Quick raw fed / fish question...

Hooked

Morning all...

Switching to raw these past few weeks and wanted to ask (little embarrassed as this might be VERY obvious)...

When making up a 'batch' of raw meat, egg, organs, veg etc... Is it ok to add the tinned mackerel, sardines and salmon that you get in Aldi? And then freeze in daily portions...

As a non-fish eater myself, are these fish also 'raw' or have they been cooked, smoked or treated some other way that would prevent me from adding to the raw meat mix?

If so - and I'm heading to a fish shop this weekend - can I buy whole fish to feed him (a Husky) or should it be gutted, etc?

Thanks for reading... Off on our walk!

toadfly

When I feed sardines I just add them in when I feed her but cant see any reason not to just freeze them with everything else.

For fresh fish I feed whole mackeral and sardines all the time, just make sure if the head is attached you freeze them for at least a week. When you are there ask for some salmon heads I get these for free down the docks in Galway. They weigh about .5kg which does a full day for Lexi and she loves them. Gross having to take it off her half way through so she has something to eat in the evening!

Hooked

TillyGirl wrote: »

When I feed sardines I just add them in when I feed her but cant see any reason not to just freeze them with everything else.

For fresh fish I feed whole mackeral and sardines all the time, just make sure if the head is attached you freeze them for at least a week. When you are there ask for some salmon heads I get these for free down the docks in Galway. They weigh about .5kg which does a full day for Lexi and she loves them. Gross having to take it off her half way through so she has something to eat in the evening!

I can barely stomach the smell of his salmon oil... How do you expect me to wrestle salmon heads off a 60 lb Husky... (Churn)... Lol. He'd probably wolf it whole.

Thanks for your reply...

Just to reiterate - I'm asking about mixing the tinned mackerel, sardines, etc - from Aldi - not fresh whole fish.

juniord

if the salmon oil is very smelly chances are its rancid and needs to be dumped, i doubt there would be a problem freezing the tinned sardines but why not just feed straight from the tin

borderlinemeath

Hooked wrote: »

I can barely stomach the smell of his salmon oil... How do you expect me to wrestle salmon heads off a 60 lb Husky... (Churn)... Lol. He'd probably wolf it whole.

The salmon oil is nothing compared to mincing organs. That makes my stomach turn..it's the one thing Coco turns her nose up at so I have to mince it and mix it into the salmon.

Unless you get a monster of a head Hugo should eat it in one sitting! But do freeze it for at least a week to kill the parasites.

Just to reiterate - I'm asking about mixing the tinned mackerel, sardines, etc - from Aldi - not fresh whole fish.

I'm sure you can freeze the tinned stuff although maybe ask on dogsfirsts facebook page? He might know something we don't.

borderlinemeath

juniord wrote: »

if the salmon oil is very smelly chances are its rancid and needs to be dumped, i doubt there would be a problem freezing the tinned sardines but why not just feed straight from the tin

As Hooked is a non fish eater, I reckon anything fishy is going to be stomach churning to him.;) And tbh the salmon oil isn't exactly pleasant to the nose.

juniord

i use salmon oil and i have never found it to be very strong smelling, but i guess everyone differs, anyway op hope you are happy with the switch to raw i bet your dog is

toadfly

Hooked wrote: »

I can barely stomach the smell of his salmon oil... How do you expect me to wrestle salmon heads off a 60 lb Husky... (Churn)... Lol. He'd probably wolf it whole.

Thanks for your reply...

Just to reiterate - I'm asking about mixing the tinned mackerel, sardines, etc - from Aldi - not fresh whole fish.

Well he would be eating more than Lexi so I'm sure a salmon head for one meal would be fine!

Ya I know you meant the tinned stuff but you also mentioned whole fish so just wanted to let you know about freezing and the free stuff you can get!

fifib

Hooked - I feed our 2 the tinned mackerel and sardines from Tescos/Aldi. I saw recently on a dog rescues FB page that the ones in Sunflower oil are not good for your dogs. stick with the tomato sauce or brine ones. ours love the teriyaki and spicy tomato sardines from tescos.

tillygirl - where in docks you get the salmon heads? is it from galway bay seafoods?

toadfly

fifib wrote: »

tillygirl - where in docks you get the salmon heads? is it from galway bay seafoods?

Ya I just ask anytime I am in for fish for myself and they stick 5 of them in a bag. So gross but free and great for her!

bluecherry74

Freezing the tinned fish with the rest of the food is fine, I've done it before. It might change the texture of the fish but dogs don't care about that kind of thing.

As someone else said, go for the stuff in tomato sauce or brine. Aldi's sardines in tomato sauce have the least additives of the one's I've tried and it's the cheapest.

Tinned fish is cooked and it's fine to feed it a couple of tins a week, but if you can stomach it then whole raw fish is the way to go.

Hooked

TillyGirl wrote: »

Well he would be eating more than Lexi so I'm sure a salmon head for one meal would be fine!

Ya I know you meant the tinned stuff but you also mentioned whole fish so just wanted to let you know about freezing and the free stuff you can get!

Thanks again Tilly Girl... In case my first reply sounded a bit smart arse, it wasn't meant to. Cheers again!

To everyone else... Again - I really appreciate the input. I read this week about the tomato vs sunflower oil on the fish front. Never knew that...

And my salmon oil is a new bottle. I'm just a pansy when it comes to all fish and the smell. I've suffered a lot 'stronger' smells when our waste pipe backed up at home and I had to, lets say, get things moving. Just can't stomach fish.

A good friend has put me in touch with his cousin in the fish trade for heads and cheaper options (I think I have an industrial face mask in the toolbox). And my auld fella has just dropped off a box of brisket bones (his mate is a butcher) and Hugo is out back working on one now. He's gonna be a while...

As soon as the 15kg bag of Royal Canin is empty (morning meals for now), it's gonna be a full switch over to raw.

He really looks so much better after only a week and a half! And all it takes is a half hour prep once a week.

Thanks again...

toadfly

You're welcome! Sorry if I sounded cross am cranky today :-)