We love our dachshunds and want to make them happy and many of our readers ask the question can my dog eat tuna? The short answer is yes.
When you open a can of tuna for yourself, your dachshund will look at you with those sad eyes in hopes of getting some of that tasty tuna too.
However, you have to remember that your dachshund’s digestive system can’t tolerate certain foods that the human digestive system can.
Is Tuna Safe For My Dog To Eat and Is it good to feed my Dachshund Tuna?
The quick answer is that small amounts of tuna can be beneficial for your dachshund. But you need to be careful and select the right kind of tuna and how much tuna you should give them.
Benefits Of Your Dog Eating Tuna
Tuna is high in lean protein and low in fat which is good for a dog as it can help with muscle growth. Tuna contains good vitamins and minerals which are essential for all dogs.
And with Dachshunds who are prone to joint and back problems, tuna contains a good source of selenium, which provides joint health.
Tuna also is rich in magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, which are important for healthy muscles and bone strength.
Tuna also contains vitamins B3, B6, and B12, which provide energy and a healthy metabolism.
Tuna also contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are good for your dachshunds coat, can lower their cholesterol levels, and overall cardiovascular health.
Some dachshunds may have allergies to certain proteins, such as chicken and beef. With tuna there are no allergy reactions, so it is good to add a bit of tuna to your dog’s diet to provide a mixture of proteins.
Can My Dog Eat Tuna – The Risks
Even though tuna provides benefits for your dog’s diet, it should only be given occasionally rather than every day.
The main reason is because of the mercury levels in tuna. Giving your dog too much tuna can be poisonous with high levels of mercury.
Especially with your small dachshund as their tolerance level is much lower than with humans.
Signs Of Mercury Poisoning in Dogs
1. Hair loss
2. Vision Problems
3. Anxiety
4. Tremors
5. Loss of coordination
6. Loss of feeling in their paws
7. Vomiting
8. Diarrhoea
Signs Your Dog Is Getting Too Much Sodium
Tuna also contains a lot of sodium which is not good for a dog. Too much sodium is not good for their heart. Some signposts are:
1. Extreme thirst
2. Frequent urination
3. Loss of appetite
4. Lethargy
5. Nausea
If you have never given your dachshund any tuna before and decide to add just a bit every now and then, you need to keep an eye on them and how they respond.
Like any new food added to a dog’s diet, some dogs might not adapt well. So watch to see if they vomit or have runny stools.
It doesn’t bother some dogs and as an occasional treat, it can be a great supplement.
How Much Tuna Is Too Much For Dogs?
If your dachshund doesn’t normally eat tuna and does steal a bit off your plate while you are not looking, it won’t hurt them.
But, if you decide to feed your dog tuna, keep the amounts to a minimum like one or two bite sizes once or twice a week.
With dachshunds weighing 20 pounds or less you might want to give them less than a can of tuna about once every three weeks.
Can Puppies And Seniors Dogs Eat Tuna?
It is not a good idea to give puppies any tuna as part of their diet, as their digestive systems are developing for about the first year of their lives.
But don’t panic if your smart dachshund puppy manages to get a hold of a tiny bit of tuna.
And senior dogs generally don’t have any issues with tuna. However, some senior dogs might have a sensitive stomach as when they get older they sometimes develop digestive issues.
In that case, do not give your senior dog any tuna.
What Types Of Tuna Can Your Dog Eat?
You can feed your dog raw tuna, but if you do make sure you clean the tuna and make sure there are no bones in it.
Canned tuna is probably the best as it doesn’t have any added seasonings. However, make sure the canned tuna is packed in water and not oil, as oil is high in calories and can cause obesity.
Some owners give their dogs tuna with a small amount of mayo added. A tiny bit of mayo might be okay.
However, mayo is fattening and you have to make sure the mayo doesn’t have extra ingredients like onion or garlic, as these are toxic to dogs. Plus, mayo does have some sugar in it as well, which isn’t healthy.
Some dogs have sensitive stomachs and might react to certain foods. So keep an eye out for vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
When selecting the type of tuna, only about five types of tuna, should appear on any human plates. The types of tuna are albacore, skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, and bluefin.
Since there are safe types of tuna for humans, these are considered safe for dogs as well.
Can My Dog Eat Commercial Dog Food With Tuna?
Many commercial dog foods are adding tuna to some of their dog foods as novel proteins.
However, you might want to be careful of commercial dog foods containing tuna, as it is difficult to know the source of tuna they are using.
You won’t know how much mercury it contains and how much tuna is exactly in each bowl of dog food.
Cheap dog foods might contain unsafe tuna and have dangerously high levels of mercury in them.
Make sure you do your research if you want to buy commercial dog food with tuna added.
Buy only the most reputable commercial dog food that will only put human-grade tuna in their dog food.
This dog food will be higher priced, but if you love your dog, you shouldn’t be buying cheap dog food.
Wrap Up – Can Your Dog Eat Tuna?
The final answer is that tuna can be beneficial for your dog, but only give them tuna in moderation.
Again the right type of tuna can be an ideal addition to your dog’s diet, with healthy protein, low fat, and high in vitamins and minerals.
Tuna is a novel protein instead of an animal-based protein. Thus, dogs can eat tuna without having allergies to it.
But, as tuna has mercury and sodium in it, then giving too much of it to your dog can be damaging to their health.
So tuna should only be added to your dog’s diet only once every few weeks, and not as a daily dinner.
Dogs can eat any raw or canned tuna, but only the safe human-grade tuna that is listed earlier in this article.
Canned tuna packed in water is the safest.
And if you are making tuna for yourself, but want to give them some, make sure you don’t season the tuna they eat. Any onion or garlic you add for yourself, should NOT be fed to your dog.
Again, onions and garlic are toxic to dogs.
And don’t give your dog tuna that is packed in oil, as that is high in calories and not healthy.
You especially don’t want your dachshund to get fat as they can develop back problems.
Finally, if you decide to buy any commercial dog food that contains tuna, be very careful of the ingredients. Some dog foods might add tuna that is not suitable for human use.
You only should buy reliable commercial dog foods containing tuna suitable for humans.
