Fish Oil For Dogs
At Fit As Fido, we know dogs can teach us a lot about human healthy living. Scientists know this too, investigating disease and treatment effects in dogs with research that often provides healthy recommendations for both dogs and their owners. New research on the benefits of adding fish oil to diets show very similar results in both dog and human research studies.
The most popular source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are fish oil for dogs and for humans. Omega-3′s are linked to reduced inflammation and heart disease. The benefits for reducing heart disease are thought to occur because of omega-3 effects on reducing harmful inflammation. They can also be used to improve your dog’s coat and improve skin conditions in dogs.
Researchers from the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition at Ghent University studied the effects of adding salmon oil to dogs’ diets. These results were published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice. In this study, the normal chicken fat in the dogs’ diet was replaced with salmon oil for 2 weeks. Then diets were returned to the original diet. Within 2 weeks after using the salmon oil, there was an increase in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and a decreased in omega-6 fatty acids. Blood clotting and immune factors were not affected. Two weeks after the salmon oil was removed from the diet, the omega fatty acid profile returned to what it was at the beginning of the study.
Other studies have likewise found benefits from supplementing with fish oils:
- • Fatty acids increase in the blood in humans as we age. The same patterns happens in dogs. In a study conducted at the College of Veterinary medicine at Oregon State University, older beagles fed fish oils experienced a boost in healthy omega-3 fatty acids that helped counterbalance the unhealthy fatty acid increase that occurred with aging.
• The Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine showed that dogs with arthritis fed fish oil experienced improved movement and better skin and coat condition.
• Click here to find more studies investigating the effects of adding fish oil to dogs’ diets at the American Veterinary Medical Association website.
The amount of fish oil your pet might need will depend on his weight and other factors. Excessive amounts of omega-3 supplementation can have side effects for your pets, so always check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet.
Fish oils have likewise been proven to benefit dogs’ owners—with positive effects for reducing obesity, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that humans eat fish twice a week for a good dose of omega-3′s — especially fatty fish like salmon, trout, and tuna.
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