[CorkyMax]

Found this on the net! Anyone else have some more good info on this great 'stuff' for dogs?

Health Benefits of
Fish Oil for Dogs
The advantages of fish oil for dogs are plentiful. It's no longer just a supplement for humans, or a benefit that cats enjoy from eating fish. Nope, your dog can have similar health benefits from fish oil.

Did you know that fish oil aids in the relief of canine allergies? It can also help many conditions including kidney disease and arthritis. Fish oil or salmon oil for dogs can also assist in supporting vision, the heart, joint health, and it provides a boost to proper immune functions. One secret to fish oil is the omega-3 fatty acids.
You can add fish oil to your dogs diet in a pill or liquid form. But you can also make dog treat recipes that contain natural sources of fish oil. These include:

Salmon
Herring
Mackerel
Anchovies
Sardines
Trout
Tuna
We're going to focus on salmon and tuna. These are readily found processed in cans and easily used in dog treat recipes. Want to get started with homemade salmon dog treats? Then you'll want to start with the Salmon Cakes for Dogs recipe, it even has a dog friendly "tartar sauce" dip. SEE THIS RECIPE IN THE THREAD IN THIS FORUM THAT HAS ALL THE RECENT RECIPES POSTED in THE DOG CHAT FORUM/SECTION. Also check out using tuna in the Chicken and Beef Broty Ice Cream recipes. (In same place)

A prime place to see the effects is in your dogs skin and fur. It can help relieve the symptoms caused by allergies, such as hair loss, dry skin and dull fur. This super supplement can also help stop excessive shedding. The advantages of fish oil will help your young, adult and senior dogs.

How quickly can you see the effects? Well, it depends on your dog. But remember that it will be working from the inside out. So your dog will begin to benefit right away, but it could be several weeks before you notice a difference.

Fish oil for dogs is an incredible addition to your dogs diet. However, please consult your veterinarian for the amount and type of fish oil needed for your individual dog.

[mightymite]

Salmon oil, in particular, is one of the best oils to add as a supplment to your dogs diet. Krill oil is also excelllant.

Other oils to consider adding are virgin coconut, olive, and evening primerose. Flaxseed is also an excellant source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

[pinsnpugs]

We buy canned salmon and out it in the dogs food daily.
They sell mackeral canned as well, and its cheaper than salmon. I wonder, if it is as good as the salmon?
Would save on my budget to go with the mackeral if it is.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by pinsnpugs

We buy canned salmon and out it in the dogs food daily.
They sell mackeral canned as well, and its cheaper than salmon. I wonder, if it is as good as the salmon?
Would save on my budget to go with the mackeral if it is.

Am still in the process of finding info on the salmon and mackerel----I use both but if there is any difference in which has the most Omega 3--not sure yet although they worded mackerel 1st in this sentence--Mackerel and salmon are the main 2 used in the fish oil supplement/capsule! I give my 2 dogs fish oil capsules (plus I give mackerel/salmon (mostly mackerel once or twice a week. I prefer the mackerel because of the price but it also has more of the 4 vitamins/minerals mentioned. I am comparing the 2 cans I have on hand which are from same company--Chicken of the Sea. Of course this I have of the salmon is the cheaper pink salmon, lol, who can even think about paying the price for the red salmon!! Here is the comparison as far as the 4 vitamins/minerals: (mackerel wins on all 4)
Mackerel----------------------Salmon
V.a--2 %-----------------------0 %
calcium-25 %-------------------10 %
iron---8 %----------------------2 %
Neither has any vitamin C
---Lol, I don't care for smell of either, but mackerel is worse. I think my dogs (at least 1 of them!) prefer the salmon but depending which has the most Omega 3, otherwise the mackerel sounds more nutritious! Why don't you supplement with the fish oil capsules too and not have to buy so much salmon/mackerel? I get mine (human grade) through Puritan's Pride catalog--
1-800-645-1030---www.Puritan.com Can call 24/7 to order. Right now they have a buy 1-get 2 free deal which is due to expire 9/9/09! I've bought there for over 25 yrs. I am going to attempt to paste a link here for what you want to see--but it is pretty long address--Don't know if it will accept it here! In mean time will continue to see what I can find on which has the most Omega 3--the mackerel or the salmon!

Omega 3 Fish Oils | Puritan's Pride

I am giving mine the Double Strength Omega-3 Fish Oil 1200 mg--product # 17132--This is # in the catalog--Think they use other #s on the site! Just started the higher strength because my dogs are getting old and arthritis is there a little now. Don't know if you would want that high a potency or not but would certainly use the 1000mg for sure. OH! To know: You need to supplement with V. E when giving fish oil as fish oil will deplete V.E! Mine get 400mg. of V.E a day too! I also don't give fish oil every day--maybe about 5 times a week.

I only want the '3' oil for mine---Think they have the 6 and 9 from the food I feed (raw diet). You might want to chek out what ratio you would need depending what you feed. Check on the web! Maybe try the words (and others) omega 3-6-9 oils/ratio or something on that order! And it is important to have the ratios right!

[CorkyMax]

Just found this:
Mackerel and salmon are two fatty fish whose oil is used for making fish oil capsules and other omega 3 nutritional supplements. Fish oil contains two essential fatty acids: DHA and EPA. About 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA is omega 3 fish level mackerel salmon.

Other than these two fish, hoki, herring and sardines are also used in the making of good quality supplements. In fact recently it has been found that hoki is by far the most effective source of fatty acids because it lives in clean and less polluted waters around New Zealand. Consequently, hoki fish oil is also pure and less contaminated than other fish oils.

Omega 3 fish level mackerel salmon can be read from the cover or bottle of the nutritional supplement you are about to buy. (THE MACKEREL I HAVE DOES NOT GIVE THAT INFO---THE SALMON DOES (same company, Lol, I think it is because they want you to think the salmon is better for your health so you will buy the more expensive stuff! By not putting that info on the mackerel at all tells me it has maybe more or the same--People would go for the mackerel then, lol, if they could get past the smell!) Normally doctors recommend taking 300 to 400 mg of DHA and EPA combined on a daily basis. So, you need to find out how much fat content is provided by one single capsule or pill.

1 serving of a healthy, fatty fish like the ones mentioned above provides up to 1000 mg of both fats combined. This amount is enough for 3 to 4 days and therefore doctors recommend eating fish twice a week to receive adequate amounts of these important fats on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that they are referring to humans here.

[Lara's mom]

I have a bottle of salmon oil softgels. The directions say that children over a year old can have 2 - 3 per day. Would these be alright for the girls?

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I have a bottle of salmon oil softgels. The directions say that children over a year old can have 2 - 3 per day. Would these be alright for the girls?

I would think so---How many mgs in the capsules? They prob. aren't as 'potent' as you would want them to be! And dosage depends on size of dog, age, and what it is needed for (example : a dog with really bad arthritis would require more than a dog with no arthritis) My 2 boys get just the omega-3 and just upped the dosage to 1,200 mg fish oil. It is best, not to give every day---I average about 5 days a week--Prob 4 days would be okay too. Like I said --It depends how bad they may need it! If one of mine got really bad arthritis, I'd prob. give it every day. You could prob. put salmon oil/dogs or fish oil/dogs in your browser and find some answers. Maybe add dosage to the words if need be--I'd try without first.

[rlang]

This is all great info, fish oil is very good for our dogs. Here is a company that sells some good healthy natural products for our dogs which includes the salmon oil and fish oil. Dinovite.com is the site her is the link to the salmon oil.

[CorkyMax]

Omega 3 fatty acid supplements for dogs:
There is a huge difference in the omega 3 - omega 6 balance in commercial dog foods and the omega 3 - omega 6 balance in the diet of wild carnivores. The wild animal’s diet is composed mostly of small animals and birds eaten whole. This natural diet is high in omega 3 fatty acids and low in omega 6s. Commercial dog food is exactly the opposite. Dog food contains a lot of cereal grain which is high in omega 6 fatty acids and low in omega 3s. This lack of omega 3s affects the health of our pets in ways that nutritionists and veterinarians are only beginning to understand.

Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for normal function of every organ system in the body, particularly the immune system. A lack of omega 3s (or relative excess of omega 6s) contributes to allergic and degenerative disorders, causing:

Joint inflammation and arthritis

Allergy - dry itchy skin, recurring skin infection, recurring ear infections

Autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease

Loss of mental alertness in older dogs
Flax and flax oil are good sources of omega 3s but unstable. Heat processing destroys most of flaxseed’s value. Cold-pressed flax oil is an excellent choice, but has a short shelf life and must be kept continuously under refrigeration.

Oils such as cod liver oil derived from cold water fish are an excellent source of omega 3s and a more practical way of supplementing our pets’ diets:

Deep water fish concentrate toxins like mercury and cancer-causing PCBs. If we are going to use fish oil for ourselves or our pets, purity is an important concern.


Fish oils oxidize easily. Old or improperly stored fish oil oxidizes, creating free radicals which are toxic. Pure, fresh fish oil is light in color. It has very little fishy flavor and almost no odor. The pump dispensers used for some veterinary omega oil supplements are easy to use, but oxidize the product. This isn’t what you want. Once opened, fish oil should be refrigerated and used within three months. Wipe away excess oil from the lip of the bottle after each use so you don’t accumulate oxidized oil and contaminate the next dose.

Recommendations:
Feed a low fat commercial diet, preferably one formulated for dental health.


Supplement with cod liver oil or if you find the extra convenience worth the cost, with fish oil gel caps. Buy the highest quality product you can find.


Give pets of all ages one teaspoonful of cod liver oil per fifty lbs. or the equivalent amount of fish oil gel caps.

Pets that have arthritis, immune disorders like inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, recurring skin problems, or chronic kidney disease should receive one teaspoonful of cod liver oil (or the equivalent) per twenty pounds.