Crab

PetMD's veterinary-reviewed guidance (Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP) treats plain cooked, shelled crab as safe in small amounts as an occasional treat, while noting it offers nothing a balanced dog food does not already provide. The same page flags four hazards. The shell "is a risk to your pooch because it's sharp and indigestible" and can injure the mouth and intestinal tract. Crabmeat is high in sodium, cholesterol and iodine, all of which are a problem in quantity. Raw crab — the kind a dog finds on the beach — can carry parasites. Imitation crab is processed seafood with binders and preservatives and is not recommended. For portions, PetMD caps it at once or twice a week: a tablespoon for dogs 2-20 lb, two to three tablespoons for 21-30 lb, a quarter cup for 31-50 lb, half a cup for 51-90 lb. AKC's shrimp guidance carries the same logic for shellfish generally — cook it through, and remove the shell, tail, head and legs completely, because shells are a choking hazard and can cause obstructions, especially in small breeds. In practice, the trouble is rarely the meat. A seafood boil means crab cooked in a heavy dose of seasoning salt; crab cakes are bound with onion, mayonnaise and breadcrumbs; crab dip adds cream cheese and garlic. Merck places clinical signs of salt toxicosis in dogs at 2-3 g/kg, and garlic and onion oxidize canine red blood cells, with hemolysis typically appearing 3-5 days later. If your dog swallowed shell, do not wait it out and do not induce vomiting. Retching, drooling, repeated vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody stool or straining without producing stool suggest obstruction or perforation — call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Shellfish allergies are uncommon but real, so stop feeding crab if you see itching, hives or facial swelling.