Can Dogs Eat Fish Sticks?

Fish and fish heads are generally safe for doggy consumption, but what about Fish Sticks? These quick-bite Fish Sticks are golden, crunchy, and flavorful, but are they safe for our dogs to eat? Let’s find out if our furry family members can also enjoy Fish Sticks. 

Can dogs eat Fish Sticks? Yes, dogs can eat Fish Sticks in moderation and as an occasional treat every now and then. While Fish Sticks are not toxic to dogs, feeding your dogs Fish Sticks regularly or every day may result in health issues in dogs. Fish Sticks are highly processed and full of oil, salt, carbs, and calories. They also do not offer much nutritional value to your dogs.

Can dogs have Fish Sticks?

While dogs can have Fish Sticks, we highly recommend that pet owners avoid feeding their canine friends Fish Sticks on a regular basis. Keep reading to learn why.

Are Fish Sticks good for dogs?

No, Fish Sticks are not really good for dogs because they contain preservatives and ingredients that are harmful to our dogs. In addition, Fish Sticks are packed full of salt, carbs, fats, and calories.

This means Fish Sticks is not a dog-friendly snack or treat. 

Fish Sticks can be a bit misleading when it comes to our dogs’ health. If we didn’t know better, we would think that they are healthy for our precious pooch since they are made of fish. While fish is great for dogs, Fish Sticks aren’t. Let’s differentiate the two to find out why. 

Fish is healthy and provides omega-3 fatty acids to dogs

Fish meat alone is great and healthy for four-legged friends. It is a great source of protein, especially when our canine friends are allergic to other protein sources such as chicken or beef. Fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids provide your pups with the following health benefits: 

• Provide dogs with a healthy shiny coat.
• Keeps the dog’s skin moisturized, soft, and in good condition.
• Support brain development during your puppies’ growth. 
• Reduce inflammation in senior dogs with arthritis. 
• Improve and maintain a strong immune system in dogs to fight against cancer. 
• Support healthy kidney and heart functions. 
• Calm your furry friends down by reducing hyperactivity and anxiety. 
• Reliever of depression in dogs.

Fish Sticks is unhealthy and can contain spices that are harmful to dogs

Unless the Fish Sticks are homemade, they are most likely unhealthy for your furry friends. That’s because many Fish Sticks you buy from the store come from species of whitefish such as pollock, haddock, cod, or hake.

Compared to other types of fish like mackerel or salmon where it contains fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, these whitefish do not offer much nutritional value to our K9 pals.  

Let’s discuss why Fish Sticks may not be the best snack or treat to offer your canine friends.

Fun Fact: Chicken nuggets are also breaded, battered, and deep-fried. Check out Can Dogs Eat Chicken Nuggets? to find out if chicken nuggets are safe for dogs to eat.

Are Fish Sticks bad for dogs?

Yes, Fish Sticks can be bad for dogs. As we can see, the whitefish in Fish Sticks do not provide much nutritional benefit to our dogs. There are also other reasons why, which we’ll discuss here.

Fish Sticks are battered or breaded and then deep-fried in cooking oil which is harmful to dogs

When it comes to Fish Sticks, many enjoy not just the fish itself but also that crunchy golden exterior texture. That crunchy golden exterior is because the Fish Sticks uses ingredients such as enriched bleached wheat flour, baking powder, yeast, salt, and onion powder. All of these ingredients are battered and then deep-fried in cooking oils such as cottonseed, canola, or soybean oil. 

Here’s why this is harmful to our canine friends:

Too many carbs in Fish Sticks your dog doesn’t need

Enriched bleached wheat flour is highly processed and dogs may be allergic to wheat or have gluten sensitivities. Wheat flour is a carbohydrate that our dogs don’t need.

Your dog may have a wheat or gluten allergy

If your furry friend is allergic to wheat or has gluten sensitivities, avoid feeding them Fish Sticks. Dogs that eat Fish Sticks that have been battered with wheat flour can suffer from the following symptoms, especially when they have wheat or gluten allergy:

• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Dry coat.
• Itchy skin causing dogs to constantly scratch it and leads to poor skin conditions.
• Frequently licking the paw pads or more than before leading to inflamed and red paw pads.
• Feeling lethargic or weak.
• Chronic ear infections or inflammation.
• Inflammation of the dog’s intestines.
• Flatulence.
• Poor body condition.
• Shaking head a lot.
• Rubbing the face on the floor or carpet.
• Sneezing a lot.
• Rubbing behind against the floor or carpet due to itchy behind.
• Seizure.

