Kokanee Salmon for Dogs

A friend of mine goes to Navajo Lake a few times each year to catch kokanee during their annual snagging season. On a good year, the group he goes with can catch a hundred or more. I’ll be honest, the kokanee salmon caught during the spawn don’t taste good. I didn’t believe it when I first heard this, then I tried to make something with it. It just wasn’t tasty. His preferred way to use the salmon is to bottle the kokanee, and to feed it to his dog throughout the year. It led me to the question, is kokanee safe or healthy for dogs?

I discovered that there are both health benefits for dogs, and some dangers for dogs. The dangers are fairly easily mitigated, but its important to know them if you’re considering feeding any salmon to your dog. 

The Dangers of Feeding Kokanee Salmon to Dogs

The main danger from feeding kokanee to dogs comes not from the kokanee itself, but from a parasite that can live in kokanee salmon. Some kokanee salmon may contain a parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola, which can transmit another parasite called Neorickettsia helminthoeca to dogs. This can cause a potentially fatal condition in dogs known as salmon poisoning disease. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the kokanee salmon you feed your dog is cooked or taken care of properly to eliminate any potential parasites.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Kokanee Salmon?

Wild animals eat raw fish all the time, but it is not advised for dogs to eat raw kokanee salmon. If you do want your dog to be able to eat raw kokanee, there is a way to kill the parasites without cooking it. You can freeze the kokanee. Note, that you’ll want to leave the kokanee frozen long enough to kill all the little bugs, but this is the way I would do it if I wanted to feed my dog raw kokanee.

I have heard differing time recommendations for freezing the kokanee, but I would recommend at least a week to be on the safe side. If you want your dog to eat kokanee sooner, just cook it.

The Health Benefits of Salmon for Dogs

If kokanee salmon could be potentially fatal, why would I want to feed it to my dog? You’d think you’d want to keep it as far away as possible! While its important to be deliberate and careful, you don’t need to be afraid of kokanee. Salmon is extremely healthy and good for both people and dogs. Looking at the nutrition facts, it’s rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that bring with it a host of benefits. It’s healthy for people and its healthy for dogs. 

One of the biggest reasons for having your dog eat kokanee is for the healthy Omega fats. The omegas in fish and fish oil is good for your skin, hair, nails, and a host of other parts of both your body and your dog’s body. When my friend would feed his dog canned kokanee, he said his dog had the prettiest, sleekest, shiniest coat. The dog just looked healthier and better when salmon was a big part of his diet. His dog loves it too. When my friend runs out of salmon each year, his dog is extremely sad, and has a hard time adjusting back to regular kibble.

How to Prepare Kokanee for Dogs

My friend doesn’t do anything particularly special with the kokanee. He just bottles and pressure cans it. He would gut the fish, but he wouldn’t skin them or fillet them. Bones and skin went right into the bottle. If you’re not pressure canning the fish, bones can be a hazard to your dog, but in the pressure canner, the bones get extremely soft. I don’t even notice them. I’d recommend our recipe for pressure canning kokanee if you’re looking to prepare some fish for your dog.

A Final Caution

As with any new food, it is important to introduce kokanee salmon to your dog’s diet gradually and in small amounts to avoid any potential digestive upset. If you have any concerns about feeding your dog kokanee salmon, it is always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian.