Can dogs eat Mackerel?
Mackerel（サバ）
With care
An oily fish high in DHA and EPA, with plenty of fat.
With care
Mackerel with the bones in — calcium on top of DHA and EPA.
211 kcal per 100 g (boneless)
What kind of food is this?
Filleted mackerel, meat only. Per 100g: 970mg DHA and 690mg EPA — both well above the average of the seafood in our database.
Fat is 16.8g and energy is 211 kcal — a properly rich oily fish.
When using it raw, watch out for Anisakis parasites. Mackerel is one of the fish named in Japan's national advisories as prone to carrying Anisakis.
Mackerel used whole, head and bones included. With the bones, calcium is higher than in fillets alone. The proportion of bone varies with the size of the fish.
DHA is 970mg and EPA is 690mg. Using the fish bones and all combines oily-fish fatty acids with bone-derived minerals. Its fat is above the average of the seafood in our database.
When using it raw, watch out for Anisakis parasites. Mackerel is one of the fish named in Japan's national advisories as prone to carrying Anisakis.
How to serve
In red-fleshed fish, histamine can build up when the fish is left at room temperature. Once histamine forms, it is not destroyed by cooking. After buying, do not leave it at room temperature — refrigerate or freeze it right away and use it while it is fresh.
When you have these care goals
Skin & coat care — An oily fish rich in EPA and DHA. One of the ingredients that comes up when thinking about skin and coat care. (High in fat, so start with a small amount.)
Joint & mobility care — Contains EPA and DHA, so it can also be a candidate when thinking about mobility in senior dogs.
Nutrition
Mackerel (per 100 g, boneless)
Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition (8th ed.)
| Energy | 211 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20.7 g |
| Fat | 16.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.3 g |
| Calcium | 6 mg |
| Phosphorus | 220 mg |
See more
| Fiber | 0 g |
|---|---|
| Moisture | 62.1 g |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
| Potassium | 330 mg |
| Magnesium | 30 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg |
| Copper | 0.12 mg |
| Iodine | 21 µg |
| Selenium | 70 µg |
| Manganese | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin A | 37 µg |
| Vitamin D | 5.1 µg |
| Vitamin E | 1.3 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.21 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 13 µg |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| EPA | 690 mg |
| DHA | 970 mg |
| Alpha-linolenic acid | 76 mg |
This food is not listed in the public composition tables (Japan 8th ed. / USDA), so these notes do not show nutrition values for it.
In food-energetics terms
In traditional food energetics it is classified as "warming" — said to gently warm the body and often chosen in the colder seasons.
(Food energetics is a long-standing idea of supporting the body through everyday meals. Treat it as one extra hint alongside the nutrition numbers.)
How much for your dog?
Get daily estimates from weight and activity level.