{"id":5281,"date":"2022-01-04T15:31:50","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/?p=5281"},"modified":"2022-01-04T15:51:26","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:51:26","slug":"can-dogs-eat-clams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/can-dogs-eat-clams\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Dogs Eat Clams? Is Clam Chowder Bad For Dogs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Shellfish, including clams, are one of many nutrients packed foods with several benefits to humans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unsurprisingly we may likely feed them to our pet dogs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This begets the question, can dogs eat clams? What about clam chowder?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In this article, we dig deeper into this subject to help you make a wise decision as regards adding clams to your dog diet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Highlights include the risks and benefits of feeding clams to your dog.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

First, let’s be clear on what exactly clams are.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What are Clams?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Clams are circular sea creatures that live in clumps of sand under fresh water. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are different spices of clams, all varying in size, including surf clam, knobbed clam, and butter clam.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

However, what is unique about this sea creature is an amazing fact that it has internal organs, hearts, circulatory systems, and digestive systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

They can be eaten raw or cooked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Many people are more acquainted with common sea shellfish creatures such as oysters and mussels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

On the other hand, clams aren’t as common, making it a rare dish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The difference that sets apart clams from the rest of the shellfish family is that they are primarily found in freshwater, unlike the rest, which are found in seas.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While they can be found in almost every part of the world, clams are notably common along the coastline of countries like Australia and New England and generally have a life cycle of about a year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

However, a documented report<\/a> once showed otherwise\u2014a clam believed to be approximately 507 years old.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Can Dogs Eat Clams?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\"Pot<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Being that your furry friend is more than just a friend but a part of the family, you may be tempted to feed it clam.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Having every family member gathered at the dining and enjoying a sumptuous meal of cooked clam, leaving out your pet dog from the party is more than heartbreaking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The good news is dogs can eat clams. They are an excellent source of protein, minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. However, they should be fed in moderation.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Clams contain a high level of potassium and sodium, making it unsuitable for your dogs to eat them in high quantity.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A few bites wouldn’t pose any health problems, but beyond this could result in health complications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To understand why clams could be potentially detrimental to your dog’s health, below is a breakdown of the nutrient value of 85 grams of clam.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Nutritional Info<\/th>Amount<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Calories<\/td>126<\/td><\/tr>
Total Fat<\/td>1.7g<\/td><\/tr>
Cholesterol<\/td>57mg<\/td><\/tr>
Sodium<\/td>1,022mg<\/td><\/tr>
Potassium<\/td>534mg<\/td><\/tr>
Carbohydrates<\/td>4.4g<\/td><\/tr>
Protein<\/td>22g<\/td><\/tr>
Vitamin A<\/td>9.7%<\/td><\/tr>
Vitamin C<\/td>31%<\/td><\/tr>
Calcium<\/td>6%<\/td><\/tr>
Iron<\/td>13%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

From the chart above, it is dauntingly clear that despite the nutritional benefit clams offer, a dog’s regular consumption of it will negatively impact its health system.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Health Risk of Feeding Clams to Dogs<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You should be aware of health risks from feeding clams to your dogs as a responsible dog owner.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

High salt content<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Although clams exist in different species and thus the salt content in each species varies, most of them contain high salt content, raising concerns.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Dogs do not need much salt content in their diet, and clams contain too much of it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Food poisoning<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Clams are associated with the family of bivalve mollusks, a class of marine and freshwater mollusks, and they filter the water they live in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Herein lies the problem, toxins they filter sometimes end up in a clam’s tissue, and dogs may wound up ingesting some of these toxins.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unfortunately, cooking can’t get rid of these toxins.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Therefore, it is important to get your clams from a reputable source or water that you’re sure is free from such endangering toxins.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Heavy metals<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This rarely does happen, but there’s a chance that clams you feed to your dog may contain some bit of metals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Clams from Asian waters reportedly<\/a> have heavy metals such as Mercury in them. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

These heavy metals, in large quantities, can wreak havoc on a dog’s health.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Allergies<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some dogs may be allergic to clams or any type of seafood in general.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hence, clams are a big no! In the case these allergic dogs accidentally ate clams, you may notice the following symptoms:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n