Dogs love to eat several types of fish that offer essential health benefits but can dogs eat jellyfish? jellyfish are known to be amongst the most wonderful creatures in the world but can be fierce at times. They are known for their extremely painful stings that sometimes require medical attention.
Although jellyfish are not known to cause immediate serious health concerns, some experts believe that jellyfish can be extremely dangerous for dogs to eat. It can cause an allergic reaction around or inside your pup’s mouth. It may also cause gastrointestinal reactions if eaten.
Therefore, let’s take a look into why you might need to keep your dog away from this visually appealing but potentially dangerous animal. Let’s begin.
Is jellyfish harmful to dogs?
Jellyfish are harmful to dogs. If your dog puts a jellyfish in its mouth, it could get stung badly.
If you take your dog for a walk on the beach and observe that it is trying to play with a jellyfish or putting it in its mouth, you should immediately pull it back.
If they feel threatened, jellyfish can sting you, and the pain can last a few minutes to several hours. In fact, most experts recommend that dogs be closely monitored, especially when the owners are taking their dogs for a fun time on the beach. The reason is that jellyfish can easily wash up on the beach, and your dog might begin playing with them out of curiosity.
Plus, the jellyfish stings are extremely painful for humans as well. The reason is that the stings contain nematocysts that are found in their tentacles. Upon coming into contact with the skin, these tentacles produce a painful sensation, and can lead to a wide range of health concerns in your dog.
What happens when a dog eats jellyfish?
If your dog ingests a jellyfish, it might experience:
- Either skin or mouth allergy
- Gastrointestinal reaction
- Excessive drooling
- Licking of the stung area
- Swelling
- Difficulty in breathing
- Continuous itch
- Lethargy or unusual quietness
What to do if my dog ate a jellyfish?
If you come to find out that your dog has eaten a jellyfish, you do not need to panic. Just do not wait for the symptoms to show up and rush your pup to the vet. In case the vet is unavailable, rinse your dog’s mouth.
Even if your dog looks perfectly fine, the symptoms take some time to kick in. But by that time, it might be too late. In the worst-case scenarios, vets have to induce vomiting to save the dog’s life. Plus, if you observe that your dog is showing allergic reactions to the mouth or skin after visiting the beach, it might be that it was stung by a jellyfish.
However, in the case of jellyfish being ingested, your dog might experience an extreme case of diarrhea. The best way to help your dog at this point is to rush to the vet.
Another thing to keep in mind is that washed-up jellyfish are equally harmful as living jellyfish and might still be capable of stinging. Therefore, if your dog has been stung by a jellyfish, you can remove the stings using a towel or stick.
What to do if a dog is stung by jellyfish?
Remove the jellyfish stinger from your dog to halt the chemical reactions. To the wound, apply vinegar, seawater, meat tenderizer, or a 70% alcohol solution to stop the release of toxins.
If by any chance you get a hold of the remains of the jellyfish, you should bring it to the vet so that it is easy for him/her to provide medication.
How can I protect my dog from jellyfish stings?
You can protect your dog from jellyfish stings by applying petroleum jelly on the exposed areas such as the abdomen, footpads, eye rims, etc. Along with that, closely monitor your pup while visiting the beach. Dogs are curious animals; if they stumble upon anything unusual, they will put their paws on them or use their teeth to play around.
Jellyfish come around May and stay till September. It is best to keep that in mind when taking your pup out to the beach.
Related FAQs
What if my dog licks a jellyfish?
If your dog happens to lick a jellyfish, you should immediately rinse its mouth. However, if it has been a while and the symptoms are showing up, you should contact a vet.
Although licking wouldn’t seriously harm or cause death but can turn serious if left ignored.
Are dead jellyfish poisonous?
Yes, even dead jellyfish can be poisonous. Whether whole or broken apart, their tentacles can still emit toxins.
Therefore, if you or your dog run into one while walking on the beach, you should maintain a safe distance at all costs.
Concluding our thoughts on whether dogs can eat jellyfish
Jellyfish are proven to be dangerous and harmful to both humans and pets. With that said, dogs should be kept away from jellyfish as ingesting them can turn into a life-threatening situation. Also, if your dog has encountered a jellyfish, you should rush it to the vet and get the stinger removed as soon as possible.
