Salmon and Dog don't mix

King Fisher · 09-09-2002, 03:07 PM

I know your not supposed to let your dog near fresh uncooked salmon but somehow my dog found a bag with the juice from a leftover bag from the fridge. We'll things looked good for a couple days until my puppy stopped playing, all he could do was lay around. We immediately took him to the vet and he had a 106 temp. We did make it in time, but we should have just taken him in right away-lesson learned. Doc said he'll be OK and now he is starting to play again, back to the playfull pup. Anyway, just a warning that the juice or skin, or anything from an uncooked Salmon is bad news-Take your dog in right away before you lose him or her.

brshooter · 09-09-2002, 03:37 PM

Glad your dog is going to be ok. I was under the impression that the fluke only lived in the flesh of the salmon, not the blood, fish slime, or juice. I am always very cautious anyway. I take my puppy fishing with me all the time. After I land a fish, I keep her clear until I have had a chance to rinse the deck with a bucket of water and hit it with a brush.

Lepper · 09-09-2002, 03:47 PM

I've heard.... not confirmed that once they have a little taste of it and get sick they build up a tolerence??? I don't know, just not going to try it on my dog....
dave

Silver Hilton · 09-09-2002, 03:49 PM

My dogs have always been resistant after having been sick. This has been true for 4 dogs. Your mileage may vary. I still try to keep them away from fish.

Good to hear that the pup is better.

Fishin Magician · 09-09-2002, 03:54 PM

Our vet told us that if your dog ever eats something suspicious ( Salmon, Seafood,etc ) pour peroxide down thier thraot as it will make them throw up violently for a few minutes expelling anything in thier stomach. FYI

John

crabbait · 09-09-2002, 03:57 PM

Glad to hear your pup is going to be ok.

My understanding is that the fluke is in the flesh/blood of all salmon that originated in our systems. They actually pick up the fluke on their journey to the ocean.

When I am going fishing and taking Nick with, I stop by the vets first and pick up a prescription for tetracycline. If I have any reason to suspect that he has been into salmon or salmon blood I put him on the antibiotics.

The sooner they start on antibiotics the less chance of losing a pup and I don't want to have to make a panic trip back from the coast to get Nick to the vet. He is 6 now and so far we have not had to deal with the salmon fluke.

[ 09-09-2002, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

Dirty E · 09-09-2002, 04:03 PM

I personally wouldn't pour peroxide down the throat of anything I cared about but do what you want, I recently discussed this issue with my vet about my 5 month old dog. His suggestion was to wait until there adult teeth come in and then go ahead and feed him some salmon wait till they start running a temp, then treat them with the tetracyclene, which is harmful to the under developed adult teeth until they have there enamel, he has already given me the prescription I'm just waiting to catch a salmon now. :smile: Once they have been sick and treated they should be immune to the flukes, but he said it was important that they are running a temp usually one good day of being sick before you treat. Erik

Fishin Magician · 09-09-2002, 05:23 PM

Hey when your dog is violently ill you do what the vet tells you to do................geeez

skein · 09-09-2002, 05:24 PM

I also understand there is more than one strain of the bacteria, and a dog can actually have a resistance to one and still get another. First time I had a dog contract it, the weather was really hot and I just thought she was lethargic because of the heat. Turned out she was running a fever big-time. We got her on medication in time, but the vet said with as much fishing as we do, and in as many locations, there was an even chance she would get another version of it.

It's really, really hard to keep a dog totally away from all the blood, scales, or slime that gets spread around when you net a fish and bring it on board. I actually don't even try any more. I just watch her like a hawk after we've been out, and at the first sign of her being sick or just laying around, I'll get her to the vet.

Skein

KingFisher85 · 09-09-2002, 05:52 PM

I had a dog once that died from eating a salmon :depressed: . We have salmon that come up the creek every year and spawn and lay there eggs, well the dog got into one of them dead salmon and was

dead just a few days later. He did what you said King Fisher, just stoped playing around and would just sit and lay there doing nothing.
Sorry to hear about your dog, hope he gets better.

poshie · 09-09-2002, 05:56 PM

Well...everyone keeps talking about fresh salmon. Ours got into frozen salmon from Alaska and the vet had us also use peroxide.
We waited outside about 30 minutes for her
to throw up...nothing happened. We brought her back in the family room and guess...
she threw up all over da man...slippers had to go in the garbage.
She never appeared sick and we have been told that Alaskan salmon doesn't carry the parasite. :grin:
Will just add a couple of other tips...
moldy cheese will kill...cost us $1000 to save her and so will digging in a compost pile (the gases), chocolate and slug bait. :smile:

wiser · 09-09-2002, 06:01 PM

Ask your vet. He is the expert and knows your dogs. Guessing what is right isn't worth the cost of losing a friend.

Gizmo Man · 09-09-2002, 06:12 PM

I went through this about a year ago with my dog giz... One day he was fine, out chasing fish with me on the Kalama and the next day he crawled under the boat, started shaking and his chest area was sore. Took him to the vet and he had a temp of 106. Normal for a dog is about 102.

Started him on both tetracycline and 500 mg buffered asprin. Couple of days later he was fine. He still likes to chase fish and in case he catches one, I have a 5 day supply of meds. (took me a couple of trips to convicne the vet to give me the meds in advance. I carry them in the tackle box just in case.)

I would suggest you get a supply to have handy as it is better to start the treatment than wait until it is too late. A digital therometer would not be a bad investment either to have for your pet. Took only a few seconds to confirm the fever.

Giz....

Ray S. · 09-09-2002, 08:48 PM

The old timers say that Westport Wa. is the dividing line for salmon fever. The fish [salmonoids] north of Westport are fever free, to the south they are to be avoided, if you are a dog anyway! The eskimo people and mushers feed their dogs salmon all the time it is their main staple. Also once the pup has been infected they are supposed to be immune for life. Keep gettin em

garyk · 09-09-2002, 10:59 PM

If only I could get salmon as easily as my dogs get the salmon poisoning

.

Anyway, from lots of experience...

Your dog has a much better chance of an easier recovery is you begin treatment sooner than later. Later stages can involve dehydration and a cascade of secondary problems.

If you pre-stock meds. , I would suggest keeping them refridgerated for stability and BE SURE to do the whole course of treatment, otherwise you risk promoting resistant strains.

hawgcatcher · 09-10-2002, 07:25 AM

The worst part of this whole problem is that they could come up with a preventative shot for dogs. I talked to a vet several years ago and also to a representative from one of the companies that distribute distemper, rabies and heartworm medications. Both said the same thing: A vacine could be made but wouldn't be. Why? Because the problem is limited to the west coast area and the main reason "There just isn't any money in it". Too much to develop and test, then not enough sales in the serum. MONEY WINS AGAIN.

fishisabonus · 09-10-2002, 07:42 AM

I will never forget how funny it was watching my Mom trying to weigh our black labs after they dragged a salmon from the creek up into the yard. She was standing on the scales and trying to hold the dog. We had two of them and she had to weigh both of them. I remember the vet saying one drop of salmon blood could kill a dog. It isn't worth the chance. If you suspect they got ahold of a salmon, weigh the dog and call your vet ASAP. Our vet would have the meds waiting for us when we got there and all we had to pay for was the meds.

[ 09-10-2002, 08:42 AM: Message edited by: fishisabonus ]

BottomFeeder · 09-10-2002, 02:45 PM

A link on Salmon Poisoning in dogs

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/salmon.htm

TPM

BottomFeeder · 09-10-2002, 02:47 PM

Kinda weird how its a bacteria that infects a parasite that lives in the dog. Kind of flea that has fleas type of thing.

TPM