Some ingredients used to make Fish Sticks may be harmful to dogs

Looking over the ingredient list of Fish Sticks, you’ll find that there are some ingredients in the battered mixture that are not safe for dogs such as onion powder and garlic powder.

There is also a lot of salt in Fish Sticks to give them flavor and to satisfy the human taste buds, but this is extremely harmful to our K9 friends as it can cause sodium poisoning in dogs.

Deep-fried food like Fish Sticks are not good for dogs

After the Fish Sticks are battered, they are then deep-fried in vegetable oils that are not really good for dogs. Oily food, in general, is not good for dogs. When the Fish Sticks are deep-fried, they absorb an excessive amount of oil that is dangerous for dogs. 

If your canine family member ingests an exorbitant amount of cooking oil and fat in one sitting, they may experience the following discomfort, pain, and symptoms: 

• Painful and uncomfortable bloating.
• Indigestion. 
• Chronic inflammation. 
• Obesity.  
• Pancreatitis.

If your dogs are experiencing these symptoms and pain, be sure to contact your vet immediately. We highly recommend that dog owners avoid feeding your canine family member a high-fat diet. 

Can dogs eat frozen Fish Sticks?

No, dogs should not eat frozen Fish Sticks. While many store-bought frozen Fish Sticks varieties are generally not toxic to dogs, they are not healthy for doggy consumption either. 

Many frozen Fish Sticks from the store contain preservatives, seasonings, and tons of salt. They have been deep-fried as well before packaging so they contain ingredients and oil that are not good for dogs.  

Your precious pups should be fine after taking a bite or two, but avoid feeding them a lot of Fish Sticks. An occasional Fish Sticks snack is fine, but definitely not regularly or every day. Plus, there are plenty of dog-friendly treat alternatives that are healthier for dogs than Fish Sticks, which we’ll discuss below.

Can dogs eat breaded Fish Sticks?

No, dogs should not eat breaded Fish Sticks because they are not healthy for dogs. Fish Sticks are usually breaded first before entering a deep fryer so, many if not all, store-brought Fish Sticks are breaded. 

Dogs should avoid breaded Fish Sticks because they also contain preservatives as well as seasonings that may be harmful to dogs such as onion powder or garlic powder. 

The breading of the Fish Sticks is also battered with other ingredients that are dangerous to dogs such as cooking oil and tons of salt. 

For these reasons, it’s best to avoid feeding your canine friends breaded Fish Sticks.

Can dogs eat fried Fish Sticks?

No, dogs should not eat fried Fish Sticks. Many store-bought fried Fish Sticks have already been fried once before and contain ingredients that may be dangerous to dogs. 

Even if the fried Fish Sticks are homemade, it’s best not to feed your precious pooch fried food. When it comes to your dog’s diet, stick to a plain food diet with no added seasoning or flavoring. 

You might also like: Can Dogs Eat Crawfish?

Dog-friendly alternatives to Fish Sticks

There are plenty of treats or snacks options to offer your furry friends besides Fish Sticks. Avoid any store-brought Fish Sticks because they are highly processed and can contain preservatives. Dogs should avoid any frozen, breaded, or fried food. 

Instead of Fish Sticks, opt for simple fresh salmon. Do not add anything onto the salmon so skip any seasoning or spices like salt or garlic powder. To avoid too much fat, bake the salmon in the oven. 

Homemade fish is always best for our furry friends. Here’s what you can do: 

Dog friendly and homemade salmon recipe

You can add a little bit of homemade healthy salmon to your dog’s main meal or as a snack. The only ingredient you need is salmon. Don’t add anything to the salmon. Clean the salmon and bake it in the oven at 450°F for about 12 to 14 minutes. Take it out and let it sit for about half an hour. Then cut it into small pieces for your dog. 

So, can dogs eat Fish Sticks?

While Fish Sticks aren’t toxic to dogs, they aren’t the healthiest food option for our furry friends either. It’s best to avoid feeding our furry friends Fish Sticks, but if your pups sneak some Fish Sticks, they should be fine. 

Instead of Fish Sticks, go for dog-friendly treats or snacks instead. Your dogs will thank you with plenty of kisses, hugs, and snuggles.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding dietary needs.

Resources:

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishstick

https://www.wheat-free.org/wheat-allergy-dogs.html