Tuna treat recipe for pets

Making snacks for your cat or dog can be a fun and easy way to make sure your best friend has nutritious and delicious treats. You can find great recipes online that take less than an hour to make. Many of them are freezable so you can make a little or alot and store them for later. Be sure to double check the ingredients so you don't give your pet something harmful. Here is a great tuna treat recipe that my cat loves and we discovered that dogs love them too. Please note that although tuna can be a great snack from time to time, too much tuna can be very harmful to your pets.

1 8 oz. can tuna with juice

1/2 cup chopped parsley

3 eggs

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

3 cups all purpose flour

In a food processor, mix tuna, parsley, eggs, sunflower seeds and sesame seed for 2 minutes. Add flour and continue to blend until dough forms. Move dough to a floured counter or cutting board.

Knead dough with plenty of flour until it is the consistency of cookie dough. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a cookie cutter or by knife into a desirable size for your pet. If you are making these treats for cats, it is best to cut into 1/4 inch squares or button sized bits.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay treats out on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes turn treats over and bake for another 15 minutes. Bake a little longer for crunchier treats.

If your pet is sensitive to wheat you can use potato flour in place of all purpose flour. These treats can also be made with fresh, fully cooked, unseasoned fish. Be sure that your fresh fish is thoroughly deboned prior to cooking.

Alcoholic beverages: Alcohol can cause intoxication, coma and even death to your pet.

Grapes and raisins: Grapes contain a toxin that can cause kidney damage in both dogs and cats.

Chocolate, coffee and tea: These contain caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. They can damage to the heart and nervous systems. Caffeinated foods and drinks can be lethal to your pets.

Citrus fruit: Fruits and other foods containing citrus oils and juices are hard on the digestive system and can cause severe vomiting.

Fat trimmings: The fat trimmings from meat can cause pancreatitis in dogs. For cats, fat trimmings can cause intestinal distress resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.

Onions, garlic, chives: Ingesting onions can cause anemia due to high levels of sulfoxides and disulfides, which affect red blood cells. Be careful of foods and spices containing dried onions and onion powder, as even small amounts can cause your pet gastrointestinal upset.

Foods containing Xylitol: Xylitol is found in candy, gum and soft drinks. This sweetener can cause liver failure in your dog or cat. Xylitol can result in vomiting, seizures, and death. While Xylitol is the most dangerous, other artificial sweeteners can have similar effects on your pet.

Raw Eggs: There is the possibility of bacteria like salmonella or E. coli. Also, raw egg whites contain avidin. This can slow or stop the absorption of the B vitamin biotin causing skin problems as well as problems with your pet’s coat.

Yeast Dough: Before it's baked, bread dough needs to rise. The yeast will cause the dough to expand in your pet’s stomach. Dough can stretch the abdomen and cause severe pain. Yeast must ferment in order for the dough to rise or expand. This fermentation also produces alcohol that can lead to alcohol poisoning.

Macadamia nuts: These nuts contain a toxin that can affect the digestive system, nervous system and muscles of your pet.