Fluke Infection

From egg (right) to bird droppings to snail to larva
to fish to dog. (Orchard Hills Animal Hospital)

Sushi restaurants have been part of the American dining scene for at least 40 years, and the widespread hesitancy over eating raw fish has largely abated. But there was good reason for that historical repugnance, as this report reminds us: [bold added]

Salmon Poisoning Disease can affect dogs and potentially kill them after they consume raw or cold smoked fish, including freshwater fish carcasses, that are infected by a “bacteria-like organism” which is transmitted by a flatworm, also known as a fluke, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said in a news release...

Symptoms of Salmon Poisoning Disease are similar to that of distemper, wildlife officials said, including a rise in body temperature, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness and rapid weight loss...

About 90% of dogs with symptoms that don’t receive treatment die, wildlife officials said. Dogs that don’t receive treatment will typically die within two weeks of eating infected fish, officials said.

Flukes and bacteria can also make humans sick and are not present in the salt-water fish served in sushi restaurants. Fresh-water fish should always be cooked before serving it to ourselves or our four-legged friends.