Can Dogs Eat Crab Shells? A Dog Owner’s Guide

As dog owners, we want to make sure we’re feeding our furry friends foods that are safe and healthy for them. Many human foods that we enjoy can actually be dangerous for dogs if consumed. One food that owners often wonder about is crab shells – can dogs eat them or not?

Crab can be a tasty treat for both humans and dogs when prepared properly. The succulent crab meat is full of beneficial nutrients. However, the hard outer shell of crabs is a different story. Crab shells are made of chitin, which is indigestible for dogs. Eating crab shells can pose several health risks for canines.

In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at whether dogs can eat crab shells, the potential dangers, and what to do if your dog accidentally eats some shell pieces.

Are Crab Shells Safe for Dogs to Eat?

In short – no dogs should not intentionally be fed crab shells. While small amounts of shell may pass through their system crab shells are generally too hard and sharp for dogs to digest properly.

The shell is nature’s armor that protects the crab’s edible meat inside. It’s understandably hard and indigestible for a reason, even for people. The shell is made of a complex carbohydrate called chitin. Dogs lack the enzymes needed to break this compound down during digestion.

So if a dog eats a crab shell, it’s likely to come out the other end completely intact. The rigid, sharp shell pieces pose a major choking hazard and can damage a dog’s mouth, throat, or intestines when swallowed.

Another issue is that crab shells don’t have much nutritional value for dogs. The shells are mostly made up of calcium carbonate and chitin. While calcium is great, dogs won’t be able to absorb much of it from the shell itself.

So not only are crab shells indigestible for dogs, they provide little nutritional benefit. It’s best to stick to feeding the delicious crab meat inside and discarding the hazardous outer shell.

Dangers of Dogs Eating Crab Shells

Now that we’ve determined crab shells aren’t a healthy snack for dogs, what dangers do they actually pose? Here are some of the most common risks and injuries:

• Choking – Like any foreign object crab shells can become lodged in a dog’s throat and lead to choking. This risk is highest with larger shell pieces. Choking on an object requires immediate veterinary attention so keep an eye on your dog if they’ve eaten shell recently.

• Mouth/Throat Lacerations – The sharp, rigid edges of crab shells can cut a dog’s mouth, tongue, throat, and esophagus during chewing and swallowing. This can cause pain and bleeding.

• Intestinal Damage or Blockage– Once swallowed, shell fragments can scrape, puncture, or become lodged in a dog’s digestive tract. This can lead to costly gastrointestinal surgery to remove obstructions.

• Toxic Seasonings– Many seasoned crab dishes contain onion, garlic, salt, and other ingredients that can cause toxicity in dogs. The shell pieces may be coated with these dangerous seasonings.

• Parasites – Raw crab and shells may contain parasites. Dogs who forage and eat crab at the beach are especially at risk of ingesting parasites like lung flukes.

While not inherently toxic, crab shells simply aren’t suited for canine consumption. Owners should be aware of these dangers to keep their dogs safe. Let’s look at what to do if your dog eats some shell.

What To Do If Your Dog Eats Crab Shells

Accidents happen. Even the best behaved dogs can sometimes get into things they shouldn’t. If your dog manages to scarf down some crab shells, here are some tips:

• Check for choking – If it just occurred, see if the shell is lodged in your dog’s throat. If they are coughing, pawing at their mouth, struggling to breathe, or have blue gums, they could be choking. Perform first aid or get them to the vet immediately.

• Monitor for signs of injury – Keep an eye out for the next 48 hours for symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, yellow gums, or blood in stool or vomit. These could indicate internal lacerations or obstructions from the shells. Seek vet care if you notice any of these.

• Call your vet – Even if your dog seems fine immediately after eating shells, give your vet a call to be safe. They may want to examine your pooch or prescribe a laxative to help the shell fragments pass through. Better to be safe!

• Avoid high fiber foods – Temporarily hold off on high fiber foods like peas, beans, and bran. The extra fiber can lead to intestinal irritation alongside the crab shell pieces.

• Consider an endoscopy – If your dog shows obstruction symptoms, the vet may need to perform an endoscopy to see inside the digestive tract and remove any lodged shells.

With prompt care and monitoring, most dogs recover just fine after eating a few crab shells. Still, it’s very risky and should be avoided whenever possible. Check with your vet for the best course of action tailored to your pup.

Tips for Safely Feeding Crab to Dogs

While crab shells should be avoided, the meat from cooked crabs can be a great occasional treat for dogs! Here are some tips for feeding crab safely:

• Remove all shell pieces, including smaller legs and claw tips, before serving. The tiniest shard poses a risk.

• Only feed your dog crab meat that has been thoroughly cooked. Raw crab may contain bacteria and parasites.

• Avoid seasoning with onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, or other ingredients toxic to dogs. Stick to plain cooked crab.

• Introduce new foods slowly. Feed just a small portion at first to check for any allergies or GI upset.

• Cut the crab into bite-sized pieces to reduce the choking hazard from bones.

• Make sure crabmeat is cooled down before feeding. Hot foods can burn a dog’s mouth.

• Monitor your dog closely as the digest any new food. Discontinue feeding if you notice adverse effects.

As you can see, dogs can enjoy all the tasty benefits of crab meat, without having to consume the hazardous shells, when prepared properly. Just be vigilant about shell removal whenever preparing or feeding crab to dogs to keep their digestive system safe.

The Bottom Line

Can dogs eat crab shells? Our advice is no. The risks of choking, intestinal damage, and ingesting toxic seasonings outweigh any potential benefit for dogs. While crab meat is perfectly safe for canines when cooked and unseasoned, the tough outer shell should always be removed and discarded before feeding it to your dog.

If your pup accidentally eats some crab shell, stay calm but vigilant. Monitor them closely for signs of injury or obstruction over the next 2 days. Be prepared to call your vet or visit for an exam. With prompt care, your dog has a good chance of passing the shell pieces and avoiding serious complications.

With a little care when preparing crab and proper monitoring afterward, you and your dog can continue to enjoy worry-free crab feasts together. Just leave the shells for us humans! By being aware of the risks crab shells pose for canines, we can all continue to have delicious beach days and backyard cookouts with our furry best friends.