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Can Pom Eat Shrimp

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Can a Pomeranian Eat Shrimp?

You are here: Pomeranian Information - Feeding - Can a Pomeranian Puppy or Dog Safely Eat Shrimp?
No matter if you are routinely cooking homemade meals for your Pomeranian or if you have opted to serve a high quality commercial dog food, there will be times when you have a certain food ingredient that you personally love or you feel is healthy, and want to know if you can give it to you Pom. plate of shrimp

We have received so many emails with questions about feeding certain food ingredients to Pomeranians that we have decided to answer the most popular questions. You may be surprised at some of the answers, since the way that food is cooked, the variety of a food and the amount of a particular food all comes into play.
pieces of shrimp on a plate
In addition, since the Pomeranian is a toy breed dog, what this breed can and cannot safely eat will vary from a general answer regarding canines. After all, a Boxer dog and a Pomeranian will not be able to safely eat the same foods. This page will answer the question of, "Can my Pomeranian eat shrimp?' We'll also touch on some other shellfish such as lobster and crab meat. 

Can my Pomeranian eat shrimp? The question of feeding a Pom cheese came in at #1, and asking if a Pomeranian can safely eat shrimp came in as the 2nd most commonly asked food question. And a good question it is! Ocean crustaceans, which include shrimp, have been eaten since prehistoric times.

Fish and whales eat shrimp and humans find it delicious as well! The shrimping industry is worth a whopping 50 billion dollars a year! Most people assume that shrimp is healthy, which in turn brings up the popular question asking if Pomeranians will benefit from eating this as well. One must note that there are pros can cons to this food.
The Pros:
  • It seems that we find out more about foods each day. Research has shown that shrimp contains a very high concentration of astaxanthin. What's this? It is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient. 
  • It contains selenium, which for humans can be beneficial - a selenium deficiency can be a risk factor for heart failure and other medical issues such as diabetes and even depression. 
  • This is a good source of protein, which of course, is an important part of a healthy diet. 
  • Other vitamins and minerals found in shrimp are Vitamin B12, copper, Vitamin B3, zinc, Vitamin E, vitamin A omega 3 fats. 
  • Shrimp (without additions to it) is low in calories.
Cons:

Shrimp has a high cholesterol content, which is not a good thing for both humans and dogs alike.

Now that we know more about the shrimp that we eat, can a Pomeranian eat shrimp?

If you did a search on this, you would find some conflicting information. Some say that since it is a good source of protein, that it is okay.

Others have theories that it is only healthy if cooked in a certain way. So, let us keep this simple and factual, since the health and happiness of Pomeranians is our top priority.
Pomeranians CAN eat shrimp in moderation (it is not considered toxic), BUT for many reasons, we do NOT recommend feeding this to your Pom.

Let's take a look at our reasons:

1-While not considered a toxin, in general, it is difficult for canines to digest shellfish. Some breeds have more sensitive stomachs and digestive tracts than others, and this means that particularly for the Pomeranian, digesting any shellfish -which includes shrimp- can often be a problem.  

For this reason, other shellfish such as lobster and clams will fall into this category of not being a food that is easily digested by the Pomeranian breed (or any dog breeds for that matter). 

When a dog is fed a food that is known to be one that canines have a hard time digesting, this often causes a range of problems including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain (which can be quite severe) and bloating (which can be quite dangerous). 

Since Pomeranians have sensitive stomachs to begin with, you would not want to risk causing this condition. With this, dehydration can quickly set in, which is cause for concern for this tiny toy breed.

When a Pom endures digestive problems, it can take a week or so for the dog to feel back to normal. It often includes a vet visit and then a period of allowing the stomach to 'take a break', feeding plain, simple foods such as soft cooked rice (unseasoned) and broth. After a few days, boiled white breast chicken can be added. It is simply not worth the risk and in even just a small amount can trigger this, so it is better to be safe than sorry. 

2- If an owner was to feed shrimp to their Pom (though not recommended) he or she would need to be very careful to cook it properly. Uncooked or under-cooked shrimp can contain salmonella which can cause vomiting, fever, diarrhea and of course, stomach upset. One reason why this is a concern (for both humans and dogs alike) is because when shrimp is "cleaned" the head, legs and bowels are removed; in turn, bowel contents spill out. 

Raw shrimp is sometimes served in sushi restaurants, however in many cases it is soaked in citrus juices which firms up the flesh and also kills the bacteria. 
3- If an owner was to feed shrimp to their Pomeranian, there would also be a risk of blockage. Even very small pieces of shell can cause issues; it is similar to a dog eating small slices of bone. If there are small shell particles, they can become caught in a dog's teeth and swallowed later or they can be ingested at the time that the dog is eating the shrimp. At any rate, it can cause tears to the stomach lining and/or blockage or damage to the intestinal or digestion tract. 

4- Just as some humans are allergic to shellfish, dogs can be also. And this type of allergy can be quite severe and sometimes fatal if severe and not treated. While a dog can have an intolerance to a certain food, this is different, as it is an actual allergic reaction. A reaction can include anaphylaxis, which comes on rapidly. The signs of this are throat swelling, low blood pressure and possibly an itchy rash.

In some cases, there is a swelling of the face or parts of the face. Epinephrine (adrenaline) is the primary treatment for this; if your Pomeranian eats shrimp or any other shellfish by accident and shows signs of distress please bring him/her to the veterinarian or closest animal hospital ASAP.

5- Remember that shrimp and other shellfish is not the same as fish. Fish such as mackerel, haddock, salmon and others are excellent protein choices for the Pomeranian, are generally well tolerated and can be a healthy choice for a Pom's diet. 
Points to Remember

Whether you feed your Pomeranian commercial food or you make your Pom home cooked meals, NEVER give your Pom food from your own dinner plate. If you do this, you will be setting up the foundation for begging behavior. Keeping with best behavior practices, a Pom (of any age) should be taught to first sit at his/her eating area and only once having followed the command, should food be placed down.
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