Can Dogs Eat Scallops? Everything You Need to Know

Yes! cooked scallops are healthy and safe for dogs. They are an excellent source of magnesium, proteins, and potassium. Magnesium assists in vitamin absorption, proteins help your dogs to maintain healthy muscles, and potassium aids in nerve function. Scallops are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which keep your dog’s skin and coat in good condition and promote overall vitality, health, and well-being. Remember that scallops should be thoroughly cooked (not fried) without any added ingredients or seasonings before feeding your dog.

What Are Scallops?

Scallops refer to many marine bivalve mollusks of the taxonomic family, Pectinidae, and are related to mussels, clams, and oysters. Scallops are found in every ocean along the sandy bottom but sometimes are attached to seaweed or rocks.

There are many scallop varieties; the most common are the larger sea scallop found in deep, cold waters on the ocean floor and the tiny bay scallop seen in estuaries and East Coast bays. Bay scallops usually are less expensive than sea scallops, but sea scallops are enormous. Scallops have a light beige or pale pink color with a soft texture, no matter the type. The delicious central part is the meaty abductor muscle known in the culinary world as scallops.

The iconic scallop shell has importance in theology, history, and pop culture. For example, pre-Christian Celts used scallop as a sign to refer to the setting sun; many Christian saints are connected with the scallop shell, including St. Augustine and St. James the Great. Also, scallop shells have signified fertility and femininity in multiple cultures. The most notable of these are witnessed in the varied depictions of the Roman goddess Venus. Botticelli drew her riding on an open scallop shell in ‘The Birth of Venus.’

Are Scallops Safe For Dogs?

Scallops are non-toxic and safe for dogs to have in moderation. But a few things to watch out for when considering to feed your dog scallops are:

Ensure that you cook the scallops thoroughly; never give them raw scallops. Likewise, never give fried scallops because fried food is oily and bad for your dog’s digestion. Fried food can create an upset stomach, and your dog may suffer from vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea. Fatty foods can also lead to obesity in pets and are linked to difficulties such as inflammation of the pancreas, causing pancreatitis.

While cooking a scallop, don’t add seasoning or other ingredients, like herbs or spices, as these are not good for dogs.

Before giving your dog a scallop, ensure that you have removed the shell entirely. Eating pieces of the shell can harm your dog’s digestion and may also be a choking hazard.

Which Part of Scallops Can Dogs Eat?

Scallops consist of four parts: Shell (bivalve), coral, abductor muscle, and frilly membrane.

After opening the shell, please take off the black stomach sac and the frilly membrane as they are poisonous, and cook only the white and orange parts.

Ensure the shell and other removed parts are discarded carefully. Else if your dog eats up any of these parts, it can lead to fatal diseases.

Why Are Scallops Good For Dogs?

Scallops have a set of nutritional values that they can pass along to our dogs. 3 ounces of a scallop contains:

From the table, it is clear that scallops consist of 80% proteins that make up a highly nutritious diet for your pet when served safely.

Calories and Proteins: Calories in scallops come from proteins, and so it makes an excellent choice to feed your obese dog. 

Scallops are rich in proteins. This is one of the main reasons we confidently state dogs can eat scallops because protein is an essential macronutrient in a dog’s diet. In addition, proteins form the building blocks of muscles, organs, skin, and almost every important part of your dog’s body. So, besides being a vital energy source, having a high protein diet is necessary to have a healthy life.

Magnesium: Scallops are an excellent source of magnesium. 100g of scallops contain 37 mg of magnesium. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant; it relieves sore joints and can be advantageous for dogs with muscle issues such as hip dysplasia or arthritis to consume scallops. In addition, magnesium aids with the absorption of other vitamins and minerals to support the immune system and keep your dog’s heart healthy.

Potassium: Scallops are rich in potassium which prevents osteoporosis and kidney stones in dogs.

Phosphorous: Phosphorus in scallops is the key nutrient required in forming bones and teeth in your dog.

Selenium: Scallops carry a fair amount of selenium. Selenium is essential in your dog’s diet as it promotes proper thyroid functioning, DNA synthesis, and a healthy immune system.

Zinc: Zinc is a beneficial mineral found in scallops. Zinc is necessary for healthy growth and brain function. Also, your pup needs to have a healthy coat. Zinc deficiency is an issue that is found in most dogs. It is linked with skin issues and so supplementation of zinc is necessary for dogs.

Why Are Scallops Bad For Dogs?

Even though scallops are not toxic to dogs, you must take care while preparing. They must be fully cooked and should never be served raw or fried. Raw scallops can carry harmful bacteria or parasites, causing shellfish poisoning. 

Another thing to remember is that spices and salt added to cooked scallops can be harmful to dogs. This is because most dogs have trouble digesting spices leading to diarrhea or skin irritation.

Fried scallops are also not reliable for your pup due to their fat content. In the long term, eating fried scallops can lead to pancreatitis in dogs and an upset stomach in the short term. Ensure you’re cooking the scallops completely plain. Don’t use added ingredients, seasonings, oils, butter, etc. All of these additives have the potential to be hazardous to your dog.

