Can dogs eat salmon?

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

Salmon is only for small amounts, or in certain forms, for dogs. Source: VCA Animal Hospitals. Cooked, unseasoned seafood is listed as a safe treat for dogs. Raw or undercooked salmon is the problem: it can carry a germ that causes salmon poisoning disease, which can kill a dog without treatment. Call a vet right away if a dog ate raw salmon. Fully cooked, plain, boneless, and small.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Small amountsOnly a little, and only the way described below.

Why

Cooked, unseasoned seafood is listed as a safe treat for dogs. Raw or undercooked salmon is the problem: it can carry a germ that causes salmon poisoning disease, which can kill a dog without treatment. Call a vet right away if a dog ate raw salmon.

How to serve it

Fully cooked, plain, boneless, and small. Never raw or undercooked.

Good to know

Salmon poisoning disease comes from raw or undercooked salmon, trout and steelhead, mostly in the Pacific Northwest. The VCA page says cats do not seem to get it.

Watch for: Raw fish left near water, fishing docks or trash can be a hazard. If a dog ate raw fish, call your vet or a poison line.

Already ate it?

If your pet ate a lot, or you are worried, call your vet. Say what was eaten, how much and when, and have your pet's weight ready.

Poison emergency? Call now

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

For the children

"Salmon is only a tiny treat for dogs, and only a grown-up decides how much."

A job: Be the label reader. Before a grown-up shares any food with the dog, check this page, and ask a grown-up if the food is not on it.

This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your dog. Dogs differ.

Sources

VCA Animal Hospitals: Salmon Poisoning (checked October 29, 2026)
VCA Animal Hospitals: Using Food and Treats for Training Dogs (checked October 29, 2026)