Can Dogs Eat Prawns?

The Short Answer

Yes, dogs can eat prawns. They're not toxic and most dogs love them. Prawns are high in protein, low in fat, and contain beneficial nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and phosphorus.

The catch is preparation. Prawns need to be cooked, peeled, and deveined before you offer them to your dog. Raw prawns, shells, and heads are where the problems start.

How to Prepare Prawns for Your Dog

Cook them plain. Boiled or steamed prawns are best. Avoid prawns that have been cooked in garlic, butter, oil, chilli, or any seasoning. Garlic and onion are toxic to dogs, and many prawn recipes include one or both.

Remove the shell, head, and tail. Prawn shells aren't toxic, but they're sharp and hard to digest. They can cause choking or irritation in the digestive tract, particularly for small dogs.

Devein the prawns. The dark vein running along the back is the digestive tract. While it's not harmful, removing it is a good hygiene practice.

Cut large prawns into smaller pieces for small dogs to prevent choking.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Prawns?

It's best to avoid raw prawns. Like raw chicken and other uncooked seafood, raw prawns can carry bacteria and parasites that may cause illness in dogs.

Cooking prawns to an internal temperature that kills bacteria makes them significantly safer. It only takes a few minutes to boil or steam them, and the effort is worth the reduced risk.

If your dog sneaks a raw prawn off the kitchen bench, they'll most likely be fine. But deliberately feeding raw prawns isn't recommended.

How Many Prawns Can a Dog Have?

Prawns should be a treat, not a meal. A few prawns here and there is fine. As a rough guide, one or two prawns for a small dog and three to five for a larger dog is plenty.

Like any treat, prawns should make up no more than about 10 percent of your dog's daily calorie intake. They're not nutritionally complete, so they shouldn't replace a balanced dog food.

Some dogs may have a shellfish sensitivity. If you're feeding prawns for the first time, start with just one and watch for any signs of an allergic reaction — itching, swelling, vomiting, or diarrhoea.

For your dog's everyday meals, a quality dry food covers all the bases. Check out our guide to the Best Dry Dog Food in Australia.