Digestive Upset: Digestive upset is the most typical side effect of dogs consuming human foods. Their tummy isn’t built to handle the various seasonings, butter, salt, oil, and batter used to make foods like fried scallops. In addition, oil can irritate the stomach to cause vomiting, and act as a strong laxative. 

Parasites, Salmonella, Shellfish Poisoning: Like other raw seafood, scallops carry deadly bacteria or parasites. Listeria, salmonella, roundworms, and tapeworms are just a few.

Bivalves are at risk of causing food poisoning. If scallops you get are from a dirty or polluted area, they will carry all sorts of plankton and toxins that cause shellfish poisoning.

Flavoring: Flavouring is a threat when it comes to serving fried scallops to a dog. If you cook the food with excess ingredients such as salt, butter, or spice – these are things that are toxic for your dog. Butter is a dairy product, and most dogs digest lactose poorly, resulting in diarrhea. High quantities of salt can cause adverse effects in dogs, mainly urination and excessive thirst. Spices like paprika can also cause digestive and skin irritation. 

Are dogs allergic to scallops?

Yes, some canines can be allergic to scallops. Shellfish remains one of the prevalent allergens in dogs. It would help if you watched for adverse effects after you serve scallops to your dog. Any signs like diarrhea or throwing up should be reported and consulted with a veterinarian.

Here are some of the breeds that are prone to allergies:

• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• Dalmatians
• Poodle
• Boxer
• West Highland White Terriers
• Staffordshire Bull Terriers
• Irish Setter
• English Setter
• Shih Tzu
• Pug
• Shar Pei
• Lhasa Apso

Diseases a Puppy Can Get By Having Raw Scallops

Raw scallops are abundant with bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus that are dangerous for a puppy’s health. Other concerns include:

• Gastroenteritis
• Meningitis
• Viral hepatitis
• Cholera
• Septicemia
• Vomiting and Acute Abdominal Pain

There is only one way you can feed a puppy with raw scallops: freeze them. Freeze for a few weeks before serving them to your puppy. Any microbes that remain in scallops will die of cold, eliminating potential viral or bacterial diseases.

How Many Scallops To Feed Your Dog?

If your dog has never had scallops before, you should offer a small piece and look out for any adverse reactions or allergies to the food. Like humans, some dogs can be allergic to shellfish. So, it is better to serve your dogs scallops in moderation. You may give out one or two small pieces and wait to see how they react. Hence, scallops can be cooked and given as: 

• a snack 
• an ingredient in dry or canned food
• a small treat or to spruce up a simple meal.

What if My Dog Ate Scallops?

While your dog may gladly eat all the scallops at once, they may have to pay for it later with stomach discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, or skin irritations. Also, scallops have high sodium content, which can cause diarrhea, coma, polydipsia, vomiting, seizures, etc., in dogs. Kindly take him to the veterinarian before his health conditions worsen. 

How To Serve Scallops To Your Dog? 

It is not recommended to feed scallops to your dog regularly or in large quantities. But if you’d like to give your dog a small treat occasionally, that could be a suitable decision.

For example, if you’re making scallops for yourself, you could use a separate pan and no oil for cooking up a few scallops for your dog. Steaming and boiling are other cooking options and reduce the need for oil. This way, you both can safely have your seafood. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can Puppies Have Scallops?

Due to the puppy’s sensitive stomach, it is not recommended to let him have scallops or any unconventional dog food for that matter. 

Can Puppies Eat Raw Scallops?

No, puppies can’t have raw scallops. Raw scallops carry countless viruses and bacteria that severely impact a puppy’s health. In addition, the puppy’s tummy takes four hours to digest food. This indicates that the parasites have enough time to develop inside the stomach and cause infections upon eating bacteria and virus-infected scallops.

Can Puppies Eat Cooked Scallops?

Yes, puppies can eat cooked scallops. Viruses and bacteria associated with fish products are usually killed when seafood is heated to a temperature of 90°C for 90 sec.

Cooked scallops are safe and healthy for puppies, but only in moderation. 

Conclusion

Most dogs can have scallops in moderation without any adverse effects. However, ensure that you cook the scallops properly before giving them to your dog. Never use any oil or butter while cooking the scallops, and don’t add extra ingredients such as herbs or seasoning. Scallops need to be completely plain.

Scallops can be given as a special treat as long as you remove the scallop shell before providing them to your dog. Never offer your dog raw scallops or scallops that have been fried. Fried foods can cause obesity and health problems in dogs.

It’s always a good idea to add new foods to your dog in small portions. This will aid you in avoiding difficulties such as allergic reactions and upset stomachs. If your dog accidentally swallows lots of scallops that weren’t meant for them, or if you are giving your dog scallops for the first time, keep an eye on your dog; make sure they aren’t undergoing any adverse reaction.  If you do these few simple things, scallops can be a healthy treat for your furry companion.