amounts as a treat.

What if my Dog ate Fish Sticks?

If your dog ate fish sticks, observe him for the symptoms of salt poisoning (mentioned above). You can also observe him for the following symptoms:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Lethargy

Rush to the veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog shows any of these symptoms.

Alternatives to Fish Sticks

Fresh fish is the best alternative to fish sticks. Following fishes are safe and nutritious for dogs:

Salmon
Cod
Whitefish
Pike
Hank
Herring
Flounder
Walleye
Arctic char
Lake whitefish

Conclusion

Fish Sticks do not contain any nutritional benefits and should be served only in minimal amounts. Furthermore, they can even harm your dogs in the long run as they contain excessive fats and salt. Instead of fish sticks, you can opt to feed suitable fresh fish to your dog.