Vet Issues Warning to Local Dog Owners About Raw Fish

Dogs are at risk of suffering from salmon poisoning when they eat raw salmon or trout, as shown here. Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

A local veterinarian has a warning for dog owners about the health dangers of raw fish -- particularly trout and salmon -- to their dogs.

Tana Simmons of California Veterinary Specialists in Murrieta told Menifee 24/7 that her clinic recently treated a dog suffering from salmon poisoning, a potentially fatal disease seen most often in the Pacific Northwest but often seen elsewhere as well. According to the Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine website, a parasite in salmon, trout and other fish can cause vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes and even death when infected with certain microscopic organisms.

Simmons said the Beagle that was brought into her clinic survived with the proper antibiotics after tests of a fecal sample revealed a parasitic organism called fluke eggs. According to Simmons, these organisms are found primarily in salmon and trout.

Simmons said it is difficult to know exactly where the dog could've eaten such raw fish, but she did note the dog's owner is a resident of the Menifee Lakes community and walks the dog around the lake. That lake is occasionally stocked with trout and fishing is allowed there, meaning it is possible the dog might have eaten fish guts left around the lake shore.

"The owner didn't witness the dog eating fish, but they know people sometimes clean fish around the lake," Simmons said. "We want to get the word out so dog owners make sure their dogs are nowhere near raw fish. Even slime from the fish can be lethal to dogs."

With so many lakes in local communities, both man-made and natural, veterinarians are concerned about the health of dogs being walked in those areas.

For more information on salmon poisoning in dogs, see the Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine website here.